Solicitor Rick Hubbard

01/28/2025

On January 13, 2025, Chief Justice John Kittredge swore me in to my third term as your Solicitor. I am honored to serve the citizens of Edgefield, Lexington, McCormick, and Saluda Counties. Under my leadership, the Eleventh Circuit Solicitor’s Office will continue to fight for victims of crime and to keep our communities safe.

Our office places a special focus on prosecuting violent crimes, such as murder, homicide by child abuse, and felony DUI’s. Our conviction rate at trial on these cases is one of the highest in South Carolina. As Solicitor, I have continued taking an active role in prosecuting violent offenders. In one nine-month period, from 2022 to 2023, I worked to obtain ten murder convictions. These challenging cases included the three teenagers who kidnapped a fifteen-year old female in Richland County and brutally murdered her in the Batesburg-Leesville area, and a popular restaurant owner who murdered his wife’s lover in the Town of Lexington. More recently, during the fall of 2024, I led the prosecution of the three men responsible for the 2022 Easter weekend shootout at the Columbiana Mall that injured nine innocent bystanders. All three were convicted for their respective roles in the shootings.

In addition, this office is a leader in efficient docket reduction, and does so without compromising our goal of protecting the rights of victims. Four years ago, the COVID pandemic had a tremendous impact on our judicial system. Courts throughout the state were shut down, and criminal dockets grew dramatically. Despite these challenges, our office was able to adjust how we normally operated to ensure we were still protecting our communities from criminal offenders. When courts re-opened, our office was ready. The hardworking and dedicated men and women of this office quickly addressed our backlog, and did so without sacrificing justice. Today, the Eleventh Circuit Solicitor’s Office is one of the most efficient in South Carolina. In fact, we are often the only circuit in South Carolina that has counties meeting the Supreme Court’s docket reduction benchmarks.

During the next four years, our office will continue to support the men and women in law enforcement. We are grateful for the strong partnerships we have developed with Sheriff Jody Roland of Edgefield County, Sheriff Jay Koon of Lexington County, Sheriff Chad Cox of McCormick County, Sheriff Josh Price of Saluda County, and all our chiefs and law enforcement leaders. We could not do our jobs without their hard work and cooperation.

Our office has had many accomplishments under my leadership, but we are working hard to do even more for the citizens of the Eleventh Circuit. I am grateful for the support and trust you have continued to give to our office and me. I am truly honored to be your Solicitor.

03/18/2024

On Saturday, I filed for re-election as the Eleventh Circuit Solicitor.

I have been honored to serve the citizens of Edgefield, Lexington, McCormick, and Saluda Counties as your Solicitor for these past seven years. As your Solicitor, I will continue to support our men and women in law enforcement, stand up for victims, and protect our families and most vulnerable citizens.

When I filed for re-election four years ago, we did not realize the impact the pandemic would have on our judicial system. Despite the challenges, we were able to adjust how we normally operated to ensure we were still protecting our communities from criminal offenders. Our efforts paid off. Our Circuit docket continues to be one of the most efficient dockets in South Carolina in reaching the benchmarks set by the Supreme Court. This is not surprising when you consider our office is filled with dedicated, hard-working men and women who faithfully seek to do what is right according to the law.

As the Solicitor, I have continued to take an active role in prosecuting violent offenders. In a 9-month period from 2022 to 2023, I successfully prosecuted multiple murderers, obtaining 10 murder convictions. These challenging cases included Nicolle Sanchez-Peralta, Treveon Nelson, and Jaylen Wilson who kidnapped and brutally murdered fifteen-year old Sanaa Amenhotep, and Greg Leon who murdered his wife’s lover, Arturo Bravo.

We have accomplished a lot in seven years, but we are working hard to do even more for the people of the Eleventh Circuit. I am grateful for the trust you have placed in me, and I look forward to continue serving as your Solicitor.

09/04/2023

Happy Labor Day! Looking forward to celebrating in Chapin this morning during the parade during Chapin’s Labor Day Festival.

07/04/2023

Enjoyed ourselves at the Lexington County Peach Festival with so many others from the community. Wishing everyone a Happy 4th of July.

01/13/2021

Today marks the first day of my second term as your Solicitor. It has been an honor to serve the citizens of Edgefield, Lexington, McCormick, and Saluda Counties for the past four years. We have accomplished a lot in all four counties during this time.

Our office has placed a special focus on prosecuting violent cases, such as murders, homicide by child abuse, and felony DUI’s. We have brought more homicide and child abuse cases to court – either by plea or trial – than ever before. As Solicitor, I have taken an active role in prosecuting these cases throughout the circuit, including the death penalty case of Tim Jones for the horrific murder of his five young children.

