Oconee County Court Records

Oconee County court records are records of legal proceedings within the county created, compiled, and maintained by the local judiciary. The records can exist as electronic files, audio, video recordings, pictures, written or typed documents, and any other storage or transmission medium.

Common examples of court records in Oconee County include dispositions, exhibits, rulings, judgments, docket information, motions, opinions, and other court documents. Although these records are generated in Oconee County, they are generally considered part of South Carolina court records.

Are Court Records Public in Oconee County?

Oconee County court records are classified as public under the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act. This means that individuals, partnerships, firms, associations, and corporations can legally access and copy such court records.

While most court records are open to the public, the Freedom of Information Act establishes some situations where court records have restricted access or are fully exempted. Section 30–4-40 of the act lists the types of information exempted or restricted by law. Some examples are given below.

• Information that would deprive an individual of a free and fair trial or impartial adjudication
• Information of a very personal nature public disclosure of which would be a clear and unreasonable invasion of privacy
• Information that is specifically exempted by laws or statutes
• Information that would interfere with any prospective law enforcement proceedings
• Information, including correspondence and work documents that would violate attorney-client relationships
• Warrants such as arrest, bench, and search warrants before the warrant has been served

Records with restricted information can still be accessed under certain conditions. The record seekers may be able to obtain a court order for the release of the records. The record may also be released with all restricted sections removed or redacted.

Oconee County Court Records Search

Record seekers among the public have several options for doing an Oconee County court records search. The options listed below are some of the options available for court record searches with the county.

• Visit and request records from the Oconee County Courthouse, where the case was heard.
• Submit a court record request to the Oconee County Clerk of Court in person or by mail.
• Use any of the online options provided by the South Carolina Judiciary
• Try third-party court record websites

Oconee County Court Records Search by Name

To perform an Oconee County court records search by name, the record seeker must provide the record custodian with the party’s or company’s full name. For Oconee County, the clerk of courts is in charge of responding to court records requests.

Record seekers can request records by name from the courts within Oconee County’s jurisdiction. These are the circuit court, the family court, the probate court, and any of the magisterial courts. Requests can also be submitted to the Oconee County Clerk of Court in person or by mailing a written request to:

Oconee County Clerk of Court
205 West Main Street,
P.O. Box 678,
Walhalla, SC 29691
Phone: (864) 638-4280
Email: clerkofcourtinfo@oconeesc.com

The Clerk of Court office also has court record indexes on public access computers and research books available to the public for self-service. It should be noted that fees are charged for any copies of court records needed. It is recommended that record seekers call or email ahead of their request for details of request procedures and copy fees.

The South Carolina Judiciary also has several online databases, such as the online public index and the family court case management system. Users can register and use these databases to perform Oconee County court record searches using a subject's name.

Oconee County Courts

Oconee County's court system consists of the circuit court, family court, and probate court, plus various magistrate courts and municipal courts. The physical locations of all the courthouses in Oconee County are listed below.

Oconee County Circuit Court
205 West Main Street, P.O. Box 678,
Walhalla, SC 29691
Phone: (864) 638-4280
Fax: (864) 638-4282

Oconee County Family Court
205 West Main Street,
P.O. Box 678,
Walhalla, SC 29691
Phone: (864) 638-4280
Fax: (864) 638-4282

Oconee County Probate Court
Oconee County Administrative Offices
415 South Pine Street, P.O. Box 471,
Walhalla, SC 29691
Phone: (864) 638-4275
Fax: (864) 638-4278

Magistrates Courts in Oconee County.
Oconee County Magistrate Court - Seneca
207 A-East North 1st Street,
Seneca, SC 29678
Phone: (864) 888-1460
Fax: (864) 888-1462

Oconee County Magistrate Court - Walhalla
208 Booker Drive,
Walhalla, SC 29691
Phone: (864) 638-4125
Fax: (864) 638-4229

Oconee County Magistrate Court - Westminster
106 East Windsor Street,
Westminster, SC 29693
Phone: (864) 647-5998
Fax: (864) 647-4844

Municipal Courts in Oconee County
Salem Municipal Court
Town Hall
5A Park Avenue,
Salem, SC 29676
Phone: (864) 944-2870

Seneca Municipal Court
225 East North 1st Street,
Seneca, SC 29679
Phone: (864) 885-2731
Fax: (864) 885-2708

Walhalla Municipal Court
101 East Main Street,
Walhalla, SC 29691
Phone: (864) 638-4341
Fax: (864) 638-4357

West Union Municipal Court
Oconee Law Enforcement Center
208 Booker Drive,
Walhalla, SC 29691
Phone: (864) 638-4125
Fax: (864) 638-4229

Westminster Municipal Court
100 East Windsor Street,
P.O. Box 399,
Westminster, SC 29693
Phone: (864) 647-3212

Oconee County District Court Records

In Oconee County, the circuit court is the district court equivalent with jurisdiction over most trial court cases. The circuit court is responsible for hearing most civil and criminal cases. Cases from the family, probate, and magisterial courts can also be transferred to the circuit court.

