South Carolina Code 58-3-40. Election of chairman; hearing officer
(B) The chairman is the chief executive and administrative officer of the commission.
Terms Used In South Carolina Code 58-3-40
- Commission: means the Public Service Commission. See South Carolina Code 58-3-5
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Hearing officer: means a person employed by the commission to serve as a presiding officer in an adjudicative proceeding before the commission. See South Carolina Code 58-3-5
(C)(1) Upon the request of any party or any commissioner, the commission may employ a hearing officer who may hear and determine procedural motions or other matters not determinative of the merits of the proceedings and made prior to hearing; and, at the hearing, shall make all rulings on nondispositive motions and objections. If qualified pursuant to item (3), a commission staff attorney may serve as hearing officer.
(2) The hearing officer has full authority, subject to being overruled by the commission, to rule on questions concerning the conduct of the case and the admission of evidence but may not participate in the determination on the merits of any case.
(3) The hearing officer must be an attorney qualified to practice in all courts of this State with a minimum of eight years’ practice experience.