Richardson v. State

Counsel for petitioner has filed a petition for a writ of certiorari, pursuant to Johnson v. State, 294 S.C. 310, 364 S.E.2d 201 (1988), from the denial, after a hearing, of petitioner’s application for post-conviction relief (PCR). Petitioner has filed a pro se response.

We grant the petition for a writ of certiorari on the issue of the PCR judge’s refusal to relieve PCR counsel, 1 dispense with the requirements of a merits petition and brief, and affirm the denial of petitioner’s PCR application. However, we take this opportunity to address the recurring problem of PCR applicants seeking…