Oconee County Criminal Records

Criminal record background checks for Oconee County are available from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED). Local criminal record checks for the county alone can also be obtained from the Oconee County Sheriff.

If you require an Oconee County Arrest record or criminal record background check locally, the sheriff's office will provide one for just Oconee County. Record seekers can direct their requests to the Sheriff’s Office Department of Public Information Office. The requests can be made in person or by mailing the office a written request. For further information, call the public information office at (864) 638-4199 or email the public information officer at jwatt@oconeelaw.com.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division provides a more comprehensive criminal record check covering Oconee County and the rest of the state. Criminal record requests can be directed to the SLED by mail by completing and submitting a Criminal Records Check Form to:

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

Record requests should contain the completed form, correct payment and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Payment is accepted in business checks, certified checks, or money orders only.

There is also the option to request criminal records online via SLED CATCH. This is an online name-based search. For more accurate results, a mailed request that includes fingerprints is recommended. The system requires an exact match for the subject's last name, first name, and date of birth for the search. Payment during the online request is made using a credit or debit card. Criminal records obtained by mail or online via SLED cost a nonrefundable $25 search fee. All payments during online requests will incur a $1 convenience fee.

Oconee County Criminal Court Case Lookup

Oconee County criminal court case records can be looked up by contacting the courthouse where the case was heard, such as the Court of General Sessions of the Oconee County Circuit Court. Record seekers can also obtain copies of court documents for a fee from the Oconee County Clerk of Court.

Get Oconee County Civil Court Records

Oconee County civil court records can be obtained from the Court of Common Pleas of the Oconee County Circuit Court. These records include motions, depositions, rulings, claims, docket information, and general case details.

Record seekers can look up civil court records using the case indexes on the public research computers and research books at the Oconee County Clerk of Court. Records are also available for request in person or by mailing a written request to the court clerk. For more information about record request procedures, call or email.

Online searches are also available using the Case Record Search managed by the South Carolina Judicial Branch.

Oconee County Family Court Records

Oconee County Family Court records are records of the domestic relations cases heard by the family court in Oconee County. These domestic relations cases involve issues such as divorce, domestic abuse, child support, child custody, visitation, alimony, annulments, and paternity.

The Oconee County Family Court is part of the court system and is located at:

Oconee County Family Court
205 West Main Street,
P.O. Box 678,
Walhalla, SC 29691
Phone: (864) 638-4280
Fax: (864) 638-4282

Interested parties can obtain court records by coming to the office or mailing a written request. A fee will be charged for any required physical copies of records. Hence, it is recommended that record seekers call ahead for information about request procedures and copy fees. The office staff does not do any research, but public-access computers and research books are available for public research.

Family court records can also be looked up online using the South Carolina Judiciary's Family Court Case Management System. Researchers can search for family court cases by name, case type, case number, docket information, and filing date.

Oconee Dissolution of Marriage Records

Oconee County's dissolution of marriage records involves cases involving divorces, marital dissolutions, and annulments within the county jurisdiction. These court cases are heard at the Oconee County Family Court. The records can be accessed by contacting the family court or using the online database search provided by the South Carolina Judicial Branch.

Oconee County Marriage and Divorce Records

Oconee County marriage records can be obtained from the county probate court, while divorce records can be obtained from the Oconee County Family Court. On the state level, copies of marriage certificates and divorce reports can be ordered from the vital records office of the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control(SCDHEC).

Copies of Oconee County marriage certificates can be obtained by mailing a Request For Certified Copy of Marriage Certificate to the county probate court at:

Oconee County Probate Court
P.O. Box 471
Walhalla, SC 29691

Marriage records cost $5.75 per copy and requesters will be charged a $5 search fee if no record is found. Marriage certificates can also be found online on the South Carolina Probate Record Search website. It should be noted that the online records for marriage certificates begin from 1988.

