COLUMBIA--Federal judges in South Carolina say they need more help to handle a high caseload, and the judges could get it under a bill approved by a U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee.

U.S. District Court Judge Cameron Currie of Columbia says she has heard cases every weekday without a break since Feb. 27 -- including skipping a lunch break. "We could certainly use the help," she said.

Of the 94 federal district courts in the nation, South Carolina ranked 18th in terms of its caseload. South Carolina also had the highest caseload among the 4th Circuit, which includes the district courts of South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia.

During a year that ended Sept. 30, 2002, each South Carolina district judge had on average 499 cases pending. The national average was 471 cases pending.

"We certainly can use another one," said South Carolina's Chief U.S. District Judge Joe Anderson. "It's not just a political plum" that U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham wants to create, Anderson said. "We qualify for another one based on our judges' caseload."

Graham, R-S.C., tried to add state seats to the U.S. district court as a congressman but failed. He amended this bill, approved by the committee last week, to include South Carolina.

"We desperately need another judge," Graham said. "It's the caseload. And we've got judges about to retire."

Of South Carolina's district court judges, two are close to retirement and hear a reduced caseload. Judge Matthew Perry of Columbia handles 50 percent of the typical caseload, and Judge Sol Blatt Jr. of Charleston handles 30 percent.

South Carolina currently has 11 federal judges, but Circuit Court Judge Henry Floyd has been nominated for the seat vacated by U.S. District Judge Dennis Shedd, who was been promoted to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va.

U.S. district court judges are nominated by the president and handle criminal and civil federal cases. They sit below federal appeals court judges and are appointed for life.

Anderson hopes it will be easier to add judges this year because the same political party controls the White House and Congress.

When there's a split, he said, Congress can be reluctant to add judgeships that will be filled by the president's nominees.

Another amendment to the bill would add 36 bankruptcy judges across the nation including one in South Carolina, which now has two.