Laurens County Court Records

Laurens County court records are judicial documents and other materials maintained by local courthouses that contain information about court cases. These include complaints, summons, pleadings, orders, dispositions, affidavits, and dockets. These records are preserved to facilitate reviews of different actions carried out during a case's legal proceedings, which makes juridical proceedings more transparent and fosters accountability.

Are Court Records Public in Laurens County?

Yes, court records are public in Laurens County, pursuant to South Carolina's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The law establishes the rights of the general public to access public records, including court records, maintained by public bodies. Hence, most court records are presumed to be part of Laurens County public records and are available to the public upon request.

However, individuals serving sentences of imprisonment are not granted the rights provided by the FOIA. That said, sealed and statutorily exempt court records are generally inaccessible to the general public. Some examples of other types of records that are protected from public disclosure include:

• Juvenile cases court record
• Some family court record
• Adoption records
• Medical records
• Grand jury materials
• Arrest and search warrant affidavit prior to the warrant being executed.

Laurens County Court Records Search

Record seekers can search for Lauren County court records through any of the following:

• Laurens County Clerk of Court office
• The clerk's office of local courthouses
• Third-party online resources

Laurens County Courts

Laurens County's court system is comprised of five (5) types of courts: a Circuit Court, a Family Court, a Probate Court, two (2) Magistrate Courts, and four (4) Municipal Courts. The addresses and contact information of these courts are provided below:

Laurens County Circuit Court
100 Hillcrest Square,
Suite B,
P.O. Box 287,
Laurens, SC 29360
Phone: (864) 984-3538
Fax: (864) 984-7023

Laurens County Family Court
100 Hillcrest Square,
Suite B,
P.O. Box 287,
Laurens, SC 29360
Phone: 984-353-8
Fax: (864) 984-7023

Laurens County Probate Court
100 Hillcrest Square, Suite A,
P.O. Box 194,
Laurens, SC 29360
Phone: (864) 984-7315
Fax: (864) 984-3779

Laurens County Magistrates Courts
Laurens County Magistrate Court (Gray Court)
Gray Court Town Hall
329 Main Street,
P.O. Box 438,
Gray Court, SC 29645
Phone: (864) 876-4390

Laurens County Magistrate Court (Laurens)
100 Hillcrest Square,
Laurens, SC 29360
Phone: (864) 681-5689
Fax: (864) 681-0591

Laurens County Municipal Courts
Clinton Municipal Court
211 N. Broad St.
Clinton, SC 29325
Phone: (864) 200-4518

Cross Hill Municipal Court
439 North Main Street,
P.O. Box 337,
Cross Hill, SC 29332
Phone: (864) 998-4453
Fax: (864) 998-4453

Gray Court Municipal Court
329 W Main Street,
P.O. Box 438,
Gray Court, SC 29645
Phone: (864) 876-3486

Laurens Municipal Court
250 West Laurens Street,
Laurens, SC 29360
Phone: (864) 984-3532

Laurens County Criminal Records

Laurens County criminal records document an individual's contacts with the county criminal justice system, including arrests, convictions, and incarcerations. Most criminal records are subject to South Carolina's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). As a result, they are available to the general public upon request.

Criminal records like Laurens County arrest records are generally available through local law enforcement agencies. These agencies generate, maintain, and preserve arrest records, making them readily available to the public. Hence, individuals looking for Laurens County criminal records, specifically arrest records, can direct their queries to local law enforcement agencies in the county.

For instance, record seekers can obtain criminal records from the Laurens County Sheriff's Office by contacting the agency's Support Services Division, which manages the Sheriff's Office records. Record seekers request criminal records by visiting the Sheriff's Office in person or by contacting the Sheriff's FOIA helplines at:

Laurens County Sheriff's Office

216 West Main Street
Laurens, SC 29360
Phone: (864) 984-4967
FOIA helplines
Email: CSnow@lcsosc.com
Phone: (864) 681-4509

It is worth noting that the Laurens County Sheriff's Office also provides an online portal individuals can use to find information about inmates in their custody.