Record seekers may request divorce records in person or by mail for Oconee County divorce records. Divorce record requests should be directed to the Clerk of Court at

Oconee County Family Court
205 West Main Street,
P.O. Box 678,
Walhalla, SC 29691
Phone: (864) 638-4280
Fax: (864) 638-4282

It is important to note that copy fees will apply, and interested parties are advised to call ahead and inquire about any procedures and fees for divorce records. Divorce records for Oconee can also be looked up online using the South Carolina Judicial Branch Family Court public access database.

Oconee County Birth and Death Records

Interested parties can request Oconee County birth and death records from the vital records office of the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC). The Vital Records office has records for births in South Carolina since 1915 and deaths from 1950. In South Carolina, the registrant(if 18 years old), their parents, and legal representatives are eligible to request birth records. The immediate family of the registrant can request a birth certificate if the registrant is dead, and they can provide a valid death certificate. On the other hand, death certificates can be obtained by the deceased immediate family or their legal representatives.

Oconee County birth and death records can be obtained from the SCDHEC vital records office in person, by mail, and by drop-off. The office also provides options for online and telephone requests. Requests can be made by submitting a completed Birth or Death application form to any Regional Vital Records Office during office hours. Mailed and drop-off requests are only accepted at the state office in Columbia. Request packages can be sent to or dropped off at the office located at:

SCDHEC Vital Records
2600 Bull Street
Columbia, SC 29201

During all requests, requesters must provide the form plus a valid government, employer, or school-issued photo ID and pay the necessary fees. In-person requests are usually completed within 45 minutes and cost a nonrefundable search fee of $17. Mailed requests take about four weeks, and copies ordered via mail cost $12 per copy. During drop-off requests, requesters may choose a standard 4-week return time for $12 or an expedited five working day return for $17. Any additional copies ordered at the same time will cost $3 each.

For any inquiries, record seekers may contact the state vital records office by calling (803) 898-3630. These vital records are important documents as they help establish a person’s identity, age, and nationality.

Oconee County Probate Court Records

Oconee County Probate Courts are in charge of the following services in the county.

• Handling estates of the deceased
• Contests of wills
• Determining the heirs and successors of deceased and protected persons
• Protection of minors
• Appointment of trustees
• Commitment of persons suffering from mental illnesses and substance addiction

Oconee County Probate court records are records of legal proceedings involving all of the above, and the court is responsible for answering requests from such records.

To access probate court records for Oconee County, interest parties must visit the probate court in person or send a written request to the court. Requests should all be made in person or mailed to the court at:

Oconee County Probate Court
Oconee County Administrative Offices
415 South Pine Street, P.O. Box 471,
Walhalla, SC 29691
Phone: (864) 638-4275
Fax: (864) 638-4278

Records can also be viewed online using the search page on the South Carolina Probate website. Users can look up probate court records by name, business, and other search criteria on this website.

Oconee County Property Records

Record seekers can obtain Oconee County property records from various government agencies in the county. These agencies include the Oconee County Assessor and the Oconee County Register of Deeds. These agencies are responsible for recording and maintaining property records such as deeds, mortgages, plats, liens, property valuation, and property tax information.

Oconee County property records can be requested from the Register of Deeds by submitting a written request to the office by mail to:

Oconee County Register of Deeds
415 S. Pine Street
Walhalla, SC 29691

Copies of records will be mailed after the office receives a written request containing record identifiers, payment for copies, and the requester’s contact information. The fee for copies is $5 for the first four pages and $0.50 for each additional page. Users can also sign up for a free account to access Oconee property records via the Register of Deeds online Records Search. Record seekers with questions can contact the office by calling (864) 638-4285 or emailing registerofdeedsinfo@oconeesc.com. Visitors to the Register of Deeds office in person can also use the public access computers to look up property records.

Property records maintained by the county assessor can be looked up online using the property records search. Information can be found using various criteria, including location, owner name, map, sales, and parcel number.

Oconee County Court Records Online

Interest parties have the option of accessing Oconee County court records online using government and third-party websites like Southcarolinacourtrecords.us. Third-party record websites are usually owned by private companies that gather and maintain records from multiple sources, including official government sources and court record databases.

Obtaining records through such third-party databases is convenient, as records from different jurisdictions can be obtained from a single source from the comfort of a home or office. Usually, all that is required is an internet-ready division, a good connection, and the ability to pay the website's subscription fees.

Users of such sites must also note that the information on the site may not be up-to-date or accurate. Hence, they are advised to check information with records from office government websites or Oconee courthouse databases.