Clifton Newman

Clifton B. Newman (born November 7, 1951) is an American attorney and former at-large judge of the South Carolina Circuit Court. He served as a judge since his election by the state's general assembly in 2000. In 2021, he was reelected to a final fourth term and retired in December 2023. In his role as a circuit court judge he presided over several high-profile trials, including the trials of Michael Slager, Nathaniel Rowland, Mikal Mahdi, and Alex Murdaugh. He currently works for JAMS, a private arbitration association.

Early life and education Newman was born in Kingstree, South Carolina, on November 7, 1951, to Reverend Dr. Marion L. Newman, Sr. and Alice Singleton Newman. Newman was the first member of his family to be born in a hospital. When Newman was three years old, his mother left his family in Greeleyville, South Carolina, to work in New York as a domestic worker. He attended Cleveland State University, where he served as president of the student government.

Newman was the prosecutor in a murder trial during which the defendant, Casey Lewis, attacked his own counsel and a deputy with homemade shanks, while attempting to attack Newman. After Newman successfully argued against a mistrial, Lewis pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 55 years in prison.

Circuit court judge In 2000, the South Carolina General Assembly unanimously elected Newman to circuit court judge at-large seat three, as the other candidates withdrew their candidacy. South Carolina is one of two states in America where the legislature directly elects judges. His final term ended with his retirement in December 2023 because South Carolina law requires that judges retire in the same calendar year as their 72nd birthday. As a judge, Newman oversaw several high-profile cases.

His first capital case involved Mikal Mahdi, a defendant accused of killing a public safety officer and then burning the victim's body. In this case, the defendant pleaded guilty and Newman retained responsibility for issuing the sentence. In his sentencing, he noted that Mahdi showed no remorse and lacked humanity. Newman issued the death penalty and later remarked this sentencing was difficult for him because he did not agree with the death penalty. He made the controversial decision to release Slager on a bond. In this trial, he selected the single Black juror as the foreman.

In 2021, Newman presided over the trial of Nathaniel Rowland, the defendant in the state's case related to the murder of Samantha Josephson. Rowland was convicted and Newman issued a life sentence, noting that all of the evidence the state presented pointed to him.

The Trial of Alex Murdaugh was held at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina.

On September 28, 2021, South Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Donald W. Beatty issued an order assigning Newman jurisdiction in "criminal investigations concerning Richard Alexander Murdaugh" and "all pending and future criminal investigations concerning the deaths of Margaret Kennedy Branstetter Murdaugh, Paul Terry Murdaugh, Gloria Harriott Satterfield, and Stephen Nicholas Smith, including any criminal charges which may hereafter be brought by law enforcement or the prosecutor assigned to these matters." In the murder trial of Alex Murdaugh, Newman denied a pre-trial joint motion request to seal proceedings, stating that "the public is entitled to know how justice is being administered."

After reading the verdict, Judge Newman denied a defense motion for a directed verdict and mistrial by saying, "The evidence of guilt is overwhelming." He later told the jurors, "The circumstantial evidence, direct evidence — all of the evidence pointed to one conclusion, and that's the conclusion that you all reached." Newman later added that the jury had come to a "proper conclusion as they saw the law and facts." Newman sentenced Murdaugh to two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole.

On May 26, 2023, Newman issued a temporary restraining order blocking an abortion ban passed by the state legislature.

As a judge, Newman selected African Americans law clerks helped to facilitate their potential future careers as lawyers and judges.

Business court judge In 2007, South Carolina's Supreme Court created the South Carolina Business Court Pilot Program as a specialized business court docket within the Circuit Court, "to handle complex business, corporate, and commercial matters." The Business Court was made permanent in 2019. Newman was appointed to the Business Court in 2010, and served for over a decade.

Newman has had a significant national presence as a business court judge. He is a past president of the American College of Business Court Judges. He served as co-chair of the American Bar Association's Judges Initiative Committee, He was also a Business Court Representative to the American Bar Association's Business Law Section.

Personal life Newman resides in Columbia, South Carolina, with his wife Patricia. Together, they have four children. Newman's daughter Jocelyn Newman is also a circuit court judge.

Newman is the nephew of civil rights activist I. DeQuincey Newman, and Bishop Ernest Newman.

Honors and awards Newman has received the following honors and awards, among others; Coastal Carolina University awarded Newman the honorary degree Doctor of Public Service, and made him its 2024 commencement speaker (May 2024) Honorary doctorate from South Carolina State University (2023) Cleveland State University College of Law Hall of Fame (2023) Chief Justice Ernest A. Finney, Jr., Trailblazer Award, South Carolina Black Lawyers Association (2023) Pioneer for Justice for All Award, Williamsburg County Branch, NAACP (2023) North Carolina Association of Black Lawyers Award (2018) Historical preservation awards for his work in restoring historic buildings in Kingstree and Columbia, South Carolina

Positions and memberships Newman has held the following positions and memberships, among others;

Chairperson, South Carolina Civil Rules Committee President, American College of Business Court Judges Co-chair, Judge's Initiative Committee, Business Law Section, American Bar Association Business Court Representative to the American Bar Association's Business Law Section Adjunct professor, University of South Carolina School of Law Member, South Carolina Chief Justice's Commission on the Profession Member, South Carolina Commission on Judicial Conduct Member, South Carolina Circuit Court Advisory Committee Member, South Carolina Judicial Council Executive Board of The I. DeQuincey Newman Institute for Peace and Social Change