It is with great sadness that I share the passing of Judge Ernest Finney last Sunday, December 3, 2017. He grew up in my neck of the woods of Smithfield Virginia, before moving to South Carolina at an early age. He became a lawyer, a legislator, a Circuit Court judge, a Supreme Court judge, and ultimately the Chief Justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court. This was a remarkable accomplishment for someone who grew up humbly in the pre-civil rights era. He became a civil rights pioneer, being involved in many legal challenges to segregation and ‘whites only’ accommodations. He has a wonderful family, and is survived by his wife, Frances, his daughter Nikky, who is an accomplished poet and English professor, and two sons, both of whom are lawyers – Ernest “Chip” Finney III, who serves as the Solicitor for the Third Judicial Circuit, and Jerry, who I had the pleasure of working alongside many moons ago, and is now an accomplished attorney and CEO of his own firm.

In addition to his civil rights accomplishments, Chief Justice Finney is known for being a pioneer in the legal field. He served as a jurist with fairness, respect and kindness, and truly believed in his favorite verse, Micah 6:8 – “And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” I was blessed to have known such an amazing man, and he will truly be missed.