Legal Services

Civil Litigation

Charles Terreni has extensive litigation experience. He has:

  • Litigated cases on behalf of individuals, businesses, and government entities in court and arbitration, in cases involving contractual disputes, personal injury and property damage, consumer protection law, and civil rights.
  • Represented borrowers in class actions alleging violation of state consumer protection laws including Craps v. Jim Walter Homes, Hinson v. Norwest, Johnson v. Ford Consumer Finance, Inc., and Johnson v. First Family Financial Services.
  • Represented consumers in class arbitration proceedings in Green Tree Financial v. Bazzle, a case in which a plurality of the United States Supreme Court held that class arbitration proceedings were not prohibited by the Federal Arbitration Act, and the South Carolina Supreme Court upheld class arbitration awards.

Public Utility Law

As Chief Clerk of the Public Service Commission from November of 2004 to February of 2010, Terreni was the Chief Administrative Officer of the agency as it implemented Act 175 of 2004, a sweeping reform of public utility regulation which placed the Public Service Commission under the Code of Judicial Conduct. During his tenure:

  • The Commission heard the first petitions for recovery of project development costs as well as for siting and construction of nuclear reactors brought under Act 16 of 2007, the Base Load Review Act.
  • The agency’s docketing operations were placed on line with the implementation of its DMS and E-Tariff systems.
  • The Commission promulgated regulations governing the designation of Eligible Telecommunications Carriers which can receive support from the federal Universal Service Fund.
  • The South Carolina Supreme Court affirmed the Commission's implementation of the state Universal Service Fund.
  • The Commission heard four base rate cases brought by investor owned electric and gas utilities, as well as numerous water and wastewater rate cases.

Election Law

Charlie Terreni has represented numerous clients in voting rights and election matters.

  • Terreni has advised candidates, organizations, and individuals regarding compliance with campaign finance law, and has represented several clients before the State Ethics Commission.
  • In 2002, Terreni was one of the attorneys who represented the South Carolina Senate in Colleton County Council v. McConnell, impasse litigation involving legislative and congressional districts. Terreni also advised the State Senate in 2003 when it enacted and pre-cleared legislation which remedied the impasse in time for the 2004 elections.
  • Terreni represented the South Carolina Republican Party in Rutherford v. S.C. Republican Party, a suit which alleged that the 2000 all volunteer run presidential primary violated Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The lawsuit was resolved after the Republican Party successfully obtained preclearance of the primary from the U.S. Department of Justice -- the first time preclearance was granted for a volunteer run presidential primary election.
  • Terreni represented the Richland County Republican Party in a series of lawsuits challenging Richland County Council's electoral plans under the Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act and South Carolina law
  • In Taylor v. Town of Atlantic Beach, Terreni successfully represented the winning candidates for mayor and town council of Atlantic Beach before the Circuit Court and the Supreme Court.
  • In Broadhurst v. City of Myrtle Beach Election Commission, challenged an election in which voting machines at a precinct had malfunctioned. The state Supreme Court ordered a new election.
  • Terreni has represented current and past members of the General Assembly in election challenges.

Public Interest and Constitutional Law

Terreni has represented clients in connection with a variety of public interest matters including annexation and zoning. He was counsel for the plaintiffs in Myers v. Patterson, a case in which the state Supreme Court reaffirmed the principle, challenged by the defendants, that taxpayers have standing to challenge public expenditures.

Other Areas of Practice

The Terreni Law Firm offers representation in a wide variety of matters, including:

  • Business organization and partnership agreements.
  • Employment matters.
  • Business litigation and alternative dispute resolution.
  • Domestication of foreign judgments.

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