In the Matter of Former Lee County Magistrate Alston Wesley Woodham

Summary

The Supreme Court of South Carolina accepted an Agreement for Discipline by Consent involving former Lee County Magistrate Alston Wesley Woodham. The court found that his efforts concerning traffic tickets constituted improper ex parte communications and violations of multiple judicial conduct canons, imposed a public reprimand, and restricted his future pursuit of judicial office without court authorization.

Holdings

1. A magistrate may not engage in ex parte communications concerning a pending or impending judicial proceeding with an officer, alleged violator, or any third party, including a legislator; ticket-fixing or attempted ticket-fixing is improper and violates the judicial conduct requirements governing impartiality, integrity, avoidance of impropriety, and prohibition of ex parte communications.
2. The court accepted the Agreement for Discipline by Consent and issued a public reprimand, together with a restriction on respondent's seeking or accepting any judicial position in South Carolina without prior written authorization from the court.

Questions Presented

1. Whether the respondent's admitted ticket-fixing and related ex parte communications violated the South Carolina Code of Judicial Conduct and constituted grounds for judicial discipline.
2. Whether the Supreme Court should accept the Agreement for Discipline by Consent and impose a public reprimand on the former magistrate.

Disposition

other