SC legislature rejects candidate for York County judge after Republicans opposed her
Rock Hill lawyer Melissa Inzerillo lost her bid for Circuit Court judge for the 16th Circuit that includes York County in a vote Wednesday by the both houses of the S.C. General Assembly.
She was the only judicial candidate for the seat and would have become York County’s first female Circuit Court judge, but Republicans in the legislature led an effort to reject her despite her being found qualified by a state review panel.
The vote at the S.C. Statehouse in Columbia was not close. The combined vote by the state Senate and House of Representatives was 93 against Inzerillo, and 54 for her.
The results came after a push by York County Republican legislators — including Rock Hill Sen. Wes Climer — to ask their colleagues to vote against Inzerillo. Climer previously said Inzerillo’s record showed “insufficient concern for the victims of crime.”
Republicans have a large majority in both the SC Senate and House. Climer told The Herald in late January he was asking others senators from around the state to vote against her.
He said after the vote Wednesday he looks forward to the next election for the seat after Inzerillo was defeated.
“The people of York County got a big win today,” Climer said. “We now have an opportunity to elect a conservative jurist to the bench.”
Inzerillo, 48, has worked as a public defender the past 20 years. The 16th Judicial Circuit is made up of York and Union counties.
Reached by phone after the election Wednesday, Inzerillo declined comment on the election.
Judge race had politics in it
Voters don’t elect judges in South Carolina. The legislature chooses them after a review process by the Judicial Merit Selection Commission, which is made up of six legislators and four other appointees. South Carolina is one of only two states where judges are elected by the legislature — Virginia is the other.
Inzerillo, who has never before sought any office, was found qualified by the the legislature’s Judicial Merit Screening Commission, according to documents the commission released earlier this month. Those qualifications include judicial temperament, experience, and other categories.
Some Republicans representing York County, such as Rep. Brandon Guffey, told The Herald before the election they were opposed to Inzerillo because they wanted a larger pool of candidates to choose from. Climer told The Herald in late January he was asking others senators from around the state to vote against her.
York County has four state Senators — all Republicans. Three of York County’s senators — Climer, Michael Johnson and Everett Stubbs— voted against Inzerillo.
York County has eight House members — all are Republicans except John King, the sole Democrat. Republicans Tommy Pope, Brandon Guffey, Heath Sessions, Randy Ligon and Jackie Terribile voted against Inzerillo.
King, along with House Republicans David Martin and Dennis Moss, voted for Inzerillo.
Pope, formerly York County’s top prosecutor, has said for weeks he did not believe Inzerillo could pull enough to votes to win. New rules that take effect next year allow for as many as six candidates.
“I regret it had to come to a vote,” Pope told The Herald. “Ms. Inzerillo did nothing wrong, but we need a choice in the 16th Circuit. I look forward to the next election with a full slate of candidates.”
Inzerillo supporters — Results “a shame”
King told The Herald after the vote he was “appalled” that the legislature rejected a woman candidate who was qualified by every measure the legislature has for a judgeship.
King, the only African-American in the York County delegation, had pushed fellow legislators for weeks to elect the first woman based on her qualifications and the courts’ need for diversity on the bench.
“What happened today is a shame,” King said. “It is an assault on diversity, equity, and inclusion.”
King and 16th Circuit Chief Public Defender B.J. Barrowclough — Inzerillo’s supervisor — said legislators voted against her because they didn’t like the process where she was the only candidate. Barrowclough, a former judge candidate himself who attended the vote, said it was “extremely disappointing” more legislators did not support the sole candidate who met all qualifications for judge.
“She is unquestionably one of the smartest, most hard working members of the York County Bar,” Barrowclough said. “Today was a shameful day.”
He said the political allegation that Inzerillo — whose job as a public defender is required by the U.S. and South Carolina Constitutions — is a “liberal Democrat” who would be “soft on crime” has no merit. Yet that political refrain “developed a life of its own” and helped tank Inzerillo’s candidacy, Barrowclough said.
What happens now?
With the vote against Inzerillo, the seat remains vacant until another election can be held. It is unclear when that will be, but the process will start over with screening of candidates.
Inzerillo can run again if she chooses under judicial rules, but she declined to comment after the election on her future plans.
The 16th Circuit has two resident judge seats.
The seat for which lawmakers rejected Inzerillo will become vacant on Feb. 14 with the retirement of current 16th Circuit Judge Dan Hall. Judge Bill McKinnon of Rock Hill, the other 16th Circuit resident judge, is not up for election this year.
This story was originally published February 5, 2025 at 2:08 PM.
