The State, Respondent v. Ronnie Williams, Appellant

Summary

Acting on a criminal appeal briefed under Anders v. California, the Supreme Court of South Carolina issued an order prescribing a uniform procedure for processing Anders cases under the South Carolina Appellate Court Rules. Counsel who concludes an Anders brief is appropriate must file an initial brief and designation of matter under Rules 207 and 208, SCACR, containing a petition to be relieved as counsel, and must later serve the appellant with the briefs and record so the appellant has forty-five days to file a pro se brief. The Court then independently reviews the record: if no issue of arguable merit is found, the appeal is dismissed and counsel's petition to be relieved is granted; if an issue of arguable merit is found, the parties must submit new briefs.