All dockets are subject to change without notice. UPDATED 5/24/12 at 3:25 p.m. 

PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR CONFLICT DATES FOR *** JUNE & JULY *** WITH ALL 
REQUESTS FOR HEARINGS. THANK YOU.   

Judge Garfinkel is the emergency judge for the week of May 21.  

The Judicial Center is closed on Monday, May 28 for Memorial Day. 

Family Court judges will be in chambers 5/29 - 6/1. The following is the chambers schedule: 

	Tues, May 29 - Judge Martin (emergency judge for  5/29)
	Wed, May 30 - Judge McMahon (emergency judge for 5/30)
	Thur, May 31 - Judge Cate (emergency judge for 5/31)
	Fri, June 1 - Judge Garfinkel (emergency judge for 6/1)

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Judge McMahon is the the Chief Administrative Judge beginning January 1, 2012. 


  1. Consent Pre-Trial Orders must be filled out COMPLETELY.  The only blanks should be 
the dates for standby, date certain, and 2nd pre-trial. You must state how much time is 
needed for trial. If the case is over 365 days, attorneys and parties must appear at the 
pretrial hearing. You cannot send a consent order or order of continuance unless 
pre-approved by Judge McMahon. 

  2. Attorneys are reminded that they must file a Notice of Appearance when they are 
retained on a case. This cannot be faxed!

  3. Attorneys are reminded to file a SCCA Form 446 Support Information Sheet along with 
ANY order that involves the payment of child support or alimony through the Court.    

  4. IF YOUR CASE IS SCHEDULED FOR A FINAL HEARING OR STANDBY TRIAL, AND IT IS OVER 365 DAYS, 
AND YOU ARE NOT PREPARED TO GO FORWARD WITH TRIAL IF CALLED IN, YOUR CASE WILL BE DISMISSED 
UNLESS YOU OBTAIN A CONTINUANCE FROM JUDGE McMAHON.

  5. Effective JUNE 20, 2011, on all cases in which mediation has not occurred prior 
to the first pretrial hearing or unless mediation is excused by the administrative judge, 
then paragraphs 4 and 5 of the current pretrial/scheduling order shall not be completed 
until the second pretrial hearing.  

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PROCEDURAL NOTES:


IF A HEARING YOU REQUESTED IS SCHEDULED AT A TIME INCONVENIENT FOR YOU AND YOU DID NOT 
INCLUDE CONFLICT DATES WITH YOUR HEARING REQUEST, YOU WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REQUESTING 
AN ORDER OF CONTINUANCE. 

Once the dockets are published online, please contact the judge's office directly regarding 
all requests for continuances or dismissals of hearings on their docket. If the dockets have 
not be published online yet, please send your motion and order for continuance to the 
administrative judge, Judge McMahon.

All requests for hearings more than 2 hours in length will be given a pretrial hearing.

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COVERSHEETS: 

- Family Court Coversheet:  required with the filing of ALL new cases.  It is only 
needed at the time of the first filing. It is not necessary after that.

- Motion Cover Sheet:  required with the filing of ALL motions and RTSC.  Make sure 
you put both attorneys' names, whether a hearing is requested, and how much time is 
needed for the hearing.

- Coversheets are not necessary for Requests for Hearing or Requests for Pre-Trial.
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Any docketing questions should be addressed to Ann Cunniffe at Family Court by 
phone 843-958-4421 or email acunniffe@charlestoncounty.org.  The Family Court fax 
number is 958-4434.