Analysis of Supreme Court Visit: Case, Procedure, and Observations

This report details a student's visit to the Supreme Court of South Carolina, providing a firsthand account of the court's proceedings and environment. The student observed a case involving an appeal against a court of appeals decision concerning a divorce and farm property dispute. The report describes the court's jurisdiction, the roles of the attorneys, and the specific details of the case, including the arguments presented and the court's ruling. The student highlights the etiquettes and protocols observed during the court visit, offering valuable insights into legal procedures and courtroom behavior. The report reflects on the experience, emphasizing the educational value of witnessing the legal system in action and understanding the complexities of appellate jurisdiction.

Running head: COURT VISIT
Court Visit
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1
COURT VISIT
I visited the Supreme Court of South Carolina on 15th November 2017. The court is the highest court in
the United States state of South Carolina. The court comprises of a chief justice as well as four associate
justices. I visited the court at 10 AM in the morning. I had to go through security checks before entering
the court. I was not allowed to switch on my mobile phone inside the premises of the court. As I am still
not a lawyer I had to ensure that I get an approval from the security in order to enter the court
premises.
I got to know from one of the lawyers in the court that the court has both original as well as appellate
jurisdiction. The case I had witnessed during my court visit was the case of Peggy D. Conits, Respondent,
v. Spiro E. Conits, Petitioner Appellate Case No. 2016-001961.
I went to the court room and saw everyone patiently waiting for the judge to enter. Both the parties to
the cases were also present in the court room. I got to know that today was final hearing date of the
case. The judge came in and all the person present in the court room stood up.
The case was related to an appeal against the decisions of the court of appeal. A petition had been filed
by the person making the appeal to see a writ of certiorari against the decisions of the court of appeal in
Conits v. Conits, 417 S.C. 127, 789 S.E.2d 51.
In this case the Supreme Court had ruled in favor of the appellant and granted the petition. The judge
said that the parties had provided evidence which was conflicting. The attorney for the petitioner were
Kenneth C. Porter, Porter & Rosenfeld, and David Alan Wilson, of The Law Offices of David A. Wilson,
LLC, both of Greenville and the attorney for the respondent were Timothy E. Madden, Nelson Mullins
Riley & Scarborough, LLP, of Greenville.
The case was related to an issue of divorce which was litigated in the family court however the present
case only addressed the issue in relation to the value and size of the farm in Greece. An appeal had been

2
COURT VISIT
made by the appellant in the court of appeal in relation to the farm issue however the court of appeal
provided that the issue was not preserved for appellate review. On the appeal to the COA it had been
provided by the appellant that he owned a three acre farm in Greece but not a thirty acer Farm. The
Supreme Court ruled that the issue appealed for by the appellant was within the court of appeal’s
jurisdiction.
I really had a very amazing experience on my first formal visit to the Supreme Court. I learnt various
etiquettes which have to be maintained in the court by lawyers and even other people. I got to know
that when a claim to review an appeal is rejected in any court an appeal against such decision can be
made to the higher court