Clarendon, Lee, Sumter, and Williamsburg Counties

CIRCUIT COURT JUDGES CIRCUIT 3 (Clarendon, Lee, Sumter, and Williamsburg Counties)

JUDGE: R. Ferrell Cothran, Jr. CIRCUIT: 3 GENDER: Male BIRTHDATE: February 14, 1952 RACE: Caucasian EDUCATION: BA - Univ. South Carolina (1974); JD – Univ. South Carolina (1977)

Upon graduating from law school Judge Cothran began practicing law at Cothran, Chandler & Cothran which later became Cothran & Cothran. His practice consisted of Real Estate, Family, Civil and Criminal matters. He served as County Attorney from 1979 until September of 2006. In 1983, he was appointed to Assistant Solicitor for Clarendon County and was the prosecuting attorney until September of 2006. On February 15, 2006 he was elected as Circuit Court Judge.

JUDGE: Thomas W. Cooper, Jr. CIRCUIT: 3 GENDER: Male BIRTHDATE: May 20, 1941 RACE: Caucasian EDUCATION: BA (History) - Univ. South Carolina (1963), JD – Univ. South Carolina (1973)

Upon graduating from law school Judge Cooper practiced law in Manning, South Carolina. In 1974 he was made a partner in the firm which eventually expanded to Coffey, Cooper, Chandler & DuRant. He was elected as Circuit Court Judge in February of 1992 and served in that capacity until his retirement in September of 2006. In retirement, he continues to remain active, part-time, by holding court one week per month.

JUDGE: Clifton B. Newman CIRCUIT: 3 (at large) GENDER: Male BIRTHDATE: November 7, 1951 RACE: African American EDUCATION: Undergraduate - Cleveland State Univ., JD - Cleveland-Marshall College of Law (1976) Upon graduating from law school Judge Newman began practicing law in Cleveland, Ohio until he returned to South Carolina in 1982 and started a private law practice in Columbia and Manning and later Kingstree. He was appointed Assistant Solicitor for Williamsburg County in 1983. In 1994, he formed Newman & Sabb, P.A., with offices in Columbia, Kingstree and Lake City. He was elected Circuit Court Judge by the South Carolina General Assembly on May 24, 2000.

JUDGE: George C. James, Jr. CIRCUIT: 3 GENDER: Male BIRTHDATE: June 2, 1960 RACE: Caucasian EDUCATION: BS (Business Administration) – Citadel (1982), JD – Univ. South Carolina (1985)

Upon graduating from law school Judge James began working at a law firm in Sumter until his election to the CIRCUIT COURT JUDGES CIRCUIT 3 (Clarendon, Lee, Sumter, and Williamsburg Counties)

Circuit Court Bench. He was sworn in as a Resident Circuit Judge for the Third Judicial Circuit on July 1, 2006. Judge James has been admitted to practice in all SC courts and in the US District Court for the District of SC.

JUDGE: Howard P. King (Active/Retired) CIRCUIT: 3 GENDER: Male BIRTHDATE: April 13, 1939 RACE: Caucasian EDUCATION: BS – Citadel (1961), JD – Univ. South Carolina (1966)

Upon graduating from law school Judge King practiced law in Sumter with the firm of Bryan, Bahnmuller, King, Goldman & McElveen. In February 1996, he was elected by the S.C. General Assembly to the position of Resident Judge, seat two, 3rd Judicial Circuit. Judge King served in that position until June 30, 2006 when he retired. He continues to serve in a retired/active capacity.