SCP001, the Summary Court Judge Uniform Mentoring Plan, is the model plan the Supreme Court of South Carolina provides for the Mandatory Summary Court Judge Mentoring Program established by Rule 512 of the South Carolina Appellate Court Rules. A mentor and a new summary court judge use it to build their Individualized Mentoring Plan around three objectives. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the original is published by the South Carolina Judicial Branch at sccourts.org.
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What is SCP001?
The Summary Court Judge Uniform Mentoring Plan is the model plan issued by the Supreme Court of South Carolina for the Mandatory Summary Court Judge Mentoring Program, which pairs a mentor with a new summary court judge under Rule 512 of the South Carolina Appellate Court Rules.
The document sets out three objectives that the mentoring relationship must address over the mentorship year:
- Objective A: before the hearing, prepare yourself for your role in the judicial process.
- Objective B: in the courtroom, conduct yourself at a high ethical standard.
- Objective C: engage in ongoing learning and development in the area of ethics and professionalism.
Each objective comes with suggested action steps, such as discussing the use of a robe and the recording of proceedings, the Judicial Canons, the Chief Justice's Financial Accounting Order and the prohibition against ex parte communications. These steps are a guideline only: the mentor and the new judge work out the arrangements that suit their schedules and workloads, and from them they complete an Individualized Mentoring Plan.
The Supreme Court describes the relationship as the start of a long-term professional relationship, not a checklist to be covered and ended. The uniform plan is a template for that work; the Individualized Mentoring Plan and, at the end, a Certificate of Completion are what go to South Carolina Court Administration (Court Administration).
Who needs to file SCP001?
New summary court judges in South Carolina and their assigned mentors use this plan. The program is mandatory, and the mentor and the new judge together must complete an Individualized Mentoring Plan based on the three objectives.
Points the document attaches to its use:
- All three objectives (A, B and C) must be included in the Individualized Mentoring Plan.
- To complete the Mandatory Summary Court Judge Mentoring Program, all three objectives in that plan must be met.
- The suggested action steps are not binding. Each mentor and new judge may choose other steps that fit their working relationship better.
The document is written for the mentor and the new judge as a pair. It does not describe any other person who may complete it on their behalf, and it does not address judges outside the new summary court judge program.
When to file SCP001
The clock starts when the new judge is notified that a mentor has been assigned. The mentor and the new judge must schedule an Initial Meeting within thirty days of that notice. They must then complete the Individualized Mentoring Plan and submit it to Court Administration for review within thirty days of the Initial Meeting.
The plan is not finished once it is submitted: periodically through the year it should be reviewed and updated so that it still meets the program objectives and the individual goals the mentor and new judge have set. When the mentoring experience is complete, a Certificate of Completion signed by the mentor and the new judge must be submitted to Court Administration. The document gives no separate calendar date for that certificate; the program is organized around the mentorship year.
Documents you need
- A copy of the completed Individualized Mentoring Plan, submitted to Court Administration for review within thirty days of the Initial Meeting.
- A Certificate of Completion signed by both the mentor and the new judge, submitted to Court Administration when the mentoring experience is complete.
How to fill out SCP001
Schedule the Initial Meeting
Arrange the Initial Meeting within thirty days of being notified of the mentor assignment. It may be held at the mentor's office, the new judge's office, or casually over lunch.
Agree on expectations and contact
Set clear expectations for both the mentor and the new judge. Decide how often "formal" contact will occur and whether it will be by in-person meetings, telephone, e-mail or a combination.
Plan the steps for Objective A
Under "Before the hearing: prepare yourself for your role in the judicial process," decide how you will cover wearing a robe and recording proceedings, control of the courtroom, and staying current with legislative and case law changes.
Plan the steps for Objective B
Under "In the courtroom: conduct yourself at a high ethical standard," plan discussions of the Judicial Canons and judicial restraint. Schedule the mentor's observation of the new judge, once at the start and again after at least three months, and the new judge's observation of the mentor on at least one occasion.
Plan the steps for Objective C
Under the ongoing learning objective on ethics and professionalism, plan to review the Financial Accounting Order, the Judicial Canons that apply to court staff, and the prohibition against ex parte communications.
Confirm all three objectives are included
Check that Objectives A, B and C all appear in your Individualized Mentoring Plan. You may replace the suggested action steps with others that suit your schedules and workloads.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check the plan against the thirty-day deadline after the Initial Meeting, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and submit it to Court Administration as described under How to submit.
How to submit SCP001
The document names one recipient: South Carolina Court Administration (Court Administration). Two items go to it.
- Individualized Mentoring Plan: the mentor and new judge submit a copy to Court Administration for review within thirty days of the Initial Meeting.
- Certificate of Completion: submit it, signed by the mentor and the new judge, when the mentoring experience is complete.
The form prints no mailing address, portal or e-mail address for Court Administration, and it names no other channel. Check the South Carolina Judicial Branch website at sccourts.org for current contact details. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the channels of Court Administration.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Leaving one of the three objectives (A, B or C) out of the Individualized Mentoring Plan; all three must be included and all three must be met to complete the program.
- Not scheduling the Initial Meeting within thirty days of being notified of the mentor assignment.
- Submitting the Individualized Mentoring Plan to Court Administration later than thirty days after the Initial Meeting.
- Treating the mentorship as a checklist to be covered and ended, when the Supreme Court describes it as the beginning of a long-term professional relationship.
- Never reviewing or updating the plan during the year, although it should be revisited periodically to confirm it still meets the objectives.
- Forgetting the Certificate of Completion signed by both the mentor and the new judge at the end of the mentorship.
- Planning only one observation of the new judge in court; Objective B calls for an initial observation and another after at least three months.
Frequently asked questions
What is SCP001?
SCP001 is the Summary Court Judge Uniform Mentoring Plan, a model plan from the Supreme Court of South Carolina for the Mandatory Summary Court Judge Mentoring Program under Rule 512. A mentor and a new summary court judge use it to draft their Individualized Mentoring Plan around three objectives.
Who has to complete the Uniform Mentoring Plan?
The mentor and the new summary court judge complete it together. The program is mandatory for new summary court judges, and the pair must produce an Individualized Mentoring Plan covering all three objectives, A, B and C.
What is the deadline to submit the mentoring plan?
Submit the Individualized Mentoring Plan to Court Administration within thirty days of the Initial Meeting. The Initial Meeting itself must be scheduled within thirty days of the new judge being notified that a mentor has been assigned.
Do I have to follow the suggested action steps in SCP001?
No. The suggested steps are a guideline. The mentor and new judge should work out a plan that suits their schedules and workloads, and other action steps may fit better. What is mandatory is that all three objectives are included and met.
How often must the mentor observe the new judge?
Objective B says the mentor should observe the new judge in the courtroom initially and then again after at least three months. The new judge shall also observe the mentor holding court on at least one occasion.
What do I send when the mentorship ends?
Send a Certificate of Completion, signed by the mentor and the new judge, to Court Administration. The plan is also meant to be reviewed and updated periodically during the year so it still meets the program objectives.
Where do I submit the Individualized Mentoring Plan?
To South Carolina Court Administration, which reviews it. The form prints no address or portal for Court Administration, so check the South Carolina Judicial Branch website at sccourts.org for current contact details.
Can I fill out SCP001 online?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not submit anything to Court Administration; you deliver the plan through the agency's channels.
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