South Carolina Commission on Indigent Defense

The Division of Appellate Defense represents defendants in criminal appeals to the South Carolina Supreme Court and Court of Appeals. The Division handles approximately 1000 appeals each year including virtually all of the death penalty appeals filed each year.

The South Carolina legislature created the original Office of Appellate Defense in 1979 to represent indigents convicted of criminal offenses on the appellate level. Appellate Defense became a division of the Commission on Indigent Defense when the legislature merged the two agencies in 2005.

The Division of Appellate Defense is administered by a Chief Attorney. The staff of the Division consists of additional attorneys and administrative staff. Attorneys employed by the Division may not engage in the private practice of law.