Opinion
2020-000447
10-12-2021
Re: Rescission of Order Permitting Completion of Trial Experiences by WebEx
ORDER
On October 14, 2020, this Court issued an order permitting attorneys and bar applicants to satisfy the requirement that they observe one live civil or criminal jury trial and two live day in court proceedings under Rule 403(b)(1) and (4) of the South Carolina Appellate Court Rules (SCACR) by viewing recorded proceedings broadcast online via Cisco WebEx. This exception to the requirement that live proceedings be observed was justified because the COVID-19 pandemic forced the South Carolina Judicial Branch to alter normal court operating procedures, including continuing many jury trials and limiting attendance at in-person hearings.
Re: Rule 403 Trial Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic, available at: https://www.sccourts.org/whatsnew/displaywhatsnewcfm?indexlD=2539.
Since the risks posed by COVID-19 have dissipated and many of the limitations on attendance at live trials and hearings have been lifted, we find this exception is no longer warranted. Accordingly, the October 14, 2020 order permitting attorneys and bar applicants to complete the trial experiences required by Rule 403(b)(1) (civil or criminal jury trial) and Rule 403(b)(4) (day in court proceedings) by viewing recordings broadcast online via Cisco WebEx is rescinded effective October 14, 2021, with the final video scheduled to be broadcast that day. Attorneys and bar applicants who completed the trial observation requirements under the October 14, 2020 order shall follow the directives contained in that order to report completion of a trial experience via Cisco WebEx to the Office of Bar Admissions.
Neither this order nor the October 14, 2020 order modifies the trial experiences required by Rule 403(b)(2) (recorded civil trial) and (b)(3) (recorded mediation), which may be completed by video on demand and remain available on the South Carolina Bar's website at: https://cle.scbar.org/Rule-403.
Donald W. Beatty, C.J., John W. Kittredge J., Kaye G. Hearn J., John Cannon Few J., George C. James, Jr. J.