Richland County, South Carolina State Court Records
Richland County court records are documents in paper or electronic form that record the details of case filings, hearings, and outcomes in the local court system.
Broadly speaking, the information in these records consists of claims made by the plaintiff or prosecution, responses by the defendant, evidence tendered by both sides to support their positions, and the judge or jury's opinion. Evidence may be derived from arrest reports, vital records, or property records from another government agency.
The public may review or copy Richland County court records through the Clerk of Court or the specific magistrate or municipal court clerk.
Are Richland County Court Records Public?
Yes. The South Carolina general court access framework, including S.C. Ct. R. 10, establishes the public's right to access and reproduce open criminal, civil, family, and probate court files under normal conditions. Access can be granted digitally through court-managed electronic systems or in person at the relevant court clerk's office.
This right is by no means absolute, because certain court matters involve private affairs or information that must necessarily be protected from the public space. These include
- Personal data (S.C. R. Civ. P. 41.2)
- Juvenile records (S.C. Code § 63-19-2020)
- Adoption records (S.C. Code § 44-63-140)
- Mental health records (S.C. Code § 44-22-100)
What Information is Available in Richland County Court Records?
Information available in Richland County court records includes the following:
- Case and Docket Information: Case number, filing dates, case type, case summary
- Parties and Presiding Officials: Names of plaintiffs, defendants, petitioners, respondents, attorneys, and judges
- Filings: Complaints, petitions, motions, answers, affidavits
- Court Actions: Hearing dates, proceedings, rulings, judicial orders
- Case Outcomes: Verdicts, sentences, judgments, settlements, final orders
Richland County Court Records Search
In Richland County, record seekers may inspect or obtain a criminal, civil, small claims, probate, or family court record electronically, by mail, or physically through the appropriate custodian. Knowing which court handles what type of record will make the search process more seamless.
Circuit Court Records
The Circuit Court is the primary trial court in Richland County. Its Court of Common Pleas division handles major civil cases, while the General Sessions court hears felony and serious misdemeanor criminal cases. The Clerk of the Circuit Court is the record custodian.
- Online Access: The Richland County section of the statewide Public Case Index offers access to circuit court case information. The portal is searchable by name, case number, or case type. It provides party, case, and disposition details, filing dates, and case status.
- In-Person & Mail Requests: Inquirers may visit the clerk's office at 1701 Main Street, Columbia, SC 29201. Visitors may request criminal or civil records at Room 205. Mail must include a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) and be sent to P.O. Box 2766.
Family Court Records
In Richland County, the Clerk of Court maintains and distributes records from the Family Court. This court has exclusive jurisdiction over family and domestic matters, including divorce, child support, and adoption.
- Online Access: The statewide Family Court Case Management System (FCCMS)provides access to publicly available case information and Register of Actions (ROA) in domestic relations cases. Users can select Richland County as the location to confine results to cases heard at the local family court.
- In-Person & Mail Requests: The Clerk of Court is at 1701 Main Street, Columbia, SC 29201. Mail requests must state the exact documents needed and include a SASE.
Probate, Magistrate, & Municipal Court Records
Records generated by the Probate Court and Magistrate Courts are handled by their respective court clerks. While the Probate Court presides over matters of estate administration, each magistrate court handles civil cases below $7,500 in value or criminal cases punishable by at most 30 days in jail or $500 in fines.
Finally, the City of Columbia Municipal Court maintains its own clerk's office responsible for court records involving municipal ordinance violations, traffic offenses, and misdemeanor cases within the court's jurisdiction.
- Probate Court Records: The Richland County Estate Inquiry portal provides access to public estate records filed since 1983. Older records and physical copies may be accessed at the probate clerk's office at the main courthouse.
- Magistrate Court Records: Users can select a specific magistrate court and search for its records on the Public Search Index. Physical records are maintained at each individual magistrate district.
- Municipal Court: Official Columbia Municipal Court case information is freely searchable online.Requests are accepted in person or by mail at 811 Street, P.O. Box 644, Columbia, SC 29201.
Fees for Court Records in Richland County
Public court records are free to review in Richland County. However, each individual record custodian charges different fees for the search, copying, and certification services it offers.
The Circuit Court does not list a copy fee schedule online for criminal, civil, and family court records. However, record seekers should generally expect a charge of 10 to 50 cents for a plain copy, $10 to certify a document, and $10 to get a document authenticated or exemplified.
Probate Court Fees
- 50 cents per page for a plain copy
- $3 per manual record search
- $5 for a certified copy of a document
- $10 to certify an appeal record
- $20 for an exemplified or authenticated copy or recording of a document
Magistrate Courts and the City of Columbia Municipal Court may have their own copy fee schedules.
