Care and Treatment of Beaver v. State

Respondent pled guilty to one count of lewd act on a minor. He was sentenced to seven years imprisonment, suspended on nine months confinement and three years probation. The State commenced a civil action seeking respondent’s commitment as a sexually violent predator pursuant to the South Carolina Sexually Violent Predator Act (the SVP Act), S.C.Code § 44-48-10 through -170 (Supp.2006). At the probable cause hearing, the judge found no probable cause to believe respondent is a sexually violent predator and dismissed the action. We certified this case from the Court of Appeals.

ISSUE

Did the…