Anderson County Court Records Search

Anderson County is situated in the northwestern Upstate region of South Carolina, with the city of Anderson serving as the county seat. The county’s judicial operations fall under the Tenth Judicial Circuit of the South Carolina Unified Court System, which also encompasses Oconee County. Court records produced in Anderson County—spanning criminal indictments, civil complaints, family court petitions, probate filings, and magistrate-level actions—are maintained by several distinct offices depending on the case type and court level. The Clerk of Court, the Probate Court, and the Family Court each hold records within their respective jurisdictions, while certain administrative records are kept by county departments such as the Register of Deeds.

Individuals looking for court records in South Carolina can begin their search through several channels: the local clerk’s office, the county probate court, official online case-index systems, and statewide judicial resources. The website SouthCarolinaCourts.us can help users identify court locations, understand filing procedures, and connect with publicly available case information across the state’s unified court system. Records may also be obtained directly from the Anderson County offices described in this guide, either in person, by mail, or through electronic search tools where available.

How to Look Up a Court Case in Anderson County?

Anderson County offers multiple pathways for locating court case information. The method depends on whether the case was heard in the Court of General Sessions (criminal), the Court of Common Pleas (civil), the Family Court, the Probate Court, or one of the county’s magistrate courts.

Online Case Search

The South Carolina Judicial Branch maintains a public case-index system that allows users to search for cases filed in the state’s circuit and family courts. The South Carolina Judicial Department Public Index provides searchable records by party name, case number, and attorney name. Results typically include the case number, parties, case type, filing date, and disposition status. This index covers Court of General Sessions, Court of Common Pleas, and Family Court filings for Anderson County.

For magistrate court records, the statewide Magistrate Court Case Search may also include summary court data. However, not all magistrate records are fully digitized, and older records may require an in-person or mail request.

In-Person Searches

The Anderson County Clerk of Court’s office maintains paper and electronic case files for circuit-level proceedings. Visitors may review records during regular business hours:

Anderson County Clerk of Court
Address: 100 South Main Street, Anderson, SC 29624
Phone: (864) 260-4053
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

The clerk’s staff can assist with locating docket information, retrieving case files, and providing copies of filed documents. A valid photo identification may be requested.

Mail Requests

Written requests for court records may be sent to the Clerk of Court at the address above. Include the full case number or the parties’ names and approximate filing dates, a return address, and the applicable copy fees by check or money order payable to “Anderson County Clerk of Court”.

Magistrate Courts

Anderson County operates several magistrate courts handling minor criminal offenses, civil claims under $7,500, and preliminary hearings. Key magistrate court locations include:

Court	Address	Phone
Anderson Magistrate Court	305 Camson Road, Anderson, SC 29621	(864) 260-4162
Belton Magistrate Court	306 Brown Avenue, Belton, SC 29627	(864) 338-5658
Honea Path Magistrate Court	210 North Main Street, Honea Path, SC 29654	(864) 369-0042
Williamston Magistrate Court	100 West Main Street, Williamston, SC 29697	(864) 847-7478

Records from these courts are maintained locally and can be requested in person or by phone during business hours.

Are Court Records Public in Anderson County?

South Carolina law establishes a strong presumption that court records are open to public inspection. The South Carolina Freedom of Information Act (S.C. Code § 30-4-10 et seq.) requires public bodies—including courts to a limited extent—to make records available upon request. However, court records are primarily governed by the South Carolina Rules of Court and specific statutory provisions rather than FOIA alone.

Records that are generally public include:

Criminal case files in the Court of General Sessions (indictments, warrants, plea documents, sentencing orders, and judgment records)
Civil case files in the Court of Common Pleas (complaints, answers, motions, orders, and judgments)
Probate records (wills admitted to probate, estate inventories, letters of administration, and guardianship/conservatorship petitions)
Real-property records maintained by the Register of Deeds
Magistrate court dispositions and civil judgments

Records that are restricted or confidential include:

Juvenile proceedings (S.C. Code § 63-19-2020 restricts public access to juvenile criminal records)
Adoption records, which are sealed upon finalization
Records sealed or expunged by court order
Grand jury proceedings and records
Certain family court records involving minors, including abuse and neglect investigations
Victim identity information in sexual-assault cases
Mental health commitment proceedings
Records protected by a specific statutory confidentiality provision or judicial sealing order

When a public record contains both disclosable and restricted information, the custodial office may redact the confidential portions and release the remainder. Individuals denied access to a record they believe is public may petition the court or file a complaint under the FOIA enforcement provisions.

Anderson County Criminal Court Records

Criminal cases in Anderson County are prosecuted through the Court of General Sessions, which has jurisdiction over all felonies and misdemeanors beyond the magistrate courts’ authority. Less serious criminal offenses and traffic violations are handled by the magistrate courts. The Tenth Circuit Solicitor’s Office prosecutes criminal matters in Anderson and Oconee Counties.