Richland County Courthouse Locations
The Circuit, Family, and Probate Courts in Richland County share the main judicial center, while Magistrate and Municipal Courts are dispersed throughout the various local regions. Here are their addresses and contact details:
Richland County Judicial Center
1701 Main Street
Columbia, SC 29201
Circuit Criminal Phone: (803) 576-1950
Circuit Civil Phone: (803) 576-1947
Family Phone: (803) 576-3320
Probate Phone: (803) 576-1961
Magistrate Courts
118-A McNulty Street
Blythewood, SC 29016
Phone: (803) 576-1580
3875 Lucius Road
Columbia, SC 29201
Phone: (803) 576-2510
2500 Decker Boulevard
Columbia, SC 29206
Phone: (803) 576-2560
1019 Beatty Road
Columbia, SC 29210
Phone: (803) 576-2540
501 Main Street
Eastover, SC 29044
Phone: (803) 576-2580
5425 Lower Richland Boulevard
Hopkins, SC 29061
Phone: (803) 576-2530
1403 Caroline Road
Columbia, SC 29209
Phone: (803) 576-2500
1601 Shop Road
Suite B
Columbia, SC 29201
Phone: (803) 576-2550
2500 Decker Boulevard
Columbia, SC 29206
Phone: (803) 576-2520
201 John Mark Dial Drive
Columbia, SC 29209
Phone: (803) 576-3281
Richland County Central Magistrate Court
2500 Decker Boulevard
Columbia, SC 29206
Phone: (803) 576-2300
Upper Township Magistrate Court
7615 A Wilson Boulevard
Columbia, SC 29203
Phone: (803) 576-2570
2712 Middleburg Drive
Suite 106
Columbia, SC 29204
Phone: (803) 576-2590
Municipal Courts
6605 Arcadia Woods Road
Columbia, SC 29206
Phone: (803) 782-2807
Blythewood Municipal Court
10509 Two Notch Road
Suite D
Columbia, SC 29045
Phone: (803) 788-8232
Columbia Municipal Court
811 Washington Street
Columbia, SC 29201
Phone: (803) 545-3041
Eastover Municipal Court
624 Main Street
Eastover, SC 29044
Phone: (803) 353-2281
5205 North Trenholm Road
Suite 115
Columbia, SC 29206
Phone: (803) 790-5947
7300 Woodrow Street
Irmo, SC 29063
Phone: (803) 881-8008, ext. 103
Criminal Records Access in Richland County
A criminal record discloses a person's encounters with the criminal justice system, including prior and current arrests, charges, and convictions. Richland County Sheriff's Department and local police departments maintain local arrest records. Additionally, the RCSO oversees jail booking and incarceration records for inmates in the county jail.
Statewide criminal history records are obtainable through Citizens Access to Criminal History (CATCH), a name-based service that costs $25 per search. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Department (SLED) maintains this system. It also offers a fingerprint check service, but this is not available to the public.
If a criminal case has passed through the courts, the relevant court clerk will maintain the case records. The Clerk of Court oversees records in felony and serious misdemeanor cases, while the magistrate court clerk manages records of misdemeanors and infractions with less serious penalties.
Richland County Probate Records
Richland County probate records are maintained by the local Probate Court. These records deal with estate administration in general, including for deceased persons, people yet to come of age, and adults who are unable to manage their own affairs. The Court also manages records of commitment orders and is the issuer and custodian of marriage licenses.
According to S.C. Code § 14-23-1120, the non-restricted parts of wills, marriage licenses, estate inventories, final accountings, guardianship and conservatorship dockets, and other general probate records are public, provided they are not sealed by a court order. Conversely, involuntary commitment data (S.C. Code § 44-22-100(A)) and medical records (S.C. Code § 30-4-20(c)) are accessible only to the people involved and their representatives.
The Richland County Estate Inquiry portal provides case number, decedent's name, date of death, and basic details of the personal representative for free. Viewing estate documents requires a paid subscription. A marriage license name search is also available. People who require a copy must pay $8 and provide their address to receive a certified copy by mail.
Richland County Family Court Records
The Family Court presides over divorce, separate maintenance, adoption, child custody/support, paternity, and other domestic relations matters in Richland County. The Clerk of Court maintains records generated from these cases.
Individuals can search the FCCMS portal by name or case number to find party details, filing history, and case dockets. However, information in confidential cases like adoption and juvenile dependency does not appear in the database. Certified or plain copies must be obtained in person at the clerk's office.
Federal Court Records in Richland County
Federal cases that involve residents of Richland County are typically heard in the Columbia Division of the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina. This is where locals and prosecutors go to file cases involving
- Civil claims above $75,000
- IP disputes
- Employment discrimination
- Drug trafficking
- Cybercrimes, etc.
People can access federal court case dockets online by creating a user account on Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER). One can obtain certified copies by visiting the clerk's office at
Matthew J. Perry, Jr. Courthouse
901 Richland Street
Columbia, SC 29201
Phone: (803) 765-5816
Fax: (803) 765-5960
Prepaid clerk's copy fees are 50 cents for a standard page and $12 for a certified document. The courthouse also has a public access terminal where people can research case information by party name, filing date, or case number. Self-printing from the terminal costs 10 cents a page.
