(A) Except as provided in subsection (B), in the event of a vacancy in the office of coroner, the Governor shall fill the office by appointing a qualified replacement to serve until the earlier of the following:
(1) the next general election for the office of coroner; or
(2) the next general election, in which case an election shall be to fill the unexpired term.
In either circumstance, the person appointed by the Governor shall hold office until his successor shall qualify.
(B) If a county coroner is suspended by the Governor upon the coroner's indictment or for other reasons, the chief magistrate of that county shall act as coroner until the suspended coroner is reinstated or until a coroner is elected and qualifies in the next general election for coroners, whichever occurs first.
(C) Except as provided in subsection (B), the chief deputy or second in command of the coroner's office shall act as coroner until the vacancy is filled by the Governor's appointment. While acting as coroner, the chief deputy or second in command is subject to the duties and liabilities incident to the office of coroner and shall receive the same salary as the former coroner at the time of the vacancy.
HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 17-57; 1952 Code Section 17-57; 1942 Code Section 3555; 1932 Code Section 3555; Civ. C. '22 Section 2100; Civ. C. '12 Section 1279; Civ. C. '02 Section 880; G. S. 713; R. S. 751; 1882 (17) 1126; 2001 Act No. 73, Section 1; 2007 Act No. 52, Section 1, eff June 6, 2007; 2008 Act No. 314, Section 1, eff June 11, 2008.
Structure South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 17 - Criminal Procedures
Chapter 5 - Coroners And Medical Examiners
Section 17-5-10. Election of coroner.
Section 17-5-30. Official oaths; commission.
Section 17-5-60. Office; book of inquisitions.
Section 17-5-70. Coroner's deputies, appointment and duties.
Section 17-5-90. Coroner may not act under appointment of sheriff.
Section 17-5-100. Coroners must carry out orders of county governing body; fees and costs.
Section 17-5-110. Coroner or deputy coroner may carry pistol or other handgun.
Section 17-5-115. Deputy coroners; training and law enforcement status.
Section 17-5-120. Availability of medical records to coroner of another state.
Section 17-5-140. Funding for full-time county coroners; disbursement of remaining funds.
Section 17-5-220. Establishment and functions of medical examiner commissions in certain counties.
Section 17-5-240. Employment and duties of deputy medical examiners.
Section 17-5-330. Salaries and fees; annual budget.
Section 17-5-510. Duties of coroner and medical examiner.
Section 17-5-520. Authority to order autopsy; request in event of child's death.
Section 17-5-541. Local Child Fatality Review Teams; composition; notifications.
Section 17-5-542. Local Child Fatality Review Teams; purpose; reports.
Section 17-5-543. Meetings of Child Fatality Review Team; confidentiality; penalties.
Section 17-5-555. Reporting certain deaths of vulnerable adults.
Section 17-5-560. Certification of cause of death on death certificate.
Section 17-5-580. Authorization for removal of dead body; penalties; coroner's jury.
Section 17-5-590. Disposition of remains of unidentified dead bodies.