Opinion
2022-09-27-01 Appellate Case 2022-001347
09-27-2022
RE: Continuing Legal Education Credit for Service as a Poll Worker
ORDER
To encourage lawyers to assist their communities by volunteering to serve as poll workers for the upcoming election, we find it appropriate to permit a lawyer admitted in South Carolina who provides this valuable service to receive six (6) hours of continuing legal education (CLE) credit required under Rule 408 of the South Carolina Appellate Court Rules (SCACR). CLE credit will be limited to the November 8, 2022, election and is conditioned upon the following:
(1) The polling place must be located in South Carolina.
(2) Lawyers must comply with all training requirements and be eligible to serve as a volunteer. Training requirements and eligibility may vary by county.
(3) Lawyers must work the entire day, generally 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., excluding lunch and normal break times to receive CLE credit. No partial credit will be provided to lawyers who volunteer for less than a full day.
(4) Lawyers must forgo or decline pay for service and training.
In the event that lawyers are not permitted to decline payment, any payment for service and training must be donated to the South Carolina Bar Foundation.
(5) The lawyer and an election official must certify the lawyer's service at the polls, as set forth in the attached form.
(6) The CLE credit granted under this Order may not be used to satisfy the legal ethics/professional responsibility requirement or the substance abuse/mental health requirement in Rule 408(a)(2), SCACR; or any specialization CLE requirements in any area of certified specialization.
(7) Judges may not participate or receive CLE credit under this Order.
Donald W. Beatty C.J.
John W. KittredgeJ.
Kaye G. HearnJ.
John Cannon FewJ.
George C. James, Jr. J.