Searching Criminal Case Records

Online: Use the South Carolina Judicial Department Public Index to search General Sessions cases by defendant name or case number. The index displays charges, court dates, dispositions, and sentencing information for cases in the statewide system.
Clerk of Court: Visit or contact the Anderson County Clerk of Court at (864) 260-4053 to request specific criminal case files. The clerk maintains records of indictments, plea agreements, trial transcripts, sentencing orders, and related filings.
Magistrate courts: For Class C misdemeanors, preliminary hearings, and bond proceedings, contact the relevant magistrate court directly.

Criminal History Background Checks

The Clerk of Court’s office does not provide comprehensive criminal-history reports. A statewide criminal background check must be obtained through the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED). SLED’s Criminal Records Section processes criminal-history requests submitted by individuals and authorized agencies. The process typically involves:

Submitting a completed request form (available on the SLED website)
Providing the subject’s full name and date of birth
Paying the applicable fee (currently $25 for a state criminal-history check)
Fingerprint-based checks required for certain employment and licensing purposes carry additional fees

Results are returned by mail or electronically, depending on the request method. SLED also participates in the FBI’s national fingerprint-based background-check system for authorized requesters.

Anderson County Sheriff’s Office

The Anderson County Sheriff’s Office maintains arrest records, incident reports, and booking information. The Sheriff’s Office is located at:

Anderson County Sheriff’s Office
Address: 305 Camson Road, Anderson, SC 29621
Phone: (864) 260-4400

Incident reports and arrest information may be requested in person during business hours. The Sheriff’s Office also provides information on current inmates through its online booking and detention resources.

Expungement

South Carolina law permits expungement of certain criminal records under S.C. Code § 17-22-910 et seq. and other applicable statutes. Eligible offenses include first-offense misdemeanors, charges dismissed or not prosecuted, youthful-offender convictions after completion of the sentence, and certain drug offenses upon completion of a pretrial intervention program. Expungement applications are filed with the Solicitor’s Office and processed through the Court of General Sessions. Once an order of expungement is issued, SLED, the Clerk of Court, and the arresting agency are directed to destroy or seal the relevant records.

Anderson County Civil Court Records

Civil matters in Anderson County are adjudicated by the Court of Common Pleas, which has jurisdiction over cases involving monetary claims exceeding $7,500, equitable relief, real-property disputes, and injunctions. Small civil claims at or below $7,500 are heard in the magistrate courts.

Searching Civil Records

Civil case information is searchable through the South Carolina Judicial Department Public Index, which covers Court of Common Pleas filings. Users can search by party name or case number and view the case type, filing date, assigned judge, hearing dates, and disposition.

For records not available online, contact the Clerk of Court at (864) 260-4053 or visit the office at 100 South Main Street, Anderson, SC 29624.

Civil Filing Fees

Filing fees for civil cases in Anderson County follow the statewide schedule set by the South Carolina General Assembly. Key fees include:

New civil action (Court of Common Pleas): $150
Magistrate court civil filing (up to $7,500): $80
Motion filing fee: $25
Appeal from magistrate court to circuit court: $150
Jury-trial demand fee: $25

Copy fees at the Clerk of Court are typically $0.50 per page for standard copies and $1.00 per page for certified copies. Certification fees may also apply per document.

Small Claims

Small-claims actions (amounts up to $7,500) are filed in the appropriate magistrate court. Plaintiffs must complete a Statement of Claim and pay the filing fee. Hearings are informal, and parties typically represent themselves. Judgments issued by magistrate courts in small-claims matters are enforceable as any other civil judgment and may be appealed to the circuit court.

Property Records

Real-property records—deeds, mortgages, liens, plats, and easements—are maintained by the Anderson County Register of Deeds, not the Clerk of Court. The Register of Deeds office is located at:

Anderson County Register of Deeds
Address: 100 South Main Street, Room 110, Anderson, SC 29624
Phone: (864) 260-4054

Property records can be searched in person during business hours. The county also offers an online property-records search portal through the county government website, where users can look up recorded documents by grantor/grantee name, book and page number, or parcel identification number. The Anderson County Assessor’s office provides property-tax valuations and parcel data.

Anderson County Family Court Records

The Family Court in Anderson County is a division of the circuit court system with exclusive jurisdiction over domestic-relations matters, including divorce, separate maintenance, child custody, child support, visitation, adoption, and domestic violence protective orders. The Family Court also handles juvenile delinquency and abuse-and-neglect proceedings.

