Darlington County Court Records

Darlington County court records are documents generated during judicial proceedings, such as civil, criminal, and probate cases. They contain information like case parties' names, hearing dates, testimony, evidence, and case rulings. Court records provide valuable information for different purposes. For example, landlords, employers, and members of the public can use court records to run a background check on a person. Attorneys can also use court records to understand legal precedents, study judicial decisions, and prepare for future cases.

Are Court Records Public in Darlington County?

Yes. The South Carolina Freedom of Information Act gives a person the right to inspect, copy, or receive an electronic transmission of any record of a court. The court can only restrict a record from public disclosure if it is legally exempted. For example, the following Darlington County court records are not available to members of the public:

• Mental records
• Adoption records
• Juvenile court proceedings
• Court records whose disclosure would:
  • Disclose a confidential source's identity
  • Interfere with a prospective judicial proceeding
  • Constitute an unreasonable invasion of a person's privacy
  • Deprive an individual of the right to an impartial adjudication or fair trial
• Any material like correspondence or work products of legal counsel whose release violates attorney-client relationships.

Darlington County Court Records Search

A Darlington County court records search can be performed online or in person at the courthouse. Online requests can be made via the Case Search portal, while in-person requests should be made from Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. A name or case number is required for any of the search options.

Darlington County Courts

Darlington County has a five- (5) trial court system consisting of a Circuit Court, Family Court, Probate Court, Magistrate Court, and Municipal Court. Below are the addresses of these courts:

Darlington County Courthouse
110 N. Main St.
Darlington, SC 29532
Office: (843) 398-4330
Fax: (843) 393-6871
Email: clerk@darcosc.net

Darlington County Probate Court
1 Public Square, 2nd Floor, Room 208
Darlington, South Carolina 29532
Phone: (843) 398-4310 or (843) 398-4311
Fax: (843) 398-4076

Darlington County Magistrate Courts

Darlington County
115 Camp Road
Darlington, SC 29532
Phone: (843) 398-4340
Fax: (843) 398-4458

Hartsville
404 South 4th Street
Hartsville, SC 29550
Phone: (843) 332-9661
Fax: (843) 332-7212

Darlington County Municipal Courts

Darlington Municipal Court
Darlington City Hall
400 Pearl Street
Darlington, SC 29532
Phone: (843) 398-4004

Hartsville Municipal Court
404 S Fourth St,
Hartsville, SC 29550
Phone: (843) 383-3008
Fax: (843) 383-3040
Email: court.admin@hartsvillesc.gov

Lamar Municipal Court
Lamar Town Hall
117 W. Main Street
Lamar, SC 29069

Darlington County Criminal Records

The Sheriff's Office does not disseminate Darlington County criminal records online. However, residents can visit the office during business hours to submit in-person requests. Call the office at (843) 398-4501 prior to such visits to inquire about the documentation required for the search. The office is located at:

Darlington County Sheriff's Office
1621 Harry Byrd Highway
P.O. Box 783
Darlington, SC 29532
Fax: (843) 398-4502

Requesters seeking Darlington County arrest records do not need to visit the Sheriff's Office. The Detention Center has an Inmate Search tool providing access to such records. Users can either click on the "View all Inmates" link or enter a name in the search field to locate the desired record.

Get Darlington County Civil Court Records

The Clerk of Court has a Common Pleas/Civil Court Division that maintains all civil records in Darlington County. Individuals can view these records by using the Darlington County Case Records Search tool on the South Carolina Court website. Alternatively, they can visit the Clerk's office from Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., to request copies of civil court records. The record staff will process the request when a name or case number and a valid I.D. are provided.

Darlington County Marriage Records

The Probate Court is the custodian of all Darlington County marriage records. The court accepts requests by mail or in person during business hours. Copies of these records cost $5 per copy, payable by cash or money order. The Clerk will require the couples' names and the marriage year to process the request.

Certified copies of Darlington County marriage certificates can be obtained online, by phone, by mail, or in person at the South Carolina Department of Public Health's (DPH) Vital Records. These copies are only issued to any of the married party, their adult children and legal representative, and their present or former spouse.

The standard fee for a marriage certificate is $12, expedited copies cost $17 each, and each additional copy costs $3. The office has records of marriages from July 1950 to December 2023. The DPH partners with a third-party vendor to provide marriage records online and over the phone. These orders attract an additional processing fee of $12.85. Mail requests are only processed when a Vital Records Marriage/Divorce Application form, a valid I.D., and accurate fees are received. They typically take four (4) weeks to process. The same conditions must also be met for in-person requests. However, the processing time only takes 30 to 45 minutes.

