national
Federal Judge Dismisses Alex Murdaugh's $600,000 Lawsuit Against Former Court Clerk
Just the facts
Murdaugh filed the lawsuit seeking reimbursement for legal fees incurred during his 2023 trial, claiming Hill's jury tampering violated his constitutional rights to a fair trial. The South Carolina Supreme Court had previously overturned Murdaugh's murder convictions for the deaths of his wife Maggie and son Paul due to Hill's improper statements to jury members. Judge Gergel ruled that Murdaugh lacked legal standing because Hill had no role in bringing criminal charges against him and defense costs would have been incurred regardless of her actions. Murdaugh remains in prison serving a 40-year federal sentence for financial offenses while awaiting an April 2027 retrial on the murder charges.
Why this is news
U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel dismissed a $600,000 federal lawsuit filed by disbarred attorney Alex Murdaugh against former Colleton County court clerk Rebecca Hill on August 5, 2026.
Sources
This summary is compiled strictly from the original reporting below.