South Carolina Code of Laws
Chapter 17 - Offenses Against Public Policy
Section 16-17-450. Refusal to relinquish party telephone line for emergency call.

(1) Any person who shall wilfully refuse to relinquish immediately a party telephone line when informed that such line is needed for an emergency call to a fire department or police department or for medical aid or ambulance service shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than thirty days.
(2) It shall constitute a defense to a prosecution under subsection (1) that the accused did not know of the emergency in question, or that the accused was using the party telephone line for an emergency call.
(3) Any person who requests another to relinquish a telephone party line on the pretext that he must place an emergency call, knowing such pretext to be false, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than one hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than thirty days.
(4) As used in this section
The term "party line" shall mean a subscriber's line telephone circuit, consisting of two or more main telephone stations connected therewith, each station with a distinctive ring or telephone number.
The term "emergency" shall mean a situation in which property or human life are in jeopardy and the prompt summoning of aid is essential.
HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 16-552.3; 1967 (55) 624.

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