CIRCUIT COURT JUDGES

CIRCUIT 5

(Kershaw and Richland Counties)

/ JUDGE: DeAndrea Gist Benjamin
CIRCUIT: 5
GENDER: Female
BIRTHDATE: October 4, 1972
RACE: African American
EDUCATION: BA – Winthrop Univ. (1994), JD – Univ. of South Carolina (1997)
After graduating from law school, Judge Benjamin clerked for the Honorable L. Casey Manning before she began her career as a prosecutor in the Fifth Circuit Solicitor’s Office and the Attorney General’s Office. In 2001, she joined the Gist Law Firm where she practiced until being elected to the Circuit Court bench on February 2, 2011. Judge Benjamin served on the Juvenile Parole Board from 2001 to 2004 and as a Municipal Judge for the City of Columbia from July 2004 until April 2011.
/ JUDGE: G. Thomas Cooper, Jr.
CIRCUIT: 5
GENDER: Male
BIRTHDATE: November 2, 1940
RACE: Caucasian
EDUCATION: BS – Clemson Univ. (1963); George Washington University Law School (1966)
Upon graduating from law school Judge Cooper worked for both Congressmen Robert W. Hemphill (later U.S. District Court Judge) and Tom S. Gettys from the 5th Congressional District as a legislative assistant. He later returned to South Carolina practiced law at a private law firm. He served as Assistant Solicitor for the 5th Judicial Circuit from 1970 to 1974, and Probate Judge for Commitments from 1975 to 1978. He served on the Kershaw County Council from 1990 to 2000. In 1980 he started an arbitration and mediation practice dealing primarily with construction matters. He was elected as Resident Circuit Judge for the 5th Judicial Circuit On May 24, 2000. He is admitted to practice law in all SC Courts, the US District Court for the District of Columbia, the US Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the US Supreme Court.
/ JUDGE: J. Mark Hayes, II
CIRCUIT: 5 (at large)
GENDER: Male
BIRTHDATE: Not Available
RACE: Caucasian
EDUCATION: BA (History) - Wofford College (1980); JD – Univ. of South Carolina (1984)
Upon graduating from law school Judge Hayes was a clerk for the Honorable E.C. Burnett, III. He joined the law firm of Burts, Turner, Hammett, Harrison & Rhodes in 1985. In 1991 he and a partner established the Harrison & Hayes Law Firm and later the Harrison, White, Smith, Hayes & Coggins, P.C. firm until he was elected Circuit Court Judge, At-Large, Seat 5 on April 9, 2003. Judge Hayes is admitted to practice in all SC State Courts, U.S. District Courts of SC, Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and the US Supreme Court.
/ JUDGE: J. Ernest Kinard, Jr. (active/retired)
CIRCUIT: 5
GENDER: Male
BIRTHDATE: October 18, 1939
RACE: Caucasian
EDUCATION: BA – Univ. of South Carolina (1961), LLB – Univ. of South Carolina (1964)
Upon graduating from law school Judge Kinard entered general practice 1964-1968 and then became managing partner of Savage, Royall, Kinard, Sheheen & Byars from 1968 to 1988. He was elected to Resident Judge, Fifth Judicial Circuit, Seat 1 on May 3, 1988. Judge Kinard has served as Acting Associate Justice South Carolina Supreme Court on several occasions.
/ JUDGE: L. Casey Manning
CIRCUIT: 5
GENDER: Male
BIRTHDATE: December 7, 1950
RACE: African American
EDUCATION: BA (Political Science and History) – Univ. of South Carolina (1973); JD - Univ. of South Carolina (1977)
Judge Manning served as Constable and Agent with the S. C. Law Enforcement Division, 1973-74; part-time instructor at Florence-Darlington Technical College, 1980. He practiced law in Dillon County 1979-83 and was Assistant Attorney General from 1988 to 1989. He became a partner with Walker, Morgan and Manning in Lexington in 1989 and was elected to the Fifth Circuit Court in 1994.