Darlington County Divorce Records

Individuals can obtain divorce records from the Darlington County Clerk of Court or the South Carolina Department of Public Health's (DPH) Vital Records. The Clerk's Family Court/Support Division provides divorce records in person to applicants. Before the record is issued, the customer will be asked to fill out an application form and pay the necessary fees. It is advisable to visit the Clerk's office with a valid ID.

The South Carolina Department of Public Health's (DPH) Vital Records provides access to divorce records online, by phone, mail, and in person. Online and phone orders are processed through an approved third-party vendor. Mail and in-person customers must submit a completed Vital Records Marriage/Divorce Application form, a valid I.D., and a standard fee of $12 or $17 for expedited services.

Darlington Birth and Death Records

In Darlington County, certified copies of death certificates are only issued to the decedent's immediate family members (parent, sibling, child, spouse, grandparent, and grandchild) or their legal representatives. Members of the public can only be provided with a statement that the death occurred. The statement will include just the date and county of death. The following individuals are eligible to receive certified copies of Darlington County birth records:

• The record holder if they are 18 years old or older
• The record holder's parent
• The legal guardian(s) of a minor or adult
• A legal representative of any of the above-mentioned person

If the registrant is deceased, immediate family members and/or their legal representatives are eligible to obtain certified copies of Darlington County birth certificates. The original certified copy of the registrant's death record will be required to process the request.

The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) is the custodian of all Darlington County vital records. They issue birth and death certificates through the following methods:

• Online: The DPH partners with online vendors to issue birth or death certificates to eligible individuals. The vendors only attend to birth certificate orders submitted by the record holder and death certificate orders made by the decedent's immediate family members. The requesters must pay the necessary fees to get their orders. The vendors charge a $17 non-refundable expedited searching fee, $3 for each additional copy, and a $8.75 additional processing fee. These fees can be paid using a major credit/debit card. Online orders take about 5 to 7 business days to process.
• Phone: One of the approved third-party vendors provides birth and death certificates over the phone to requesters—call (877) 284-1008 to speak to a representative anytime. The fee is similar to that of online orders, but the processing fee is $12.85.
• In-person: The DPH Vital Records tries to provide same-day service to individuals who come to the office with a completed Vital Records Birth or Death Application Form, a valid I.D., and the necessary fees. In-person requests should be made Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Customers should arrive before 4:00 p.m. to ensure enough time to process the request. The waiting time is between 30 and 45 minutes, but customers can reduce their wait time by bringing exact payment in check, cash, or money order. In-person orders can be made at:

DPH State Vital Records Office
2600 Bull St.
Columbia, SC 29201
Phone: (803) 898-3630

• By mail: Send a completed Vital Records Birth or Death Application Form, a valid I.D., and a $12 searching fee ($3 for each additional copy) to the office. Mail orders take four (4) weeks to process. The mailing address is:

Vital Records Section
P.O. Box 2046
West Columbia, SC 29171

Darlington County Probate Court Records

The Darlington County Probate Court handles various cases, including a deceased's estates, marriage licenses, guardianships and conservatorships for minors and incapacitated adults, and involuntary commitments for individuals with alcohol, drug, and mental problems. Requesters can visit the courthouse from Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., to copy probate court records. The record staff will determine the cost of the record based on the number of copies. The requester will receive the desired record after making the necessary payments.

Darlington County Property Records

The Darlington County Assessor's Department, Treasurer, and Clerk of Court's Register of Deeds Office are responsible for maintaining property records. These records include deeds, plats, financing statements, property taxes, mortgages, liens, and powers of attorney. Darlington County public records typically include property records. As a result, these custodians allow individuals to obtain copies of property records at their offices during regular business hours. They will only issue copies after the necessary fee has been paid. The record custodians also have online portals where they provide access to property records for free:

• Go to the "PropertyCheck" link on the Clerk of Court's website to find property records. Click the quick name, advanced name, property, book/page, file number, date range, map number, online index books, or certified dates tab to conduct a search.
• Click the "Tax Search, View & Pay" link on the Treasurer's website to locate the real estate tax search tool. The search criteria are notice number, owner name, map number, tax I.D., or property address.
• Click either the "Darlington County Assessor Data or Online County Maps" links on the Assessor's Department website to access property information and maps for free. Users can search by owner name, GIS address point, location address, or parcel number.

Darlington County Court Records Online

Most Darlington County residents find conducting court records searches on third-party sites like southcarolinacourtrecords.us convenient. These sites have user-friendly interfaces and consolidate records from multiple jurisdictions. While many of these sites claim to offer free searches, full access to records often comes with small costs or subscriptions. Users should not fully bank on information retrieved from third-party sites because it can be outdated, incomplete, or even fabricated.