South Carolina is trading its all-male Supreme Court for an all-white one

By JEFFREY COLLINS
Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina is about to trade its all-male state Supreme court for an all-white one. The General Assembly picks almost all state judges. On Wednesday, it’s expected to elevate Court of Appeals Judge Letitia Verdin to the state’s highest court. The white woman will take the seat of Black Chief Justice Don Beatty. He has reached the mandatory retirement age of 72. Verdin is the only candidate left after two other people, an African American woman and a white man, dropped out when they realized they couldn’t get enough votes in the 170-seat Legislature.