Jerome McDaniel v. SCDPPPS

THIS OPINION HAS NO PRECEDENTIAL VALUE. IT SHOULD NOT BE
CITED OR RELIED ON AS PRECEDENT IN ANY PROCEEDING
EXCEPT AS PROVIDED BY RULE 268(d)(2), SCACR.

THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
In The Court of Appeals

Jerome McDaniel, Appellant,

v.

South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and
Pardon Services, Respondent.

Appellate Case No. 2019-001935

Appeal From The Administrative Law Court
Milton G. Kimpson, Administrative Law Judge

Unpublished Opinion No. 2022-UP-162
Submitted March 1, 2022 – Filed April 6, 2022

AFFIRMED

Jerome McDaniel, pro se.

Matthew C. Buchanan, of the South Carolina Department
of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services, of Columbia,
for Respondent.

PER CURIAM: Jerome McDaniel, pro se, appeals an Administrative Law Court
(ALC) order affirming a South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and
Pardon Services' (the Department's) decision to deny his parole. On appeal,
McDaniel argues the ALC erred in affirming the Department's denial of his request
for parole because the denial was based on the same reasons it denied his previous
requests for parole. We affirm.

We hold substantial evidence supports the ALC's finding that the Department did
not err by relying on the facts of McDaniel's case because it followed the requisite
procedures and considered the appropriate factors before making its determination
regarding McDaniel's parole. See S.C. Code Ann. § 1-23-610(B) (Supp. 2021)
("The review of the [ALC's] order must be confined to the record. The [appellate]
court may not substitute its judgment for the judgment of the [ALC] as to the
weight of the evidence on questions of fact."); Sanders v. S.C. Dep't of Corr., 379
S.C. 411, 417, 665 S.E.2d 231, 234 (Ct. App. 2008) ("Although this court shall not
substitute its judgment for that of the AL[C] as to findings of fact, we may reverse
or modify decisions which are controlled by error of law or are clearly erroneous in
view of the substantial evidence on the record as a whole."); id. ("In determining
whether the AL[C]'s decision was supported by substantial evidence, this court
need only find, considering the record as a whole, evidence from which reasonable
minds could reach the same conclusion that the AL[C] reached."); Cooper v. S.C.
Dep't of Prob., Parole & Pardon Servs., 377 S.C. 489, 499, 661 S.E.2d 106, 111
(2008) ("[T]he [p]arole [b]oard is the sole authority with respect to decisions
regarding the grant or denial of parole."); id. at 500, 661 S.E. 2d at 112 (holding
the parole board's decision would "constitute a routine denial of parole and the
ALC would have limited authority to review the decision" if the parole board
"states in its order denying parole that it considered the factors outlined in section
24-21-640 and the fifteen factors published in its parole form").

AFFIRMED.1

WILLIAMS, C.J., and KONDUROS and VINSON, JJ., concur.

1
We decide this case without oral argument pursuant to Rule 215, SCACR.