Meanwhile, the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) maintains criminal records at the state level. However, criminal records available through SLED are limited to arrest and conviction records generated by state and local agencies in South Carolina, including Laurens County.

SLED provides two ways of conducting criminal records checks: online or by mail. Note that SLED charges a $25.00 fee for a criminal records check and an additional $1 convenience fee for an online check. Interested persons can use SLED's Citizens Access to Criminal Histories (CATCH) portal to conduct criminal records online. For mail-in requests, requesters can use the Criminal Records Check Form. The form should be appropriately completed and mailed along with proper payment (via business check, certified check, cashier's check, or money order) and a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) to;

SLED Records Department,
P.O. Box 21398
Columbia SC 29221-1398

Get Laurens County Civil Court Records

Laurens County civil court records are judicial documents that provide information about non-criminal cases handled by the county court system. In Laurens County, the Circuit Court and Magistrate Courts have civil jurisdiction. The Laurens County Circuit Court has general jurisdiction over civil cases, while the County Magistrate Courts can exercise civil jurisdiction if the amount in controversy is below $7,500. Hence, record seekers can direct queries for Laurens County civil court records to the County Circuit Court or Magistrate Courts, depending on which presided over the applicable civil case.

For instance, interested persons can get court records of civil cases handled by the Laurens County Circuit Court through the Laurens County Clerk of Court office. This office is the repository for all of the County Circuit Court records, including civil court records. These records, except those that are statutorily exempt or sealed, are available for in-person reviews at the County Clerk of Court office. Furthermore, the clerk can also furnish record seekers with copies of civil court records for a $.50 fee per page.

Laurens County Marriage Records

Laurens County marriage records are legal documents that provide information about matrimonial unions recorded in the county. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) and the County Probate Court maintain Laurens County marriage records. Laurens County marriage certificates recorded between July 1950 and December 2023 are available through the DHEC. Meanwhile, the County Probate Court preserves records of all marriage licenses issued in Laurens County.

Note that marriage records are considered to be private records in South Carolina. As a result, certified copies of a marriage record are only available to individuals who are entitled to the record. These include:

• The bride or groom (married party) named on the records
• The married party's adult children(ren)
• The married party's current or former spouse
• An authorized legal representative of the married party

Conversely, ineligible persons are typically only provided a statement that the marriage occurred when they request Laurens County marriage records.

Eligible persons can request a certified copy of a marriage license from Laurens County Probate Court for a $5.00 fee. To make a request, eligible persons can visit or contact the County Probate Court. Requesters may be required to present a valid I.D. for proper identification when making their request.

On the other hand, the DHEC offers different ways for interested persons to request copies of Laurens County marriage certificates the agency maintains. The DHEC accepts requests submitted in person, by mail, or via drop-off and provides a dedicated marriage/divorce application form for facilitating requests. Furthermore, requesters must present a valid I.D. for proper identification when requesting marriage certificates from the DHEC. A list of acceptable forms of I.D. is outlined at the bottom of the application form. Note that DHEC charges a $12 standard search fee, A $17 expedited search fee, and $3 for each additional copy for marriage certificate requests.

For in-person requests, prospective requesters can visit the DHEC State Vital Records Office in Columbia during office hours (8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.). Requesters should come along with all required items, including a completed application, a valid I.D., and applicable fees. The average processing time for in-person requests is 30-45 minutes. The DHEC State Vital Records Office is located at:

2600 Bull St.,
Columbia, SC 29201
Phone: (803) 898-3630

Similarly, requesters can visit the DHEC State Vital Records Office for drop-off requests and submit their completed application and other required items. Standard drop-off requests take four (4) weeks to process, but expedited drop-off requests take five (5) business days. For mail-in requests, send a completed application form, payment for required fees, and a photocopy of the requester's valid I.D. to:

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

Note that the average processing time for mail requests is 4 weeks.

