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.
Ralph K. Anderson, III
(Seat 1, 2019) g.
Frances Marion University, B.A. cum laude, 1980; University of South
Carolina School of Law, J.D., 1984; m. Linda Anderson; admitted to South
Carolina Bar, 1984; elected to ALC seat no. 6, May 25, 1994, serving
continuously until June 30, 2009; elected as Chief Judge May 13, 2009,
serving continuously since July 1, 2009.
Samuel L. Johnson
(Seat 2, 2025) g.
University of South Carolina, B.A. summa cum laude, 2005; University of
South Carolina School of Law, J.D., 2011; m. Sara Johnson; admitted to
South Carolina Bar, 2011; elected to ALC seat no. 2, February 5, 2025,
serving continuously since April 17, 2025.
Robert L. Reibold (Seat
3, 2021) g. The Pennsylvania State University, B.S. Finance, 1992,
University of South Carolina School of Law, J.D., 1995; m. Shealy
Reibold; admitted to South Carolina Bar, 1995; elected to ALC seat no. 3
February 3, 2021, serving continuously since Jan 4, 2022.
Deborah Brooks Durden
(Seat 4, 2020) g.
Columbia College, B.A. English, magna cum laude; University of South
Carolina School of Law, J.D.; m. W. Kevin Durden; admitted to South
Carolina Bar 1992; admitted to Alaska bar 1993; elected to ALC seat no.
4, February 11, 2009, serving continuously since.
Crystal M. Rookard (Seat
5, 2023) g. University of South Carolina, B.A., 1990; University of
South Carolina School of Law, J.D., 1999; admitted to South Carolina
Bar, 2000; elected to ALC seat no. 5, February 8, 2023, serving
continuously since July 3, 2023.
Sebastien Phillip Lenski
(Seat 6, 2016) g.
University of Denver, B.A. cum laude, 1986; Emory University School of
Law, J.D., 1989; m. Laura Lenski; three sons; admitted to South Carolina
Bar, 1995; admitted to Colorado Bar, 1989; elected to ALC seat no. 6,
February 3, 2010, serving continuously since.
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