--- title: "Sherri Allen Lydon | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/sherri-a-lydon" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-09" --- # Sherri Allen Lydon U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina · U.S. District Judge ## Profile - Court: U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina - State: South Carolina - Role: U.S. District Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-07-25 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Judge, U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina, 2019-present - Judge, District Court, D. South Carolina, 2019-present - U.S. attorney for the District of South Carolina, 2018-2019 - Chief, State Grand Jury, Office of the South Carolina Attorney General, 2003-2004 - Assistant U.S. attorney, District of South Carolina, 1990-1993 - Sherri Allen Lydon (née Cheryl Allen, born 1962) is the Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina ### Education - University of South Carolina School of Law — J.D. (1987) - University of South Carolina-Columbia — J.D. (1987) - Clemson University — B.A. (1983) ### Additional information - Private practice, Columbia, South Carolina, 1987-1990, 1995-2003, 2005-2018 - Private practice, Charleston, South Carolina, 1993-1995 - Date of birth: 1962-02-21 - As Chief Judge, Lydon presides over the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina, which covers the states of South Carolina and includes both Columbia and Florence courthouses. - She has also volunteered with organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters and City Year - Lydon has been active in the American Bar Association, Richland County Bar Association, John Belton O’Neall American Inn of Court, and National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. - Birth place: Myrtle Beach, SC ## Before you appear - Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed. - Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance. - Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding. ## Courtroom Rules ### courtroom technology Scope: courtwide Courtwide presentation-related guidance applies to this judge. Evidence excerpt: . Document Camera While many documents are displayed using a laptop computer, the courtroom’s evidence presentation cart features a high definition document camera that can display paper documents and objects on the courtroom monitors. The document camera zoom lens can display even the smallest details of any object. [SCD - Electronic Courtrooms Table of Contents](https://coop.scd.uscourts.gov/eCourtroom/index.asp) Source checked: 2026-07-24 ### civil remote testimony Scope: courtwide In federal district-court civil proceedings, testimony is ordinarily taken in open court; remote contemporaneous testimony requires good cause in compelling circumstances and appropriate safeguards. Evidence excerpt: For good cause in compelling circumstances and with appropriate safeguards, the court may permit testimony in open court by contemporaneous transmission from a different location. [Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-civil-procedure) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### criminal recording and broadcasting Scope: courtwide Federal district courts may not permit courtroom photography or broadcasting during criminal judicial proceedings unless a statute or another federal rule provides an exception. Evidence excerpt: Except as otherwise provided by a statute or these rules, the court must not permit the taking of photographs in the courtroom during judicial proceedings or the broadcasting of judicial proceedings from the courtroom. [Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited](https://www.uscourts.gov/court-records/access-court-proceedings/remote-public-access-proceedings/history-cameras-broadcasting-and-remote-public-access-courts) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### recording broadcasting photography Scope: statewide South Carolina Rule 605 generally prohibits courtroom broadcasting, televising, recording, and photography unless an exception or presiding-judge authorization applies. Evidence excerpt: the broadcasting, televising, recording, or taking photographs in the courtroom and areas immediately adjacent thereto during sessions of court or recesses between sessions is prohibited [South Carolina Appellate Court Rule 605: Broadcasting, Televising, Recording or Photographing Court Proceedings](https://www.sccourts.org/resources/judicial-community/court-rules/appellate/rule-605/) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### electronic evidence presentation Scope: statewide South Carolina Rule 605 permits the presiding judge to authorize electronic or photographic means for evidence presentation, record preservation, or judicial administration. Evidence excerpt: A presiding judge may authorize the use of electronic or photographic means for the presentation of evidence [South Carolina Appellate Court Rule 605: Broadcasting, Televising, Recording or Photographing Court Proceedings](https://www.sccourts.org/resources/judicial-community/court-rules/appellate/rule-605/) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### media coverage notice Scope: statewide South Carolina Rule 605 requires media representatives to give reasonable notice to the presiding judge when requesting courtroom coverage. Evidence excerpt: Media representatives must give reasonable notice to the presiding judge of a request to cover a proceeding. [South Carolina Appellate Court Rule 605: Broadcasting, Televising, Recording or Photographing Court Proceedings](https://www.sccourts.org/resources/judicial-community/court-rules/appellate/rule-605/) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### remote communication technology Scope: statewide South Carolina Rule 612 authorizes the Supreme Court to provide by order for courts to use remote communication technology for