Located in the southeastern region of the US, South Carolina is one of the 13 original colonies, and was the 8th state to ratify the US Constitution, officially joining the union on May 23, 1788. The state is the 40th largest by area at just over 32,000 square miles, and the 23rd most populous, with over 5.2 million residents. The largest city is Charleston and the largest metro area is Greenville, while the state’s capital city is Columbia.

The state’s economy is strongly driven by the manufacturing, retail trade, educational services, healthcare, and food service industries. Tobacco, cotton, cattle, dairy, rice, and swine, are among the leading agricultural areas of production in the state. Transportation and utilities, and tourism also contribute greatly to the state’s economic production.

Like most state governments in the United States, South Carolina has political power divided between an executive branch, a judicial branch, and a legislative branch.

The executive branch is led by the governor and has a largely elected cabinet instead of a cabinet comprised of government appointees.  The elected positions in the state are as follows:

• Governor of South Carolina
• South Carolina Attorney General
• South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture
• South Carolina Comptroller General
• Secretary of State of South Carolina
• South Carolina State Treasurer
• South Carolina Superintendent of Education

The South Carolina has a strong legislative branch, consisting of a 150 member South Carolina General Assembly.  The Assembly is split into a House of Representatives, with 124 members, and a Senate, with 46 members.

The judicial branch has roughly three levels:  the South Carolina Circuit Court, which handles most of the entry-level cases in the system.  The South Carolina Court of Appeals is the appellate level, and the South Carolina Supreme Court is the highest court in the state.

South Carolina has nine electoral votes in the electoral college.  In Presidential elections the state has primarily voted for Democrats, having voted 30 democratic candidates and only 15 Republican in its history.

Prominent Universities including the University of South Carolina, Clemson, Coastal Carolina University, and Furman University, are just a few of the most well-known state universities throughout.

The National Law Review covers news and legislation from the state of South Carolina and the Fourth Federal Circuit Court of Appeals regularly. Stories visitors to the National Law Review will find includes nursing home care, healthcare industry news, state legislation, litigation and trial news, labor and employment law, state tax and bankruptcy proceedings, and coverage on insurance and hurricane relief, from recent natural disasters which have hit the state. Visitors will always find up to date coverage on the state, Federal Circuit, and coverage as it relates to the rest of the US.