Federal judge dismisses Murdaugh $600,000 fee lawsuit

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by convicted fraudster Alex Murdaugh seeking to recover $600,000 in legal fees from a former court clerk whose misconduct led to his murder convictions being overturned. U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel issued the ruling on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, finding that Murdaugh’s claim lacked a necessary legal connection between the clerk’s actions and his defense costs.

Murdaugh had sued former Colleton County Clerk Becky Hill in May, alleging she violated his constitutional right to a fair trial. The South Carolina Supreme Court overturned his 2023 murder convictions in May 2026, citing what it called “shocking jury interference” by Hill. The court found that Hill made improper comments to jurors, suggesting Murdaugh was guilty and that his testimony could not be trusted.

In his order, Judge Gergel stated the lawsuit contained a “fatal flaw” because Hill did not cause Murdaugh to incur his legal expenses. Murdaugh would have needed to fund his defense regardless of her actions, as she played no role in initiating the criminal charges against him. The judge wrote that the misconduct was not a proximate cause of Murdaugh’s need to pay...