Finney announces bid for re-election to Solicitor's Office

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Third Circuit Solicitor Ernest "Chip" Finney announced Thursday his intention to seek a third term as the chief prosecutor for the region that includes Clarendon, Sumter, Lee and Williamsburg counties. Finney, 61, has been a member of the South Carolina Bar since 1981, and practiced law in the Midlands of South Carolina for 30 years before being elected to the Solicitor's Office in 2011. Finney said in a release that he is focused on tackling the challenges of moving the criminal case roster in a more efficient manner and giving crime victims the best support available. Finney has started a violent crime court team in order to speed up the prosecution of persons who have been charged with serious offenses and those who commit multiple offenses in the community. "This will focus our resources on the effort to prosecute the guilty and better protect the citizens of our circuit," said Finney. "The solicitor’s office has been able to move more cases in each successive year through improved case management and the use of several court diversion programs like Pre-Trial Intervention, Drug Court and alcohol education." Finney said he has worked for the past seven years to organize highly skilled lawyers and support staff throughout the circuit. "I am proud of our team and the work we do to evaluate and prosecute cases," he said. "We have a great working relationship with law enforcement and we value our role as representatives of crime victims. Our staff also works with the 3rd Circuit Drug Court, allowing many people a second chance to not only break the cycle of substance abuse, but also avoid a permanent criminal record." Finney hopes a third term will allow him to implement a full-time case manager who will oersee the scheduling of older and more complex cases, thus reducing the number of persons who spend long periods of time in pre-trial detention at various county detention facilities. “This would save taxpayers a lot of money by reducing the burden on our county to pay for medicine, food and security," said Finney. Finney said another goal for a third term would be the use of a website for lawyers and residents to track the roster of cases and the court's schedule for trials and guilty pleas. "This will give more notice to citizens and law enforcement witnesses as court is scheduled during the year," Finney said." Finney oversees a staff of 30 in the four-county circuit, which includes 15 lawyers, support staff, an office manager, an investigator, victim's advocates and intervention program directors. Finney is married to Tammy Finney and they have four children. Finney will file as a Democrat and run in the primary scheduled for June 12.