Charleston County
Charleston County was created in 1800 and named after Charles II, former King of England. It covers 918 square miles, making it the seventh-largest county in South Carolina by land area. The county also has the third highest population in South Carolina, with over 400,000 residents. Its county seat and largest community is Charleston.
Charleston County has five trial courts, including Circuit, Family, Probate, Municipal, and Magistrate courts. The Circuit Court in Charleston County is part of South Carolina's Ninth Judicial Circuit. It has exclusive jurisdiction over felony trials, civil actions exceeding $75,000, and foreclosure cases. The Family Court handles cases related to divorce, name change, domestic abuse, adoption, and alimony. The Probate Court in Charleston County is in charge of addressing disputed wills and appointment of estate administrators. Meanwhile, the Magistrate Court hears minor criminal cases with possible sentences not exceeding $500 fines or 30 days imprisonment. Magistrates in Charleston County also resolve landlord-tenant cases and small claims lawsuits where the financial dispute is $7,500 or less. The county also has several Municipal Courts tasked with hearing traffic offenses and ordinance violations.
The Charleston County Clerk of Court keeps official records for different legal proceedings in the county. These records typically contain court dockets, case numbers, involved parties' names, court rulings, and transcripts. Examples of Charleston County public court records include the following:
- Civil records
- Probate records
- Criminal court records
- Small claims records
- Family court records
Individuals interested in these court documents can contact or visit the Court Clerk at:
Charleston County Clerk of Court
100 Broad Street, Suite 106
Charleston, SC 29401-2210
Phone: (843) 958-5000
Email: clerkofcourt@charlestoncounty.org
Note that court documents showing juvenile, mental health, and adoption cases are available only to parties to such cases. Such eligible persons can visit the Court Clerk with their valid IDs to request confidential court records. Charleston County public court records are also accessible online through the Public Index Search. Another way to access court records remotely is via the state's Case Record Search.
