James Anders was born on December 13, 1941 in Greenville, South Carolina to James and Louise Williams Anders. He earned a B.S. in 1964 and J.D. in 1967 from the University of South Carolina. His public service career included one year with the United States Army, as well as serving as Commissioned Officer in the United States Naval JAG Corps Reserves for ten years. In 2003, he was awarded the Order of the Palmetto in recognition of his outstanding civic service to the State of South Carolina.
Mr. Anders served as Assistant Attorney General for the State of South Carolina from 1967 to 1970. In 1970, he entered private practice in Columbia. In 1974, he was elected Solicitor for the Fifth Judicial Circuit, and served in that capacity continuously until 1991. In 1991 he re-entered private practice in Columbia, specializing in civil and criminal courts until his passing in 2004.
His professional memberships included the South Carolina Bar, United States Supreme Court, United States Tax Court, United States Claims Court, United States Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, United States Military Appeals Court, South Carolina Trial Lawyers Association (Board Member), Association of Trial Lawyers of America, and National District Attorneys Association. He was also a member of the Kappa Alpha fraternity, and a mason and member of the Masonic Lodge #328.
He is survived by his mother, Louise Williams Anders; his daughters, Barbara Anders Fulda and Amy Anders Land; his sons Jason Scott Anders and Adam Christopher Anders; his grandchildren, Anders Grace Fulda, James Ceth Land, Caroline Elizabeth Land, William Anders Land, Addison Raye Anders and James Thomas Anders; and his brothers, Michael Joe Anders and Donnie James Anders.