A South Carolina judge’s $1.5 million Edisto Beach home was completely destroyed by fire just weeks after she ruled against Donald Trump’s administration.
St. Paul’s Fire District responded to the blaze at Judge Diane Goodstein’s residence on Saturday, October 4.
In a Facebook statement, the department said: “The first crews on the scene worked seamlessly to ensure the safety of the occupants, who managed to escape by jumping from the elevated first floor.”
“Because of the property’s remote location and layout, rescuers had to reach the occupants from the backyard using kayaks and transport them to Colleton County EMS for medical treatment.”
Three individuals were taken to the hospital, including Judge Goodstein’s husband, Arnold “Arnie” Goodstein, a former Democratic state senator.
Officials confirmed that Judge Goodstein was on the beach when the fire started.
South Carolina Chief Justice John Kittredge told FITSNews that Arnie “was in the house with children and possibly grandchildren,” adding, “The family had to escape by jumping from a window or balcony. I’m told some suffered injuries from the fall, including broken legs.”
The incident is currently under investigation, and Kittredge noted that the blaze appears to have been caused by an “apparent explosion.”
He added, “At this point, it’s unclear whether the fire was accidental or the result of arson.”
The incident occurred just weeks after Circuit Court Judge Goodstein issued a ruling against Donald Trump’s Department of Justice.
The Department of Justice had requested that South Carolina officials turn over personal information for more than 3.3 million registered voters.
The requested data included names, addresses, birth dates, driver’s license numbers, and the last four digits of Social Security numbers.
According to The New York Times, the Trump administration planned to compare this voter data with a Department of Homeland Security database tracking noncitizens, in an effort to identify potentially ineligible voters.
NEW: Police have launched an investigation after SC Judge Diane Goodstein’s Edisto Beach home burned to the ground after an ‘apparent explosion.’
Goodstein’s husband, former State Senator Arnold Goodstein, was rushed to the hospital along with other family members.
“Judge… pic.twitter.com/Yu87G3l7ne
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) October 5, 2025
However, South Carolina voter Anne Crook filed a lawsuit to block the handover.
On September 2, Judge Goodstein issued a temporary restraining order, pausing the transfer of voter data.
In her ruling, Goodstein stated that releasing the data could cause “immediate and irreparable harm” 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 has “received multiple death threats over the years.”
The South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is currently investigating the fire.
“The investigation remains active and ongoing, and additional details may be released as it progresses,” agency public information director Renée Wunderlich told FITSNews.
