Hampton Co. pays 14th Circuit public defender’s office for the first time in three years

HAMPTON COUNTY, S.C. (WTOC) - Hampton County says it has paid the public defender’s office for the first time in three years.

County governments in the state of South Carolina are required by law to pay their public defender’s office four times a year.

It is common for some counties to miss a payment or two, but Hampton County missed 12 payments.

Over the last three years, the public defender’s office in Hampton County saw 755 cases.

“Because of the income level in Hampton County, the majority of people who are charged with crimes in Hampton County are indigent,” 14th Circuit Chief Public Defender, Stephanie Smart-Gittings said. “It’s our attorneys who represent those people.”

While representing all of those cases, the public defender’s office was getting money from the state, but not a cent from the county.

“If it were not for the general assembly, this office would not be operational,” Smart-Gittings said.

Until Smart-Gittings said something at a recent county meeting on Monday.

“Although the county does not think that my office is important enough to fund,” Smart-Gittings said at the meeting. “I continue to provide the services for Hampton County.”

The full meeting can be found here.

Now, the office will receive over $178,000 they were owed.

A payment Smart-Gittings says that her employees deserve.

“The crew that I have now, they’re going to work. They work harder than what they are paid, they are motivated, and they care about the constitution.”

The county says it acknowledges that the inconsistent payment timing and documentation in prior years created confusion and public dispute, but says it will correct this by putting stronger internal controls in place, which starts with making consistent payments.

WTOC reached out to the county when the issue was first brought to light.

Here is what they had to say:

“With regular funding that’s actually paid, we can help keep those jail numbers down, get the cases moved, and have personnel,” 14th Circuit Public Defender, Steve Plexico said. “Without money, my boss can’t hire people who are needed.”

Smart-Gittings has also requested a $10,000 increase in funding from the county to help possibly fund programs and maybe a new attorney.

That request is still pending approval from the county.