Florence County
Created in 1888, Florence County lies between the Great Pee Dee and the Lynches River in northeastern South Carolina. Its territory was mainly formed from Darlington and Marion Counties, while Williamsburg and Clarendon Counties contributed smaller sections. Its county seat, Florence, shares the same name as the county. At least 137,214 people reside in Florence County.
Florence County has several trial courts comprising its court system, including a circuit court, a family court, a probate court, magistrate courts, and municipal courts. The Florence County Circuit Court has two major divisions and exercises general jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases. The first division, the Court of Common Pleas, oversees civil cases, while the second, the Court of General Sessions, handles criminal cases. Typical criminal cases include felonies and misdemeanors, while general civil claims exceeding $7,500 fall within its civil jurisdiction. It also has appellate jurisdiction over the lower courts in the county. The Family Court handles cases relating to domestic relations, juvenile matters, and certain mental health issues. Typical Family Court cases include legal separation, child support, marital property division, adoption, and divorce.
The Florence County Probate Court has exclusive authority to hear cases relating to probate of wills, estates administrations, guardianships, conservatorships, involuntary commitments, trusts, and issue marriage licenses. Seven Magistrate Courts in Florence County have jurisdiction over misdemeanors and other offenses punishable by fines not exceeding $500, a 30-day jail term, or both. Magistrates also oversee initial hearings, set bails, issue search and arrest warrants, and handle civil claims for amounts up to $7,500. Florence County's eight Municipal Courts handle all cases relating to ordinance violations within the municipalities. These courts lack civil jurisdiction, although they share criminal jurisdiction with the Magistrate Courts over fine-based offenses up to $500, 30-day jail sentences, or both.
Florence County court records are various legal records documenting the court proceedings of case trials. Minutes of proceedings, writs, notices, calendars, and transcripts are typical contents of county court records. Florence County court records, which can be maintained in both electronic and paper formats, generally include:
- Probate records
- Juvenile records
- Criminal records
- Civil records
The Florence County Clerk of the Court maintains the court records repository for circuit and family court records. Per State Law, Florence County court records are generally open records. Barring exempt records, you can access them online on the state-provided case search portal. The Clerks of the Magistrate Court and Probate Court also maintain their respective records and make them publicly accessible upon request. Furthermore, you can visit the Circuit Courthouse or the clerk of the specific courthouse where your trial was held to inspect/obtain copies of court records in person for a fee.
