Toward Gender Parity in the South Carolina Appellate Judiciary

In April 2023, former Chief Justice Kay Hearn retired from the Supreme Court of South Carolina, leaving the state without a woman justice on its highest court until June 2024. During this time, South Carolina was the only state in the nation to lack a female presence on its court of last resort. This lack of women was detrimental, as women judges provide crucial insight and experience to the courts on which they serve. Through a literature review, I examine the importance of women on the bench and how different state judicial selection mechanisms affect the gendered makeup of state courts. I then discuss how gender parity can be achieved through South Carolina’s unique judicial selection method, using information from interviews with relevant stakeholders. My research finds that avoiding elections, increasing women’s presence in the General Assembly and lower court system, providing mentorship to incentivize female candidates to run for judgeship, and platforming a diverse Judicial Merit Selection Commission will aid in ending the gender disparity on South Carolina’s appellate bench.