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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