S.C. Code Ann. § 9-8-40: Membership in system; cessation of membership.

(1) All persons who are judges or solicitors on July 1, 1979, and who have not attained age seventy-two shall become members of the system as of that date. All administrative law judges on July 1, 2014, who have not retired may elect to become a member of the system. Administrative law judges making that election may transfer prior service into the system as provided in Section 9-8-50, and to the extent the service thus transferred occurred after the member took office as an administrative law judge, that service is deemed earned service in the system. All other persons become members of the system on taking office as judge, solicitor, or circuit public defender before attaining age seventy-two.

(2) If a member of the system ceases to be a judge, solicitor, or circuit public defender for reasons other than death or retirement, he then ceases to be a member of the system, whether or not he withdraws his accumulated contributions.