Jayroe v. Newberry County

Plaintiff, formerly the part-time Chief Magistrate of Newberry County, brought this action in the South Carolina Supreme Court's original jurisdiction to determine whether defendants Newberry County and Wayne Adams, County Administrator, had the authority to abolish part-time magistrate positions in Newberry County. In addition, the Court permitted the Senate President Pro Tempore to intervene in this action. Defendants and the Intervenor agreed with plaintiff that defendants did not have such authority, contending that all of defendants' actions have been done in compliance with the South Carolina Constitution and applicable statutes. After review, the Supreme Court agreed with all parties that defendants did not have the authority to abolish part-time magistrate positions in Newberry County. Rather, as permitted by code section 22-4-80(E), the part-time magisterial positions, including the one previously held by plaintiff, had been combined into one full-time magistrate position, and the Newberry County magistrates have been lawfully appointed pursuant to S.C. Const. art. V, sec. 26. While the Court declined plaintiff's invitation to expand the scope of this case to address issues of an alleged constitutional conflict between S.C. Const. art V, sec. 26 and art. V, sec. 4, and his related statutory claims, the Court reviewed all of plaintiff's arguments and found nothing of merit warranting the exercise of our authority to add necessary parties and address these additional arguments. View "Jayroe v. Newberry County" on Justia Law