FAMILY COURT JUDGES

CIRCUIT 8

(Abbeville, Greenwood, Laurens, and Newberry Counties)

/ JUDGE: Joseph W. McGowan, III
CIRCUIT: 8
GENDER: Male
BIRTHDATE: February 4, 1952
RACE: Caucasian
EDUCATION: BS – Newberry College (1974); JD – Univ. of South Carolina (1978)
Upon graduating from law school, Judge McGowan entered private practice in Laurens, SC. Judge McGowan also served as Commissioner of Public Works for Laurens, SC. Judge McGowan was elected to the position of Judge of The Family Court, Eighth Judicial Circuit, Seat 1 on February 10, 1999.
/ JUDGE: John M. Rucker
CIRCUIT: 8
GENDER: Male
BIRTHDATE: October 22, 1944
RACE: Caucasian
EDUCATION: BA – Univ. South Carolina (1966); JD – Univ. of South Carolina (1969)
After graduation from Law School he entered private practice first in Laurens County then in his home county of Newberry. In 1971 he was named Recorder for the City of Newberry a position he held until he was elected to the House of Representatives in 1976 where he served until 1980. In 1984 then Governor Richard Riley appointed him as a Commissioner with the South Carolina Tax Commission where he served until June 1988 when he began service as a Family Court Judge in the Eighth Judicial Circuit. Judge Rucker has been admitted to practice in all SC Courts, the US District Court for the District of SC and the US Supreme Court.
/ JUDGE: Billy A. Tunstall, Jr.
CIRCUIT: 8
GENDER: Male
BIRTHDATE: February 4, 1954
RACE: Caucasian
EDUCATION: BA – Lander College (1977); JD – Univ. of South Carolina (1980)
Judge Tunstall opened his own law firm in Greenwood, SC in 1980. During private practice he served as the Resolution of Fee Disputes Board for the Eighth Circuit. Judge Tunstall has been the Family Court Judge for the Eighth Circuit, Seat 3, since July, 1997.