North Inlet Lawsuit
The Baruch Foundation filed a lawsuit in November claiming ownership of all the land known as “Hobcaw Barony” in Georgetown County between the mean low and high water marks, which includes the marshlands. According to the lawsuit, the claim is based upon centuries-old English kings’ land grants.
The lawsuit seeks to upend settled law that there is a strong presumption that South Carolina owns the area between the mean low and high tide lines.
With the Attorney General’s consent, DeBordieu Colony has joined the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office in opposing Belle Baruch Foundation’s efforts to seize control over 8,000 acres of marsh in the North Inlet that have been considered state-owned and available for public use for generations.
The S.C. Attorney General asserts state ownership of the marshlands and contends that even if it is determined that the Baruch Foundation is the owner, the foundation “lacks the power to exclude the general public from the waters, because the public has the right under the Constitution and statutes of South Carolina to make use of the disputed area.”
This is ongoing litigation and residents will be updated as events warrant. Click link below to see pleadings filed.
https://www.debordieucolony.org/members-area/resources/north-inlet-lawsuit/
