Longtime chief magistrate retires after 20 years on the bench
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| Jaqueline “Jackie” M. Pope, the first female chief magistrate in Lancaster County history, wore her Judge’s robe for the last time Friday. |
“It has been an honor and a privilege to do this,” said Pope, who is retiring after more than 20 years of service.
A Winthrop graduate, she worked in the school system 17 years before becoming a part-time magistrate for the town of Kershaw in November 1995.
Two years later, Pope was hired full time after being appointed as chief magistrate by Sen. Greg Gregory, head of the county’s legislative delegation.
Gregory said Pope was clearly the right choice.
“I’ve made thousands of decisions as senator for this district over the years, but I’ve never made a better decision than I did when I hired and appointed her as chief magistrate,” Gregory said.
Pope’s retirement plans revolve around a deliberate intention to enjoy and embrace every moment with her family.
Pope and her husband, former SLED agent Clayton Pope, have been married for nearly 49 years.
They have one daughter, Angie Jones, and two grandchildren, Will and Lainey.
“Clayton and I are just going to take one day at a time and enjoy each other and each day the good Lord gives us,” Pope said.
Centralized court
Gregory said one of Pope’s major accomplishments was overseeing the 1999 consolidation of the county’s magistrate system into one centralized location.
For years, the centralized office was on Wylie Street. After the space was outgrown, the office was relocated to S.C. 9 Bypass East.
The streamlining of court, combined with Pope’s leadership, Gregory said, “has given us one of the best magistrate courts in the state.”
Pope said she is proud of the improvements made in the judicial system the past 17 years. Becoming a centralized court was the biggest change, she said.
“Having all the records in one place has made everything easier,” she said.
Pope has also witnessed other changes and advancements in the last two decades.
“When I started as a magistrate, I had to do everything manually, but now, thanks to technology, everything is done by computer for all kinds of record keeping,” she said.
Pope said the most recent improvement at Central Court is video conferencing. That change means magistrates no longer have to go to the detention center on Pageland Highway for bond hearings.
“Our judges are here and this has made everything so much safer,” Pope said.
Pope insists the magistrate office’s “amazing staff” is the key to its success. The staff includes eight clerks and two constables who work with four judges.
“They are the most important part of the court system here and they are the ones who make the court run smooth,” she said.
Wendy Ellis, who has worked with Pope for the past 16 years as a clerk, describes Pope’s retirement as bittersweet.
“I think it’s great for someone to retire and be in perfect health to enjoy their remaining years like that,” she said.
“I’m happy for her, but it is sad for us. It’s hard losing a member of your family and we are family here. I love her dearly, and we are going to miss her.”
Ellis said Pope’s greatest strength is an even, motherly demeanor.
“She disciplined when she needed to discipline like any parent would,” Ellis said. “She treated us like family by caring for us and reprimanding us when we needed it.”
Pope said her faith and a strong prayer life have gotten her through the difficult cases.
She often looks to Micah 6:8 – “He hath shown thee, O man, what is good, and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and walk humbly with thy God” – as a scriptural anchor.
Full circle
Pope’s time as a magistrate was indeed meant to be full circle. The first and last cases heard by Pope were argued by longtime local attorney Francis Bell.
Bell, a former Lancaster County Council member, lauded Pope for her consistency on the bench.
“She was a good judge who tried to be fair with everybody,” Bell said.
And Pope, the consummate judge, didn’t handle that final case any differently.
“When you put the robe on, everything changes with the way you see things,” she said. “You are completely neutral and detached and you only see the facts.”
Follow reporter Mandy Catoe on Twitter @MandyCatoeTLN or contact her at (803) 283-1152
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