South Carolina Supreme Court set for all-male bench

By JAMES POLLARD
Associated Press/Report for America

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The South Carolina Supreme Court is set for an all-male bench for the first time in 35 years. Two of the three candidates to replace Justice Kaye Hearn have withdrawn from consideration. That means Judge Gary Hill remains the only nominee under consideration as lawmakers prepare to vote for a replacement at a Feb. 1 joint session. The move heightens the increased scrutiny around the state’s fairly unique process of selecting judges. South Carolina is one of two states where lawmakers exercise near-complete power in filling the bench. In the wake of a state Supreme Court decision striking down a six-week abortion ban, leading Republicans have pledged more scrupulous candidate screenings.