South Carolina Regulations § 52-718 Confidentiality of Proceedings

A. No person associated with a complaint including the Complainant, Respondent, counsel, counsel's staff, Commission members or employees, reporters or investigators, shall mention the existence of the proceedings or disclose any information pertaining thereto except to persons directly involved including witness and potential witnesses, and then only to the extent necessary for investigation and disposition of the complaint. Witnesses and potential witnesses shall be bound by these confidentiality provisions.

B. The Respondent may waive the confidentiality of the proceeding in writing filed with the Commission.

C. The requirements of confidentiality do not apply to the following:

D. These confidentiality provisions apply to an order as a result of a hearing or otherwise setting forth findings of fact and conclusions of law that the complaint was groundless. When there is a finding of a violation as to any allegation, the order including findings and conclusions of any non-violation shall be a public record.

E. The final disposition of a complaint must contain a finding that the complaint was groundless in order for the matter to be stricken from the public record.

F. After the final disposition of a matter where a violation is found, the Commission shall prepare a public record which shall consist of the pleadings and record of the hearing. The Commission's internal and investigatory papers including attorney work product shall not be made part of the public record.