The Judges of the South Carolina Administrative
Law Court
Marvin F. "Buddy" Kittrell (Seat 1, Chief Judge, 2009) b. October
3, 1941 at Daytona Beach, Fla.; s. B.F. and the late Mamie (Lewis) Kittrell; g. Furman University,
B.A. cum laude, 1963; University of South Carolina School of Law, J.D., 1971; University of Florida
School of Law, Master of Laws in Taxation, 1976; 2 children, Erika and Benjamin; admitted to South
Carolina Bar, 1971; Past Pres., Newberry County Bar Assn., Rotary Club of Newberry, Nat. Assn. of
Administrative Law Judges, Nat. Association of Central Panel Directors and Chief Administrative
Law Judges; member, Christ Episcopal Church, Greenville; President, South Carolina Administrative
and Regulatory Law Association; Nat. Conf. of Administrative Law Judges, Judicial Division,
American Bar Assn.; member, John Belton O'Neall Inn of Court; member of the Columbia Rotary Club;
National Judicial College, 1993, 1995, 1999; permanent member, Fourth Circuit Judicial Conference;
private practice, Dennis and Dennis Law Firm, Moncks Corner, 1971-1973; Trust Officer, South
Carolina National Bank, Columbia and Charleston, 1973-1977; Griffith and Kittrell Law Firm,
Newberry, 1977-1990; Commissioner, S.C. Workers' Compensation Comm., 1990-94; Military Service:
U.S. Navy, 1965-68, South Vietnam (1968) -- Inshore Undersea Warfare Group; elected Chief ALJ seat
no. 1 February 23, 1994, serving continuously since.
Judicial Law Clerk: Bridgette Barker Autry (telephone 734-6402)
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John D. McLeod (Seat 2, 2012) b. October 4, 1942 at
Colorado Springs , Colorado , s. John A. McLeod, Jr. and Patsie Davis McLeod; g. Fairfield County,
S.C. public schools, 1960, USC, B.A., 1964, and USC J.D., 1967; m. June 1, 1968, Virginia Martin
Ingram of Florence; 2 children, 3 grandchildren; Staff Attorney, Legal Department, S.C. Public
Service Authority, 1967-1969; in sole, general practice in Winnsboro, SC, 1969-2005; past Pres.
Fairfield County Bar, former Chairman of Chester-Fairfield Public Defender Corp.; past mem. Sixth
Circuit Fee Disputes Bd., past mem. SC Bar Committee on Practice and Procedure; past Pres.
Fairfield County Historical Society; mem., elder and former Clerk of Session, Sion Presbyterian
Church, Winnsboro, SC; Eagle Scout; US Naval Reserve, SA, 1962; elected to ALJ Seat No. 2 February
2, 2005.
Judicial Law Clerk: Jake Cluverius (telephone 734-6403)
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Carolyn C. Matthews (Seat 3, 2010) b. November 8, 1950 in
Columbia; d. the late Walter Richardson and Martha (Cook) Matthews; g. Furman University, B.A.
1972; University of South Carolina School of Law, J.D., 1978; m. John Andrew McAllister, Jr.; 3
children, Austin Adams Bruner, Anne Leigh McAllister and Sarah Elizabeth McAllister; Order of
Wig and Robe; American Jurisprudence Award, Torts, Fall, 1975; Supreme Court Staff Attorney
1978-81; Law Clerk to Supreme Court Justice George T. Gregory, Jr. 1981-82; Assistant Attorney
General, State of South Carolina 1982-1986; Counsel, South Carolina House of Representatives
Judiciary Committee 1986-1988; Partner, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough 1988-1996; Partner,
Woodward Cothran and Herndon 1996-1998; S. C. Bar House of Delegates 1998-1999; Chair, Richland
County Bar Legal Services Committee 1996-1999; Board of Directors, South Carolina Women Lawyers
Association 1995-2001; 1993 Graduate, Leadership South Carolina; elected to ALJ seat no. 3 June 2,
1999, serving continuously since.
Judicial Law Clerk: Shelby Kellahan (telephone 734-6401)
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John D. Geathers (Seat 4, 2010) b. April 10, 1961 at
Georgetown, S.C.; s. John H. and Gardenia (Graham) Geathers; g. University of South Carolina,
B.A., 1983; University of South Carolina School of Law, J.D., 1986; m. Doris Williams; two children,
Lydia Kaden and John Samuel Douglas; admitted to South Carolina Bar, 1986 and North Carolina State
Bar, 1992; Senior Staff Counsel, Office of Senate Research, 1987-1995; elected to ALJ seat no. 4
May 25, 1994, serving continuously since.
Judicial Law Clerk: Laura B. Tesh (telephone 734-6407)
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Paige J. Gossett (Seat 5, 2006-08) b. June 12, 1969 at Charleston, SC; d. David Buxton
Jones and Roberta Propst Jones; g. University of South Carolina, B.A. magna cum laude (Honors
College), 1991; USC, J.D., 1994, cum laude; m. June 18, 1993 to Jeffrey S. Gossett of Summerville,
SC; 3 children; Phi Beta Kappa; Order of the Coif;
Order of the Wig and Robe; American Jurisprudence Awards; Associate Editor, ABA Real Property,
Probate & Trust Journal; Law Clerk for The Honorable Henry M. Herlong, Jr., United States District
Judge, 1994-1996; Willoughby & Hoefer, P.A., 1996-2006; Admitted S.C. Bar, 1994; U.S. District
Court for the District of South Carolina, 1996; U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, 1996;
U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, 2002; Richland County Bar Association; S.C.
Women Lawyers Association; South Carolina Administrative and Regulatory Law Association; United Way
of the Midlands, Health & Recovery Council; Junior League of Columbia; Member, St. Joseph Church;
elected to ALC seat no. 5 May 24, 2006.
Judicial Law Clerk: Jennifer Walker (telephone 734-6408)
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Ralph K. "Tripp" Anderson, III (Seat 6, 2011) b. October 13, 1959
at Florence, S.C.; s. Ralph K., Jr. and the late Loretta Anderson; g. Frances Marion University,
B.A. cum laude, 1980; University of South Carolina School of Law, J.D., 1984; m. Linda Corley;
admitted to South Carolina Bar, 1984; Assistant Attorney General for the State of South Carolina,
1984-1995; mem. Shandon Baptist Church; Alpha Tau Omega; Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society; selected as
one of Francis Marion University's most distinguished alumni; elected to ALJ seat no. 6 May 25,
1994, serving continuously since.
Judicial Law Clerk: Amanda Scott (telephone 734-6409)
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Qualifications of Administrative Law Judges
Each of the six administrative law judges of the Court are elected
by a joint session of the General Assembly for a term of office of five
years. Candidates for each seat must be screened by the Judicial Merit
Selection Commission, and must meet the qualifications required of justices
and judges set forth in Article V of the South Carolina Constitution: each
candidate must be a resident of the United States and of South Carolina,
be at least 32 years of age, have been licensed to practice law for a minimum
of eight years, and have been a resident of South Carolina for at least
five years preceding election.
Because administrative law judges exercise quasi-judicial powers, they
are subject to the Code of Judicial Conduct found in Rule 501 of the South
Carolina Appellate Court Rules. Additionally, because administrative law
judges are "public officials" within the meaning of South Carolina's Ethics
Reform Act, they are bound by these requirements as well.
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