A fire broke out on October 4, 2025, at the Edisto Island home of South Carolina Circuit Court Judge Diane Goodstein, destroying the property and seriously injuring three family members, including her husband, former state senator Arnold Goodstein, and their son.
Goodstein was reportedly not home when the blaze began around 11:30 a.m., but her family had to escape from upper floors and were rescued from the surrounding marshland by emergency personnel using kayaks, with one airlifted to a Charleston hospital.
South Carolina Chief Justice John Kittredge stated that the fire was caused by an “apparent explosion… that resulted in a fire that destroyed the home.” He added that Goodstein was walking on the beach when the blaze began.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division said in a statement that an investigation is ongoing, stating there is “no evidence to indicate the fire was intentionally set.”
“Out of respect for the privacy of the Goodstein family, the South Carolina Judicial Branch will not be issuing any further comment until law enforcement concludes its investigation,” the South Carolina Judicial Branch said in a statement.
Last month, Goodstein temporarily blocked the state election commission from releasing voter files to the Department of Justice, a move criticized by Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon and later overturned by the South Carolina Supreme Court, according to USA Today. The DOJ requested information on over three million registered voters, including names, addresses, driver’s license numbers, and social security numbers. This was part of President Donald Trump’s March executive order aimed at preventing non-citizens from registering to vote.
