MEMORANDUM

I am enclosing a copy of the Order of Chief Justice J. Woodrow Lewis dated July 15, 1981, a copy of which may be found in the ORDERS section of the Bench Book, which requires that magistrates and municipal judges accept the trial officer's copy of the uniform traffic ticket within seventy-two (72) hours from the date of the alleged traffic violation when such tickets are presented to the judges by officers of the S.C. Highway Patrol. The great majority of magisterial and municipal courts are already in compliance with the provisions of the order.

However, several isolated courts are not yet in compliance. In order to clarify the responsibility of the magisterial and municipal courts in the program whereby traffic tickets and bond monies are turned over to the court within 72 hours from the date of the violation, Chief Justice Lewis has issued the enclosed order. The order would apply equally to full and part-time judges.