Props to Ed Clements and the rest of the Florence County Solicitor's Office

SCNow has an article up about the Twelfth Circuit Solicitor's office receiving the the Honorable Marc. H Westbrook Memorial Excellence in Community Justice Award this month. The office won the award in part based on for the success of its Juvenile Arbitration program.

Congrats to the Solicitor and the rest of his office for this award. Ed and his office work hard to steer kids onto the right path when they have made mistakes. I can tell you that the Solicitor takes these things seriously and that he allows his folks to take on extra responsibilities in an effort to improve the lives of juveniles in the city. His office has been involved with the Mayor's Coalition to Prevent Juvenile Crime and he his office has offered full support of the City's efforts to tackle the abandoned property issue in the City.

In full disclosure, my work brings me into contact with this office fairly regularly and I have several cases pending as I type this. But it is that familiarity that allows me to tell you this: we are damn lucky to have the solicitors we do in this county. I am a member of South Carolina Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (SCACDL) and I can tell you, I hear horror stories at our board meetings from other circuits. From solicitors withholding exculpatory evidence to outright suborning perjury, you hear tales of some foul crap that goes on when all that is cared for is the "win."

Ed and his solicitors are tough, but they are fair and they understand their primary duty: to be Ministers of Justice. We are lucky we don't have to deal with the unethical and rule violating shenanigans that takes place in other circuits. Folks, good and fair trials save time and money. They also insure justice is done.

So cheers to Solicitor Clements and the guys and gals in his office.