Court Location and Contact

Anderson County Family Court
Address: 100 South Main Street, Anderson, SC 29624
Phone: (864) 260-4053

Family Court operates during regular courthouse hours, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Searching Family Court Records

Family Court case information can be searched through the South Carolina Judicial Department Public Index for cases that are not sealed or otherwise restricted. Many family-court filings are publicly accessible, including divorce decrees, custody orders, and support modification orders. However, cases involving juveniles, abuse investigations, and adoptions are not publicly searchable.

Family Court Filing Fees

Complaint for divorce: $150
Complaint for separate maintenance: $150
Motion to modify custody or support: $25
Petition for adoption: $150
Petition for domestic violence protective order: No filing fee (S.C. Code § 16-25-30 prohibits charging a fee for protective-order petitions)

Fee waivers are available for indigent litigants who file a completed affidavit demonstrating inability to pay.

Divorce Records

Divorce decrees are entered by the Family Court and maintained in the Clerk of Court’s records. Certified copies of a divorce decree can be obtained from the Clerk of Court for the applicable copy fee. For verification of a South Carolina divorce, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) issues certified verification letters. DHEC does not provide copies of the full decree—only the court can do so.

Marriage Licenses

Marriage licenses in Anderson County are issued by the Anderson County Probate Court, not the Family Court. The license fee is $95.00 (no waiting period in South Carolina). Applications must be submitted in person at the Probate Court. Both parties must present valid photo identification and Social Security numbers.

Birth and Death Certificates

Vital records including birth and death certificates are maintained by DHEC Vital Records. Certified copies may be ordered online through DHEC, by mail, or in person at a local DHEC office. Current fees are:

Birth certificate: $12.00 for the first copy, $3.00 for each additional copy ordered at the same time
Death certificate: $12.00 for the first copy, $3.00 for each additional copy

Eligible requesters include the registrant, a parent, a legal guardian, a spouse, an adult child, or an authorized agent with proper documentation.

Adoption Records

Adoption records in South Carolina are sealed upon entry of the final adoption decree. Access is limited to the adoptive parents, the adopted person (upon reaching adultage), and parties authorized by court order. The South Carolina Adoption Reunion Register maintained by the Department of Social Services allows voluntary mutual-consent contact between biological parents and adult adoptees.

Anderson County Probate Court Records

The Anderson County Probate Court exercises jurisdiction over the administration of decedent estates, the probate of wills, guardianship and conservatorship proceedings, and the issuance of marriage licenses. The Probate Court is a separate court from the circuit court system, with its own elected judge.

Court Location and Contact

Anderson County Probate Court
Address: 100 South Main Street, Room 207, Anderson, SC 29624
Phone: (864) 260-4049
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Searching Probate Records

Probate case records are maintained at the Probate Court office. Because probate records are not always included in the statewide judicial case index, the most reliable search method is to contact the Probate Court directly or visit in person. The court staff can search by decedent name, estate case number, or petitioner name. Some Anderson County probate index data may be available through the Anderson County government website.

Probate Filing Fees

Filing fees for probate proceedings in South Carolina are established by statute. Selected fees for Anderson County Probate Court include:

Filing a petition for probate of a will or letters of administration: $25.00 (with additional costs depending on estate value)
Filing a small-estate affidavit (estates valued at $25,000 or less with no real property): $25.00
Guardianship or conservatorship petition: $25.00
Certified copy of a probate document: $1.00 per page (plus a per-document certification fee)
Marriage license: $95.00

Fees are payable by cash, check, or money order. Some offices may accept credit or debit cards; contact the Probate Court to verify current payment methods.

Estate Administration

When a South Carolina resident dies owning assets in their sole name, the estate typically must be probated. The personal representative (executor or administrator) files a petition with the Probate Court in the county of the decedent’s residence. Under the South Carolina Probate Code (Title 62 of the S.C. Code), the court may grant informal probate for uncontested estates or formal probate when disputes arise among heirs or creditors.

Key steps in estate administration include:

Filing the original will (if one exists) and a petition for appointment of personal representative
Receiving letters testamentary or letters of administration from the Probate Court
Publishing a notice to creditors in a local newspaper
Inventorying and appraising the decedent’s assets
Paying valid claims and debts of the estate
Filing an accounting with the court
Petitioning for final distribution and closing the estate

Guardianship and Conservatorship

Petitions for guardianship of an incapacitated adult or conservatorship of an individual’s estate are filed in the Probate Court. South Carolina law requires the appointment of a guardian ad litem to investigate the circumstances and report to the court before a guardian or conservator is appointed. Guardianship records are generally public, though medical and psychological evaluation reports filed in the case may be restricted from public access.

Wills on File

South Carolina law permits individuals to deposit a will with the Probate Court for safekeeping during the testator’s lifetime (S.C. Code § 62-2-901). A deposited will remains sealed and confidential until the testator’s death, at which point it is opened and made available for probate proceedings. To inquire about a deposited will, contact the Probate Court at (864) 260-4049.