We have worked to steadily reduce our dockets and jail populations. Prior to the COVID pandemic, we had reduced the Lexington County jail population to a 20 year low. In Edgefield, McCormick, and Saluda Counties, we joined just a handful of counties in the state by exceeding the South Carolina Supreme Court’s benchmarks for efficiently reducing our dockets.

During the COVID crisis, we have continued our hard work. We have reduced our jail populations throughout the Eleventh Circuit to all-time lows, and we have been a leader among state prosecutors in finding innovative ways to run court and meet the needs of our victims.

We have expanded the role our office plays in keeping the community safe. We now prosecute all cases of domestic violence, and we have partnered with federal prosecutors in focusing on gang and gun violence throughout the Eleventh Circuit. In addition to our work in the courtroom, we have worked diligently to build relationships with many community organizations, churches, and schools as part of our community outreach program.

During the next four years, we are committed to building on our success of keeping violent criminals off our streets. We will continue to support our men and women in law enforcement. We are grateful for the partnerships we have developed with Sheriff Jay Koon in Lexington County, Sheriff Clarke Stearns in McCormick County, and all of our chiefs and law enforcement leaders throughout our circuit. We look forward to working closely with our new sheriffs – Sheriff Jody Roland of Edgefield County and Sheriff Josh Price of Saluda County.

We do not intend to rest on our accomplishments. We will continue to stand up for victims of crime and to keep all of the citizens of the Eleventh Circuit safe and secure. I am truly grateful for the support you have given our office, and for the trust you have placed in me. I am honored to be your Solicitor.

01/05/2021

Congratulations, Saluda County Sheriff Josh Price and Chief Deputy Jesse Quattlebaum! Jesse has served us well as one of our office investigators in Edgefield, McCormick, and Saluda counties. I have no doubt that both Sheriff Price and Chief Deputy Quattlebaum will do an excellent job. I look forward to working with you both.

11/05/2020

Congratulations to newly elected Saluda County Sheriff Josh Price and Edgefield County Sheriff Jody Rowland. I look forward to working with you both in the coming years. Congratulations to Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon and McCormick County Sheriff Clarke Stearns for winning re-election. Our relationship with law enforcement is vital to what we do. I look forward to continue serving our communities together.

11/05/2020

I want to thank the citizens of Edgefield, Lexington, McCormick, and Saluda for re-electing me to serve as your Solicitor. It is truly an honor to serve you. Our office has accomplished a lot during my first term. We look forward to doing even more as we work with law enforcement to protect you and your families and to seeking justice for victims of crime.

03/17/2020

Yesterday, I filed for re-election as the Eleventh Circuit Solicitor.

It has been an honor to serve the citizens of Edgefield, Lexington, McCormick, and Saluda Counties as your Solicitor for the past three years. I am running for re-election to build on our success of keeping violent criminals off our streets. As your Solicitor, I will continue to support our men and women in law enforcement, stand up for victims, and protect our families and most vulnerable citizens.

Over the past three years, our office has successfully prosecuted 53 homicide cases. These cases include murders, homicide by child abuse, and felony DUI’s. I have taken an active role in prosecuting these cases in each county, including the death penalty case of Tim Jones for the brutal murder of his five young children.

We have dramatically reduced the pending docket in the circuit. Edgefield, McCormick, and Saluda Counties are part of just a handful of counties in the state that now exceed the benchmarks for efficiency set by the South Carolina Supreme Court. Lexington County is expected to reach this goal later this year. Our focus on prosecuting violent crimes has also led to major reductions in the jail population throughout the circuit. The Lexington County jail population is now at an unprecedented 20-year low.

We have also expanded the role our office plays in keeping our community safe. We now prosecute all cases involving domestic violence and have partnered with federal prosecutors in focusing on gang and gun violence throughout the Eleventh Circuit. In addition to our work in the courtroom, we have worked diligently to build relationships with many community organizations, churches, and schools as part of our community outreach program.

We have accomplished a lot in three years, but we are working hard to do even more for the people of the Eleventh Circuit. I am grateful for the trust you have placed in me, and I look forward to continue serving as your Solicitor.

01/11/2018

One year ago today, I was sworn in as Solicitor. Visit 11th Circuit Solicitor's Office for updates on all the office has been able to accomplish.

08/11/2017

Be sure to follow and like 11th Circuit Solicitor's Office page for more updates. A Lexington County jury convicted another child abuser this time for killing her 7-month-old daughter and the judge sentenced her to life in prison.

Heather Marie Lawson, 23, of Lexington County, S.C., was found guilty of homicide by child abuse for the death of her 7-month-old daughter.

07/13/2017

A life sentence followed by 15 years in prison for a child molester sends a clear message to s*x offenders. The loss of innocence is something we can never get back. But this week justice was served in Lexington County for a 7 year old child victim who was subjected to a series of s*xual attacks. This type of behavior will not be tolerated. Be sure to follow the 11th Circuit Solicitor's Office page for more updates like this.

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