Attorney General Henry McMaster urged judges Thursday to play a part in a criminal domestic-violence program, as those crimes continue to rise statewide and locally.

He also addressed Mary Lynn's Law, a bill sponsored by Rep. Murrell Smith, R-Sumter, which strengthens victim rights law and victim notification pertaining to certain criminal offenses, including stalking and harassment.

McMaster spoke at the S.C. Summary Court Judges Association's convention and seminar, which is being held at Kingston Plantation and ends Sunday.

Incidents of domestic violence have been on the rise nationwide.

In Horry and Georgetown counties, more than 10 people have been killed since January due to domestic violence, which is more than each of the previous two years, officials have said. "The problem is so bad that everyone knows something needs to be done," said McMaster during Thursday's seminar.

In Horry and Georgetown counties, money is allocated by both county councils to pay for prosecutors for criminal domestic-violence cases, which is why the counties have not needed to take advantage of the pro bono program McMaster touted Thursday, 15th Circuit Solicitor Greg Hembree said.

"We're ahead of other jurisdictions in the ability to prosecute those cases," Hembree said. "The counties just prosecute jury trials of that nature with two full-time prosecutors in Horry County and one part-time prosecutor in Georgetown County."

Hembree said Horry County has been considering a criminal domestic-
violence court and intends to pursue it next year. Right now, the county is at a study stage to figure out what will work, Hembree said.

The Pro Bono Special Prosecutor Program asks lawyers to volunteer to get trained and then assigned to criminal domestic-violence cases, for judges to set up a criminal domestic-violence court where they handle only those type of cases on specific days and train law enforcement on investigating the cases.

McMaster said solicitors don't have the money or staff to have prosecutors in courtrooms for domestic-violence cases.

"We've found in most counties that they don't have prosecutors in summary courts," McMaster said. "We need them there for these cases. It's unreasonable to expect justice done in the absence of a prosecutor."