The Retired SC Supreme Court Judge Who’s “Serving Time”

A prison isn’t where you would expect to find a former Supreme Court judge for South Carolina. But that’s exactly where you’ll find E.C. Burnett III.

Judge Burnett has lived in Spartanburg for most of his life, married to his college sweetheart, Jami, for sixty years. His faithfulness to his family, the community, and Christ is well-known and admired.

His life has been marked by public service to his state and country. First, as a soldier in Vietnam, then in the South Carolina State House, then as a probate on the family circuit, and eventually, twelve years as a supreme court judge for South Carolina.

During his three decades as a judge, he had to make tough decisions in all kinds of cases, from divorce court to death row appeals. You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who could examine the evidence as logically and thoroughly as he did.?

After retiring from the bench in 2007, he considered where he could continue serving, where he could make a difference in the community. Of all the causes he could have taken up, he chose to spend his time volunteering in prison ministry. Since then, he has generously given his time, talent, and treasure by providing transformational opportunities for men and women served by JUMPSTART.

He has led small group Bible studies, shared his wisdom with JUMPSTART classes, and even spearheaded efforts to build a chapel at Tyger River Correctional. Which brings us back to the Why—why would a retired judge choose prison ministry of all things?

In his words,

“During my time as a judge, I encountered many men and women who did not understand that there was a purpose for their life—that God had given them life for a reason. Many ended up in prison because they committed crimes trying to fill a void only Christ can fill.”

Throughout his time as a circuit court judge, he saw many of the same women and men over and over. When he asked them why they had committed a crime again or violated parole, many shared similar struggles:

1. Lack of support during transition
2. Falling back into the same poor choices as before.

“An individual may come to know Christ while incarcerated and be very serious in their commitment to follow Him,” he shared, “but if they get out and go back to an unhealthy home environment, or if they cannot get a job, or do not have transportation, it is almost impossible for them to re-acclimate into society in a way that allows them to make it. So they return to how they lived before incarceration. They had to learn to follow Christ while incarcerated, and they have to be helped to learn to follow Christ in the face of all the challenges life throws at them after incarceration.”?

Judge Burnett’s church, Mt. Calvary Presbyterian Church , has been involved with JUMPSTART since the very beginning—and has even become a home to former prisoners. One member—Mark—has been part of the church for twelve years and volunteers regularly on the media and technology team.

Given his faith and firsthand experience within the justice system, Judge Burnett wanted to help men and women hear the Gospel, stay out of prison, find employment, reunite with their families, and integrate back into the community as productive citizens. JUMPSTART became the place where he could commit his time to all of those goals at once.

“In my eighty years on this earth . . . I’ve witnessed society try many things to reduce crime and recidivism, and not much that excludes Christ in proposed solutions has worked. However, all of the undeniable and verifiable evidence points to the fact that God is using JUMPSTART to change lives, and I hope our community will step up to help JUMPSTART serve more people.”

While not everyone can be a judge, anyone can become an agent of justice by serving the men and women in our program. As JUMPSTART looks to the future, we need more people to come alongside us like Judge Burnett and “serve time” with us. Learn more about how you can serve or read about the real impact being made through JUMPSTART.