Peter M. McCoy, Jr.
Peter M. McCoy Jr. is currently serving as the District of South Carolina’s acting United States Attorney. A former politician, Atty. McCoy is no stranger to legal procedures and the law. In fact, he had to resign from his legislative post as the chairman of South Carolina’s House Judiciary Committee before he could take office as South Carolina’s interim U.S. Attorney.
Atty. McCoy was appointed as the District of South Carolina’s acting top federal prosecutor on the 30th of March just this year by Attorney General William Barr. He hasn’t been officially sworn into office yet, but with recent developments, Peter McCoy might just hold the state’s top federal prosecutor job outright.
On the 14th of May 2020, the Senate panel advanced Atty. Peter McCoy’s nomination to be U.S. Attorney for South Carolina. The Senate panel approved Atty. McCoy, a Charleston Republican and former state lawmaker, by voice vote. Atty. McCoy was nominated by President Trump on the 24th of February this year as the District of South Carolina’s United States Attorney.
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Law Career
As a United States Attorney, Peter M. McCoy, Jr. is the top federal prosecutor of the district in charge of civil litigation and federal criminal prosecutions with regards to the country in the District of South Carolina. As the chief federal prosecutor, he oversees at least 62 legal staff, 75 support employees, and 18 contractual support staff. All of these personnel assist him in prosecuting federal crimes within their district, which includes gang violence, white-collar crimes, narcotics and firearms, human trafficking, securities fraud, terrorism, civil rights violations, and even public corruption.
Among his other duties and responsibilities, his office is also in charge of collecting debts and defending the country in civil cases. In the Columbia headquarters of the District of South Carolina’s U.S. Attorney’s Office, it houses the following divisions: Appellate, Administrative, Civil, and Criminal. It also includes its branch offices in Greenville, Florence, and Charleston.
According to U.S. Attorney General William P. Barr, Peter McCoy is more than qualified for the position of a U.S. Attorney. His extensive experience in legal matters and prosecuting cases, as well as his commitment to public safety and the law, makes him a leader fit for the office—additionally, Atty. McCoy is also said to be a fierce advocate of children’s rights, as well as vehemently strict in terms of accountability from violent criminals and sex offenders.
Role in the community
Atty. McCoy fiercely campaigned towards the mandatory reporting of sexual abuse in children, as well as requiring a minimum sentence for people committing crimes while out on bond. He had also worked on statutes that ensured violent criminal offenders aren’t granted freedom on account of restraint if they continuously committed crimes.
Before his current position as the incumbent and interim United States Attorney for the District of South Carolina, he was a member of the district’s House of Representatives. Before he was sworn into office as the acting U.S. Attorney, he was the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. He was a member of the House of Representatives for nine years, from 2011 to 2020.
Before all that, he began his legal career as an Assistant Solicitor in the Solicitor’s Office at Charleston. At the Ninth Circuit Solicitor’s Office, he was assigned to prosecute DUI cases and drug cases, as well as violent crimes. After working there for five years, he then moved on to practice privately in his firm. He became a partner at the McCoy and Stokes Law Firm.
Educational Background
Peter McCoy earned his bachelor’s degree in History and Religion at Hampden-Sydney College. He then studied at the Regent University School of Law, where he earned his Juris Doctor degree.
Awards
Atty. Peter McCoy Jr. was awarded the Key to James Island. He was also given the title of South Carolina’s Rising Star in 2013 by the district’s Super Lawyers. He was also awarded the Charleston Regional Business Journal’s Forty under 40 in 2014. He was also the former chairman of the subcommittee for Family Law and Probate, and an active member in notable legal and civic clubs.
Contact Details
Full Name: Peter M. McCoy, Jr.
District/State: District of South Carolina
Public email ID: [email protected]
Columbia Office
Wells Fargo Building
1441 Main Street Suite 500
Columbia, SC 29201
(803) 929-3000
Greenville Office
One Liberty Square Building
55 Beattie Place Suite 700
Greenville, SC 29601
(864) 282-2100
South Carolina House of Representatives
1100 Gervais St,
Columbia, SC 29201
(803) 734-2402
Charleston County Solicitor – Ninth Judicial Circuit
101 Meeting St # 400,
Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 958-1900
Social Media Profiles Peter McCoy Jr
Username: Peter McCoy
URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-mccoy-8215551/
Username: Peter McCoy
URL: https://www.facebook.com/PeterMcCoyforSC
Username: U.S. Attorney SC
Tag: @USAO_SC
URL: https://twitter.com/USAO_SC
Updated: June 15, 2020
Michael Rhett DeHart is the next State’s Attorney for the District of South Carolina