Seventh Judicial District - Montrose County Court Judge
Honorable Laura Harvell
Retention Year: 2024
Recommendation: Meets Performance Standards
Reports:
2024 Retention Survey Report (PDF)
2023 Interim Survey Report (PDF)
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The Seventh Judicial District Commission on Judicial Performance unanimously agrees by a vote 8-0, with one absent and one Commissioner vacancy, that Judge Laura Harvell MEETS PERFORMANCE STANDARDS.
Judge Harvell presides over civil, criminal and small claims cases in Montrose County. Judge Harvell was observed by the Commission and others as having a professional manner while presiding over the Courtroom. As noted in her 2023 interim evaluation, Judge Harvell’s manner of speaking dignified the proceedings before her, but her delivery was sometimes impassive. However, the Commission did not find that this manner of speaking had any discernable effect on Judge Harvell’s integrity, communication skills, temperament, or courtroom management. Indeed, Commission members observed Judge Harvell’s demeanor to have a calming (and therefore positive) effect on misbehaving parties in her courtroom. Perhaps in response to suggestions made by the Commission in her 2023 interim evaluation, Judge Harvell has adopted a series of proactive efficiency and case management practices, such as quarterly meetings with practitioners in her courtroom to review her judicial scheduling and other practices. The Commission applauds Judge Harvell’s willingness to tackle these issues through inclusive and hands-on approaches involving attorneys that frequent her courtroom.
The Commission interviewed Judge Harvell via Zoom video conference on April 25, 2024, with various Commission members observing her in Court, either in person or via electronic means prior to that evaluation. The Commission also spoke with representatives of the District Attorney’s Office and the Public Defender’s Office, and the Chief District Court Judge for the Seventh Judicial District and reviewed her 2024 Judicial Performance Survey Report and 2024 self-evaluation materials. The Commission concluded that these observations, interviews and materials all support the Commission’s conclusion that Judge Harvell meets performance standards.
Judge Harvell was appointed in July of 2022, and this is her initial evaluation by the Seventh Judicial District Judicial Performance Commission. Prior to her appointment Judge Harvell worked in private practice. Judge Harvell obtained her bachelor’s degree from the College of Charleston, and her J.D. from the University of South Carolina.