COLUMBIA, S.C. - The state Supreme Court says clerks of court get the keys to county courthouses and assign office space to workers.

The issue found its way to the high court after the McCormick County Council got into a dispute with its clerk of court in the smallest county in South Carolina.

The justices sided with clerk Kathryne Butler on Monday, saying South Carolina law requires the clerk of court to be in charge of opening and closing the courthouse.

In the decision, Chief Justice Jean Toal writes that "giving the clerk of court charge of the courthouse must also include the assignment of offices and possession of keys."

The justices also ruled county councils have no authority over clerks of court or other elected officials whose jobs are created by the state constitution.

As the leader of the state judiciary, Toal had issued a similar order in June, but the McCormick County Council asked the entire court to review it.

The other justices took less than a month to rule with Toal.