Judge's $1.5m home burns to the ground weeks after court ruling against Donald Trump
Topics: South Carolina, Donald Trump, US News, Court
Ellie Kemp
Featured Image Credit: St Paul's Fire District
Topics: South Carolina, Donald Trump, US News, Court
A judge's $1.5 million Edisto Beach home was burned to the ground just weeks after ruling against Donald Trump's government.
St Paul's Fire District was called to South Carolina Judge Diane Goodstein's home on Saturday (October 4).
In a Facebook post, they said: "The first arriving crews worked flawlessly together to ensure the safety of the occupants which escaped via jumping from an elevated first floor.
"Due to the remoteness and layout of the lot, the occupants had to be rescued from the backyard via kayaks and brought to Colleton County EMS where they received medical aid."
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Three people were hospitalized, including her husband, Arnold 'Arnie' Goodstein, a former Democratic state senator.
Judge Goodstein was on the beach when the fire broke out, according to officials.
South Carolina Chief Justice John Kittredge told FITSNews that Arnie 'was in the house with children and perhaps grandchildren', adding: "The family had to escape by jumping from a window or balcony. I’m told there were injuries from the fall, such as broken legs."
The incident is currently being investigated, while Kittredge said the fire was the result of an 'apparent explosion'.
He added: "At this time, we do not know whether the fire was accidental or arson."
It comes weeks after Circuit Court Judge Goodstein ruled against Donald Trump's Department of Justice.
The DoJ demanded South Carolina officials hand over personal information belonging to more than 3.3 million registered voters.
The data included names, addresses, birthdates, driver’s license numbers and the last four digits of Social Security numbers.
The administration intended to compare this voter data with a Department of Homeland Security database that tracks noncitizens, in an effort to identify whether any registered voters might be ineligible, The New York Times reported.
NEW: Police have launched an investigation after SC Judge Diane Goodstein's Edisto Beach home burned to the ground after an 'apparent explosion.'
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) October 5, 2025
Goodstein's husband, former State Senator Arnold Goodstein, was rushed to the hospital along with other family members.
"Judge… pic.twitter.com/Yu87G3l7ne
However, South Carolina voter Anne Crook filed a lawsuit to stop the handover.
And on September 2, Goodstein issued a temporary restraining order, halting the transfer of voter information.
In her ruling, Goodstein wrote that releasing the data could cause 'immediate and irreparable damage' to Crook by violating her right to privacy, according to court documents obtained by WRDW.
A judge close to Goodstein reportedly told FITSNews that she’s 'had multiple death threats over the years'.
The South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is investigating the blaze.
"The investigation is active and ongoing. More information may be available as the investigation continues," agency public information director Renée Wunderlich told FITSNews.