The South Carolina Certificate of Judge (Defense of Indigents Act) is a form issued by the South Carolina Supreme Court that authorizes a judge to appoint counsel for defendants who cannot afford to pay for their own legal representation. This certificate grants the right to counsel to indigent defendants or those who cannot afford to hire an attorney. There are three different types of Certificate of Judge: General Certificate, Special Certificate, and Certificate of Familial Conflict. The General Certificate is issued when a defendant is indigent and has no family member who can represent them. The Special Certificate is issued when a defendant is indigent and has a family member who is able to represent them, but is unable to do so due to a conflict of interest. Lastly, the Certificate of Familial Conflict is issued when a defendant has a family member who wishes to represent them, but there is a conflict of interest preventing them from doing so.