Clifton Newman
Clifton Newman is an at-large judge of the South Carolina Circuit Courts.[1] He was elected to the court by the South Carolina General Assembly on May 24, 2000.[2] He was re-elected by the assembly on February 3, 2021, for a term expiring in 2027.[3]
Biography
Prior to his election as circuit court judge, Newman was serving as managing partner of Newman & Sabb, P.A. He also spent 17 years as assistant solicitor for Williamsburg County, South Carolina. Newman is the recipient of several historical preservation awards.[4]
Education
Newman received his undergraduate degree from Cleveland State University and his J.D. from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in 1976.[2]
Career
- 2000-Present: At-large judge, South Carolina Circuit Courts
- 1994-2000: Attorney, Newman & Sabb, P.A.
- 1983-2000: Assistant solicitor, Williamsburg County
- 1982-1994: Attorney in private practice
- 1976-1982: Attorney, Belcher & Newman, Cleveland, Ohio[2]
Awards and associations
- Member, Ohio State Bar Association
- Member, South Carolina Bar Association
Noteworthy events
Newman assigned Alex Murdaugh criminal investigation (2021-2023)
On September 28, 2021, South Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Donald W. Beatty assigned Newman jurisdiction in the criminal investigations concerning the deaths of Margaret Murdaugh, Paul Murdaugh, Gloria Satterfield, and Stephen Smith. Alex Murdaugh, the husband of Margaret and the father of Paul, was later charged with their murders.[5]
On March 2, 2023, a jury found Alex Murdaugh guilty of two counts of murder and two counts of possession of a deadly weapon during a violent crime. After the verdict, Murdaugh's attorney filed a motion for a mistrial, which Newman denied, saying to the jury: "The evidence of guilt is overwhelming. The circumstantial evidence, direct evidence—all of the evidence pointed to one conclusion, and that’s the conclusion that you all reached." Murdaugh was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole.[6]
See also
External links
- South Carolina Judicial Department, "At Large Circuit Court Judges," accessed December 11, 2014
- South Carolina Judicial Department, "Circuit Court Judges"
- South Carolina Judicial Department: Judge Clifton Newman Biography
Footnotes
- ↑ South Carolina Judicial Department, "At Large Circuit Court Judges," accessed July 2, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 South Carolina Judicial Department, "Judge Clifton Newman Biography," accessed July 2, 2015
- ↑ South Carolina Judicial Branch, "Judicial Elections," February 3, 2021
- ↑ South Carolina Judicial Branch, "Judge Clifton Newman," accessed March 7, 2023
- ↑ The State, "SC Supreme Court assigns outside judge to oversee Alex Murdaugh criminal cases," updated March 7, 2023
- ↑ The Post and Courier, "Alex Murdaugh found guilty in June 2021 murders of wife Maggie, son Paul," updated March 2, 2023
Federal courts:
Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of South Carolina • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of South Carolina
State courts:
South Carolina Supreme Court • South Carolina Court of Appeals • South Carolina Circuit Courts • South Carolina Masters-in-Equity • South Carolina Family Courts • South Carolina Magistrate Courts • South Carolina Municipal Courts • South Carolina Probate Courts
State resources:
Courts in South Carolina • South Carolina judicial elections • Judicial selection in South Carolina
