Two judgeship hopefuls deemed qualified

After hearings late last month, two attorneys have been deemed qualified and nominated to run for a vacant judgeship in the 10th Circuit of Oconee and Anderson counties.  It’s a seat belonging to Anderson County.  According to the state’s Judicial Merit Selection Commission, the two are David Brousseau, attorney in Anderson, and Heather Vry Scalzo, attorney in Greenville.  A vote of a joint session of the legislature in February will decide who gets the seat.  Meantime, the Merit Selection Commission, will hold the record open until the final report is issued on January 16.  As such until that time, candidates Scalzo and Brousseau, are forbidden to seek or accept commitments.  Earlier this week, in an email response to questions by 101.7/WGOG NEWS, the spokeswoman for the South Carolina Judicial Branch, Lauren Brown, said, “The 10th Judicial Circuit is not being negatively impacted due to the current vacancy on the Anderson County Family Court.”  She further said, “In the 10th Judicial Circuit, which includes Anderson County Family Court, 85% of the pending cases on the docket are settled within 365 days or less.  The circuit benchmark for case disposition is 80% of cases disposed within 365 days.”