Three Strikes and Habitual Offender Laws in South Carolina

South Carolina's repeat-offender law requires life without parole (unless death is imposed) for a person convicted of a 'most serious offense' (such as murder, kidnapping, criminal sexual conduct, armed robbery, first-degree burglary or first-degree arson) who has one or more prior convictions for a most serious offense, or two or more prior convictions for a 'serious offense'. It also requires life without parole for a conviction of a 'serious offense' (which includes any offense punishable by 30 years or more and other listed felonies such as drug trafficking and first-degree domestic violence) when the person has two or more prior serious or most serious offense convictions. Federal and out-of-state equivalents count.