Court Clerk Disbarred

The South Carolina Supreme Court has disbarred a former county court clerk as a result of a criminal conviction:

On July 30, 2009, while respondent was the Beaufort County Clerk of Court, she was indicted and charged with writing checks on two Clerk’s Office accounts between August 2006 and April 2009 for uses unrelated to her role as a lawyer or duty as the Clerk of Court.  The checks totaled $23,500.  On September 21, 2009, following a trial, respondent was convicted of three counts of embezzlement of public funds less than $5,000, one count of embezzlement of public funds more than $5,000, and one count of misconduct in office. 

Respondent was sentenced to five years on each of the three counts of embezzlement of public funds less than $5,000, six  years on the count of embezzlement of public funds more than $5,000, and one year on the count of misconduct in office, all of which were suspended  upon service of five years of probation.  The sentences were ordered to run concurrently.  All of the funds have been repaid. 

The attorney consented to the discipline. (Mike Frisch)