The Supreme Court of South Carolina

Re: Annual License Fee

Appellate Case No. 2018-000120

ORDER

The South Carolina Bar has filed a petition seeking to amend Rule 410(j) of the South Carolina Appellate Court Rules (SCACR) to increase the Annual License Fee by $15.  The Bar reports the increase is necessary based on a recent five-year fiscal projection, and the proposed increase was approved by the House of Delegates.

Pursuant to Article V, § 4 of the South Carolina Constitution, we grant the Bar's request to amend Rule 410(j), SCACR.  The amendments, which are effective immediately, provide as follows:

(j) License Fees. The membership year shall be the calendar year. By January 1st, each member who is in good standing (other than deceased members) shall pay the South Carolina Bar the fees specified in this section and in section (k) below. All income and assets shall be handled separately by the South Carolina Bar, as prescribed in its Constitution and Bylaws. For the purpose of this rule, the term "license fee" shall include any assessment under Rule 411, SCACR.

(1) Regular Member. The license fee for a regular member who has been admitted to practice law in this State or any other jurisdiction for less than three years shall be $190. The license fee for all other regular members shall be $275. In addition, the license fee of a regular member shall include the Lawyer's Fund for Client Protection assessment specified by Rule 411, SCACR. Finally, each regular member shall pay $30 which shall be designated for meeting the civil legal needs of indigents as directed by the Board of Governors of the Bar, but any member may deduct this fee before remitting payment.

(2) Inactive Member. The license fee shall be $205.

(3) Judicial Member. The license fee shall be $205. If, however, the member is or will be age sixty-five or older during the license year, and is either a retired judge meeting the requirements of (h)(1)(C)(ii) above or a judge of a federal court in senior status, no license fee is required.

(4) Judicial Staff Member. The license fee for a judicial staff member who has been admitted to practice law in this State or any other jurisdiction for less than three years shall be $190. The license fee for all other judicial staff members shall be $205.

(5) Military Member. The license fee for a military member shall be $205. This fee shall be waived during a time of war declared by the Congress of the United States and, upon written request, shall be waived when the member is serving on active duty in an area designated as a combat zone by the President of the United States.

(6) Administrative Law Judge Member. The license fee shall be $205.

(7) Retired Member. No fee is required.

(8) Limited Member. No fee shall be required for a person holding a limited certificate under Rule 415 (Limited Certificate of Admission for Retired and Inactive Attorney Pro Bono Participation Program), SCACR, or Rule 427 (Limited Certificate of Admission for Judge Advocates), SCACR. The license fee for all other persons holding a limited certificate shall be $275.

Columbia, South Carolina
April 4, 2018