Laurens County Divorce Records

Laurens County divorce records are legal documents that signify that a marriage has been dissolved and former spouses are now separated under law. Divorce records generally contain basic information about divorce proceedings, such as the parties' names, the divorce date and location, and other pertinent information. Like marriage records, divorce records are partly confidential. Certified copies of divorce records are only available to eligible persons, while the general public may be provided statements that confirm a divorce occurred. These eligible persons include:

• Any of the divorced parties
• The Divorced parties' adult child(ren)
• A current or former spouse of any of the divorced parties
• An authorized legal representative

In Laurens County, divorce decrees are preserved by the County Clerk of Court. Interested persons can obtain a divorce decree by contacting or visiting the County Clerk of Court's office to make a request for the desired record.

On the other hand, the DHEC maintains reports of divorces that decreased between July 1962 and December 2023 in South Carolina, including Laurens County. Interested persons can obtain these records by submitting an application for a "report of divorce" to the DHEC in person, by mail, or by drop-off. The DHEC provides a dedicated marriage/divorce application form requesters can use to facilitate their request. Regardless of the method of submission requesters opt to use, they must provide a valid I.D. and pay the required fees to request a "report of divorce" from the DHEC. These fees include $12 for a standard search, $17 for an expedited search, and $3 for an additional copy of the requested record.

Laurens County Birth and Death Records

The DHEC is the primary custodian for Laurens County's birth and death records. The DHEC preserves a variety of vital records, including birth, death, marriage, and divorce records. Hence, those seeking Laurens County vital records can begin their search at the DHEC.

Birth and death records are confidential under South Carolina law. As a result, only certain individuals are allowed to access these records. These include and are not limited to:

For birth records:

• The individual named on the certificate (provided they are at least 18 years old)
• The parent(s) named on the certificate
• The record subject's legal guardian.
• A legal representative of any of the aforementioned eligible persons

For death records:

• The decedent's immediate family members, such as;
  • Child(ren)
  • Grandchild(ren)
  • sibling
  • Parent
  • grandparent
  • Spouse (not divorce)
• A legal representative of any of the aforementioned eligible persons
• Individuals who can provide evidence that demonstrates they have a tangible interest in a personal or property that requires the death certificate to resolve.

Note that Laurens County birth certificates and death certificates become public after 100 years and 50 years, respectively. After that, uncertified copies of these records become available to the general public. There is the Vital Records Birth Application form and the Vital Records Death Application form. Furthermore, requests are subject to certain fees. These include $12 for a standard search, $17 for an expedited search, and $3 for an additional copy of the requested record. Furthermore, requesters must provide a valid I.D. for the DHEC to process their application.

Interested persons can complete the appropriate application form to request Laurens County birth records or death records. The completed application form and other required items, such as the requseter's I.D. and required fees, should be submitted in person, by mail, or via drop-off to the DHEC.

Laurens County Probate Court Records

The Laurens County Probate Court hears probate cases in Laurens County. Some examples of probate cases include administering a decedent's estate, appointing guardians and conservators for minors and incapacitated persons, and trust litigation. All requests for Laurens County Probate Court Records should be directed to the County Probate Court. Interested persons can contact or visit the Laurens County Probate Court to make requests.

Laurens County Property Records

Deeds, plats, mortgages, liens, and other documents that affect a real property title are collectively known as property records. These records provide pertinent information about a property's ownership and any encumbrances it may have. In Laurens County, property records, including all of the documents mentioned above, are recorded with and preserved by the Laurens County Clerk of Court. The County Clerk of Court serves as the Register of Deeds in Laurens County. Hence, interested persons can get property records by requesting the desired record from the County Clerk of Court. Record seekers can request by contacting or in person at the Laurens County Clerk of Court office.

Laurens County Court Records Online

However, interested persons can use third-party websites like southcarolinacourtrecords.us to access Laurens County court records online. This website features a user-friendly interface that records seekers can use to search for court records by party name or case number. Generally, it offers quick and convenient access to court records in the comfort of one's home. In turn, this eliminates the need to visit the local courthouse each time one needs court records. It is worth noting that court records provided by third-party websites may not reflect recent developments in the parent case.