South Carolina § 23-17-20 Open contempt or breach of duty.

South Carolina Statutes

§ 23-17-20 — Open contempt or breach of duty.

South Carolina § 23-17-20

Title 23LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY

Ch. 17LIABILITIES OF SHERIFFS AND DEPUTY SHERIFFS

This text of South Carolina § 23-17-20 (Open contempt or breach of duty.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering South Carolina primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

S.C. Code Ann. § 23-17-20 (2026).

Text

Any sheriff shall be liable to be proceeded against in any court of record in this State for an open contempt or for a breach of official duty. For an open contempt he shall be liable to be attached forthwith. For a breach of official duty he may be required, by rule, to answer to the complaint of any suitor of the court and upon failing to answer or comply with the order of the court, made on the hearing of such rule, he shall be liable to be attached as for a contempt and committed to close custody until he shall have complied with the requisition of the court. In all cases, interrogatories may be propounded to him, which he shall answer on oath, either orally or in writing, as the court may order.

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Any sheriff shall be liable to be proceeded against in any court of record in this State for an open contempt or for a breach of official duty. For an open contempt he shall be liable to be attached forthwith. For a breach of official duty he may be required, by rule, to answer to the complaint of any suitor of the court and upon failing to answer or comply with the order of the court, made on the hearing of such rule, he shall be liable to be attached as for a contempt and committed to close custody until he shall have complied with the requisition of the court. In all cases, interrogatories may be propounded to him, which he shall answer on oath, either orally or in writing, as the court may order.

Legislative History

HISTORY: 1962 Code SECTION 53-212; 1952 Code SECTION 53-212; 1942 Code SECTION 3530; 1932 Code SECTION 3530; Civ. C. '22 SECTION 2073; Civ. C. '12 SECTION 1180; Civ. C. '02 SECTION 855; G. S. 672; R. S. 735; 1839 (11) 44.