In this episode of Frogmore Stew, host Grace Cowan talks with Will Folks of FitsNews about needed judicial selection reform in South Carolina. They discuss the power of lawyer legislators controlling the selection of judges they will appear before and the conflict of interest that presents. They get into the issues of public trust, crime rates, and the importance of comprehensive reform beyond the selection process.

00:00 Introduction to Frogmore Stew with Grace and Will Foulkes

00:39 Understanding the Judicial Merit Selection Commission

01:18 The Role of Lawyer Legislators in the Selection Process

01:39 Exploring the Unique Judicial Selection Process in South Carolina

02:04 The Debate on Executive Branch Involvement in Judicial Selection

02:18 The Process of Judicial Screening and Appointment

03:17 Proposals for Reconfiguring the Judicial Selection Panel

04:14 The Influence of Partisan Politics in Judicial Selection

04:27 The Impact of Outside Interests on Judicial Selection

07:44 The Problem of Perception in the Judicial Selection Process

09:04 The Role of the Judicial Selection Committee in Violent Crime Cases

14:36 The Need for Greater Representation of Women in the Judiciary

23:48 The Challenges and Potential Solutions for Judicial Reform

33:08 Closing Remarks and Future Discussions

33:34 Podcast Credits

Copyright 2025 Grace Cowan

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