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South Carolina Court Records

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Charleston County Circuit Court Case Search

Charleston County does not have a Superior Court. Instead, cases that would have been within the jurisdiction of this court are handled by both the Circuit Court and the Family Court. These courts’ records consist of a series of files, documents, and exhibits compiled from trials or proceedings heard by the Court’s judges. Maintained by the court clerk, these records contain important information such as:

  • The names of the parties, the attorneys, and the judges
  • Exhibits, pleadings, rulings on issues, execution, the reasoning of the presiding judge, and final judgment
  • Transcripts

The Court Clerk preserves these documents in various formats, and unless restricted by statute, members of the public are allowed to review or copy them. These records are essential for legal research and public access to court proceedings. 

What Kinds of Cases Have been Heard in Charleston Circuit Court?

The Circuit Court is the appropriate court to institute criminal proceedings, including felonies, misdemeanors, and minor infractions, as well as all civil cases not related to family or marital disputes. Civil cases include damages or monetary compensation claims, while probate includes wills, guardianship, conservatorship, title to land, and right protection disputes.

The Family Court adjudicates marital disputes, including divorce, legal separation, custody, visitation rights, support, termination of parental rights, adoption, division of marital property, alimony, and change of name. The Court also has original jurisdiction over trials of children younger than seventeen accused of violating state law.

Charleston County Circuit Court

The Circuit Court is a trial court with Constitutional authority to intervene in a wide variety of civil and criminal matters. To effectively manage its caseload, it is divided into two types of courts: the Court of General Sessions manages criminal matters, while the Court of Common Pleas handles civil disputes. The Court has limited appellate jurisdiction over municipal-level courts.

If a party in a case decided by the magistrate court, municipal court, or probate court believes that the court made a mistake or erroneously applied the law in a case, they can file for appeal with the Circuit Court clerk. The Court has the authority to modify, reverse, or uphold the judgment where appropriate. Both the Family Court and the Circuit Court share a court clerk who receives filings on behalf of the courts from the public and transmits them to the appropriate division. Both courts are constituted by judges elected to six-year terms by the General Assembly. 

The Courts are located at the addresses provided below:

Charleston County Circuit Court
Judicial Center
100 Broad Street, Suite 106, Charleston, SC 29401
Phone: 843-958-5000
Fax: 843-958-5020

Charleston County Family Court
Judicial Center
100 Broad Street, Suite 143, Charleston, SC 29401
Phone: 843-958-4400
Fax: 843-958-4434

Charleston County Case Lookup

Accessing both the Circuit and Family Court records is typically straightforward if the researcher knows where to look. Court records are made available free of charge by the clerk of court via the Charleston County Clerk of Court website. To look up these records:

  • Visit the website and click the Circuit Court Case Search option
  • Accept the terms 
  • In the search field, click on “All Courts. ” The drop-down button opens up the menu and allows users to switch to Circuit Court. 
  • Proceed to enter the case number and party name (last/business, first, and middle) in the appropriate sections of the search fields and indicate the division, action type, and subtype. 
  • Click on the search button to facilitate a database query.

For Family Court records, still on the homepage of the  clerk of court website:

  • Click on Family Court 
  • Click on Family Court Case Search 
  • Click on Search Court Records
  • Click on either Party Name, Case Number, File Date, or Bond Agent License Number based on the known details to perform a search. 
  • Fill out the search field with the required detail and click on “Search Cases”.

In-person

Alternatively, documents and exhibits filed with the court clerk can be accessed at the appropriate clerk of court office. Individuals who wish to review records or obtain copies can visit the court clerk or send a request via mail. Fees apply. 15 cents per page for copies and $1 for certification — cashier’s check and money order payable to Charleston County Clerk of Court are the accepted means of payment.

All records are available for public review and copying, except those sealed by court order or deemed sensitive by statute. Records concerning juveniles, adoption, and termination of parental rights are confidential and generally restricted to certain individuals.

Charleston Circuit Court Case Search by Name

When searching for court records, whether online, in person, or via mail, a researcher must provide the party name or case number relevant to the record. Court clerks and search engines rely on this information to narrow down searches to the specific case. Individuals searching via the Internet website are typically allowed to specify the record with other details, such as the case filing date and bond agent license number, where applicable. 

Charleston Circuit Court Docket Search.

The Charleston Circuit Court and Family Court dockets are lists of cases scheduled for hearing by these courts. They are useful resources for monitoring a case’s status, providing information on when specific cases were last heard and the next scheduled date for hearing, and primary indicators of whether a case is still active or has ended. Court dockets also provide a detailed description of each case scheduled for hearing, including pleadings filed, motions raised, rulings on issues, execution, and judgment.

The dockets for both the Circuit Court and the Family Court are accessible online via the Clerk of Court website. To access the docket:

  • Visit the website
  • Based on the court docket, click on either Family Court or the Circuit Court. 
  • Click on Family Court Docket for the Family Court or Circuit Court Roster for the Circuit Court. 

Lookup Charleston County Circuit Court Online

Charleston County Circuit Court and Family Court records are available for public inspection via the County Clerk of Court website. Individuals seeking direct access to these records can make use of this website at no charge. Alternatively, third-party sites such as Southcarolinacourtrecords.us may provide direct access to these records. These websites are typically easy to use compared to the official resources. However, information available on these sites is often displayed as obtained. Consequently, these sites do not guarantee that the details provided are accurate and reliable. Users are encouraged to exercise due diligence in verifying the accuracy and authenticity of the record by comparing them with notices that they might have or official resources. 

Supreme Court vs. Circuit Court

The Circuit Court and the South Carolina Supreme Court operate within clearly defined boundaries, critical to South Carolina’s Judicial System. The Circuit Court is typically a trial court where civil or criminal matters are filed for a first-time hearing. While the court has the authority to adjudicate these disputes, its decisions are not final. This is because a dissatisfied party can approach the Court of Appeals for a review of the Circuit Court’s judgment.

Unlike the Circuit Court, the Supreme Court’s judgment is conclusive and final on any legal disputes. The Court is the highest court and final court of appeal in South Carolina. In its appellate capacity, it has original jurisdiction over appeals from the Circuit Court and can intervene in death sentences, constitutional challenges to a statute or local ordinance, and orders of the Family Court relating to abortion by a minor.

The Court also exercises appellate jurisdiction over appeals from the Court of Appeals and typically makes rules for the State’s Judicial System. Generally, only the US Supreme Court can modify or reverse this Court's decision. Even this is limited to cases bordering on the Constitution of the United States.

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