Opinion ID: 1410339
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: status of magistrate ramsey

Text: County found, and Circuit Court agreed, that Ramsey was full-time secretary but only part-time magistrate. The record demonstrates otherwise. County acknowledges its requirement to provide magistrate availability 24 hours per day, seven days per week. [4] As indicated previously, Magistrates Bussey, Morrah and Trantham were scheduled to be on call only every fourth weekend from 5:00 p.m. Friday until 9:00 a.m. Monday. Magistrate Ramsey, however, was scheduled to maintain office hours from 9:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, be on call every weeknight , and be on call every fourth weekend. In essence, Ramsey was the only magistrate available for every hour from 9:00 a.m. Monday until 5:00 p.m. Friday. During these hours, she was responsible for issuing search warrants, conducting bond hearings, setting fines, handling traffic tickets, maintaining records, filing reports with court administration, transmitting bonds and fines to appropriate authorities, and conducting correspondence. We hold that Ramsey was a full-time, not part-time, magistrate. S.C. Code Ann. § 22-8-20, defining judicial functions, provides in part: The exercise of the judicial function involves the examination of facts leading to findings, the application of law to those findings, and the ascertainment of the appropriate remedy. Time spent in the performance of judicial functions also includes time spent performing ministerial duties necessary for the exercise of the magistrates' judicial powers, as well as necessary travel and training time. In the case of chief magistrates, the judicial function includes time necessary to perform the administrative and other duties required of a chief magistrate for administrative purposes . (Emphasis supplied.) Clearly, Ramsey was, in substance, performing the duties of full-time Chief Magistrate. Accordingly, we hold that, in 1989, she was entitled to compensation of $17,000 as full-time magistrate, $3,000 annual supplement as provided for in § 22-8-40(F), and a four percent cost of living increase as paid to other state employees in 1989. [5]