proceedings. Evidence excerpt: the Supreme Court of South Carolina may provide for the use of remote communication technology by the courts of this State to conduct proceedings [South Carolina Appellate Court Rule 612: Use of Remote Communication Technology](https://www.sccourts.org/resources/judicial-community/court-rules/appellate/rule-612/) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### virtual and in person recording Scope: statewide South Carolina's statewide order prohibits photographing, recording, or streaming live, virtual, or broadcasted court proceedings unless the presiding judge specifically authorizes it under Rule 605. Evidence excerpt: taking still photographs, recording (visual or audio), or streaming of any live, virtual, or subsequently broadcasted court proceeding is strictly prohibited unless specifically authorized by the presiding judge pursuant to Rule 605 [Supreme Court of South Carolina Order: Recording of In-Person or Virtual Court Proceedings](https://www.sccourts.org/courtOrders/displayOrder.cfm?orderNo=2020-09-28-01) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://www.fjc.gov/node/7470671) - [Official roster](https://www.fjc.gov/node/7470671) - [Federal Judicial Center biography](https://www.fjc.gov/node/7470671) - [SCD - Electronic Courtrooms Table of Contents](https://coop.scd.uscourts.gov/eCourtroom/index.asp) - [Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(a), Testimony in Open Court](https://www.uscourts.gov/forms-rules/current-rules-practice-procedure/federal-rules-civil-procedure) - [Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited](https://www.uscourts.gov/court-records/access-court-proceedings/remote-public-access-proceedings/history-cameras-broadcasting-and-remote-public-access-courts) - [Judge Sherri Allen Lydon](https://www.fjc.gov/node/7470671) - [Wikidata: Sherri Lydon](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q51858469) - [Lydon, Sherri Allen](https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/lydon-sherri-allen) - [Judges' Filing Preferences](https://www.scd.uscourts.gov/CMECF/preferences.asp) - [U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina current judicial profile](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/14464/cheryl-allen-lydon/) - [South Carolina Appellate Court Rule 605: Broadcasting, Televising, Recording or Photographing Court Proceedings](https://www.sccourts.org/resources/judicial-community/court-rules/appellate/rule-605/) - [South Carolina Appellate Court Rule 612: Use of Remote Communication Technology](https://www.sccourts.org/resources/judicial-community/court-rules/appellate/rule-612/) - [Supreme Court of South Carolina Order: Recording of In-Person or Virtual Court Proceedings](https://www.sccourts.org/courtOrders/displayOrder.cfm?orderNo=2020-09-28-01) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/14464/cheryl-allen-lydon/) - [Judge Sherri Allen Lydon](https://www.fjc.gov/node/7470671) - [Wikidata: Sherri Lydon](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q51858469) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/sherri-a-lydon", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/sherri-a-lydon", "name": "Sherri Allen Lydon | KnowJudges", "description": "Sherri Allen Lydon, U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina. Source-linked judicial identity, courtroom procedures, and presentation guidance.", "dateModified": "2026-10-09", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/sherri-a-lydon#judge" } }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/sherri-a-lydon#judge", "name": "Sherri Allen Lydon", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/sherri-a-lydon", "jobTitle": "U.S. District Judge", "worksFor": { "@type": "GovernmentOrganization", "name": "U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina" }, "sameAs": [ "https://www.fjc.gov/node/7470671", "https://www.courtlistener.com/person/14464/cheryl-allen-lydon/" ], "birthDate": "1962-02-21", "birthPlace": "Myrtle Beach, SC", "alumniOf": [ { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "Clemson University" }, { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "University of South Carolina School of Law" }, { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "University of South Carolina-Columbia" } ] }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "KnowJudges", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "South Carolina", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/state/south-carolina" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Sherri Allen Lydon", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/sherri-a-lydon" } ] } ] } ``` ## Federal civil docket activity Dataset updated through 2026-06-30. | Period | Assigned cases | Terminated cases | Median disposition (months) | Median sample | | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: | | 1y | 410 | 4 | Not available | 4 | | 2y | 737 | 123 | 3 | 123 | | 5y | 1512 | 833 | 7.5 | 833 | | 10y | 2006 | 1327 | 8.2 | 1327 | Source: https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/ ## Published courtroom rules ### Shared court rules - [Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, December 1, 2025](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-651872d6e45e0d82319ecccc) — Civil actions in United States District Courts; Rule 81 exceptions apply. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-civil-procedure.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27. - [Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, December 1, 2025](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-8721a344fececced2257fe1d) — Criminal proceedings in United States District Courts; this conservative mapping does not distribute appellate-specific provisions to appellate judges. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-criminal-procedure.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27.