Aiken County Magistrate Court cases in Aiken County, Aiken, SC
Aiken County Magistrate Court in Aiken, South Carolina, is a magistrate (summary) court within the South Carolina Unified Judicial System. It serves as the county's limited-jurisdiction trial court, handling civil/small-claims matters up to $7,500, including landlord-tenant evictions and claim-and-delivery actions; criminal misdemeanors punishable by no more than 30 days in jail or fines up to $500, along with county and municipal ordinance violations; and traffic offenses. Magistrates also conduct preliminary criminal proceedings, including issuing arrest and search warrants, setting bail, and holding preliminary hearings for cases that may be bound over to higher courts. Family law matters such as divorce, custody, and child support are not within Magistrate Court jurisdiction and are handled by the Family Court.
Aiken County Magistrate Court Contact and Location Information
| Court Type: | Magistrate Court |
| County: | Aiken |
| Street Address: | 1930 University Pkwy. |
| City: | Aiken |
| Zip Code: | 29801 |
| Phone: | 803-642-1744 |
| Fax: | 803-642-1749 |
| Hours: | Monday - Friday 9:00AM - 5:00PM |
| Website URL: | https://www.aikencountysc.gov/DspOfc?qOfcID=MAK |
| Forms & Filing: | https://www.sccourts.org/forms/searchType.cfm |
| Dockets / Schedule / Calendar: | https://publicindex.sccourts.org/Aiken/PublicIndex/PISearch.aspx |
| Languages: | Multiple |
| Email: | magistrates@aikencountysc.gov |
| Facebook: | https://www.facebook.com/pages/Aiken-County-Magistrates-Court/747583768681636 |
| Linkedin: | https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-harte-3b015663/ |
| About / Additional Info: | The Aiken County Summary Court Judges and their staff are dedicated to helping the citizens of Aiken County in Criminal and Civil Matters. In this department there are nine courts including Traffic Court, Transfer Court and Bond Court. Civil matters not exceeding $7,500 and select other cases are handled by the Magistrate Summary Courts of Aiken County. Those matters above $7,500 are generally handled by Common Pleas Circuit Court located in the Judicial Center on Park Avenue. |
Services and Case Types Handled in Aiken County Magistrate Court
Aiken County Magistrate Court serves the public by:
- Criminal/traffic: Processes minor criminal offenses, traffic citations, and county/municipal ordinance violations; issues arrest/search warrants; sets bail; conducts preliminary hearings.
- Civil: Handles small claims (up to $7,500), landlord-tenant matters (evictions/ejectments), claim and delivery (recovering property), and fraudulent/bad-check cases.
- Protective orders: Issues restraining orders for harassment or stalking; may impose no-contact conditions in criminal cases.
- Case filings and payments: Accepts civil complaints, eviction filings, counterclaims, and related motions; processes fines, fees, and bonds; schedules cases.
- Court hearings: Holds bond hearings, civil and criminal bench or jury trials, eviction hearings, motions, and default judgments.
- Jury services: Summonses and qualifies jurors, manages deferrals/excuses, and conducts six-person juries for summary court trials.
- Public services: Provides case information and copies, issues subpoenas/witness summonses, and coordinates interpreters and ADA accommodations.