081980

October 28, 1980

MEMORANDUM

TO: Magistrates
FROM: John Patrick, Assistant Director
RE: Magistrate Court Bank Accounts

On July 7, 1977, Chief Justice J. Woodrow Lewis of the S.C. Supreme Court issued an order which stated in part:

"IT IS ORDERED that judges of the magistrate courts have bank accounts for the deposit of all public monies received by them in their official capacity. Magistrates shall make not disbursements whatsoever in cash from official funds. All disbursements by magistrates shall be made by check from the magistrate's official bank account with no exceptions."

This order further provides that magistrates are required to file with the Office of Court Administration an official statement showing compliance with this order. The order requires that the statement " . . . include the name of the bank where the magistrate's public funds are deposited, the title in which the account is listed and the number of the account."

Since the issuance of that order, it appears from our records that a number of recently appointed magistrates have not complied with the provisions, and that those magistrates in office at the time of the issuance of this order have changed banks and/or account numbers. Therefore, you are hereby requested to forward to this office the statement referred to in the Chief Justice's Order indicating the name of the bank, the account title and account number. You may find it convenient to simply forward to us a voided check assuming such a check has all the requested information recorded on it. thank you for your cooperation in this matter.