Clarendon County Court Records Search

Clarendon County, South Carolina sits in the heart of the state’s Lowcountry region, with Manning serving as the county seat and home to its principal courthouse. The county’s trial court system spans multiple levels — from the Circuit Court at the top of the local judicial hierarchy down through Family Court, Probate Court, Magistrate Court, and several Municipal Courts. Court records generated by these bodies document civil disputes, criminal prosecutions, estate proceedings, family law matters, and more, and most are accessible to the public in some form under South Carolina law.

Anyone trying to locate case information in South Carolina has several avenues available, including clerk offices, courthouse public access terminals, and official online tools. The South Carolina Judicial Branch maintains a statewide case records portal that allows the public to search trial court cases by county, and SouthCarolinaCourts.us may help users locate publicly available case information filed across the state’s courts, including Clarendon County.

How to Look Up a Court Case in Clarendon County?

The primary online tool for searching Clarendon County court cases is the SC Judicial Branch Case Records Search Portal, which is operated by the South Carolina Judicial Branch. From that portal, users can select Clarendon County from the county list and search by party name, case number, or other available criteria. The portal covers Circuit Court, Family Court, and other case types depending on availability.

For physical copies of case documents, the Clarendon County Clerk of Court is the central records office. The Clerk maintains records for the Court of Common Pleas (civil) and General Sessions Court (criminal), schedules jury and non-jury rosters, maintains all judgment records, and collects fine payments.

Clarendon County Clerk of Court
Address: 102 South Mill Street, Manning, SC 29102
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 136, Manning, SC 29102
Phone: (803) 435-4443
Fax: (803) 435-4844
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (closed major holidays)

Copies of court records can be requested through three methods:

In person — Visit the Clerk’s office during business hours; copies are available with a 24-hour turnaround in most cases.
By mail — Send a written request with case details to P.O. Box 136, Manning, SC 29102, along with payment.
By fax — Fax requests are accepted, also subject to the 24-hour turnaround; additional time may be required if the file is not physically located in the courthouse.

Copy fees at the Clerk of Court:

$10.00 for the first 4 pages
$0.25 per page thereafter

The Clerk’s office does not provide legal advice, assist in completing court documents, or conduct records research on behalf of requesters.

Are Court Records Public in Clarendon County?

South Carolina law establishes a broad presumption of public access to government records. Under Title 30, Chapter 4 of the South Carolina Code of Laws — the Freedom of Information Act — any person has the right to inspect or copy public records held by a state or local government body. This right extends to court records maintained by the Clerk of Court and other county offices.

However, the right of access is not unlimited. Several categories of Clarendon County court records are restricted or confidential under law:

Juvenile records — Cases involving minors are sealed from public view; expungement of juvenile records may be available through the solicitor’s office once a person turns 18, depending on offense type.
Sealed and expunged records — Records sealed by court order or expunged through the South Carolina criminal record expungement process are not accessible to the public.
Records whose disclosure would infringe on personal privacy — Certain sensitive personal information may be redacted even from otherwise public documents.
Records posing security risks — Documents withheld on security grounds are exempt from public disclosure.
Friend of the Court and active investigation materials — Records compiled as part of active law enforcement investigations are generally not subject to FOIA.

Certified copies of certain vital records — including birth certificates, death certificates, and some marriage records — carry additional access restrictions beyond standard FOIA rules, as discussed in the Family Court section below.

Clarendon County Criminal Court Records

Criminal matters in Clarendon County are divided between two court levels based on the severity of the offense. Felony charges and serious misdemeanors are prosecuted in the General Sessions Court, which is a division of the Circuit Court and whose records are maintained by the Clerk of Court. Lower-level criminal offenses — generally those subject to a fine not exceeding $500.00 or imprisonment not exceeding 30 days — are handled by the Magistrate Court.

Clarendon County Circuit Court (General Sessions)
Address: 3 West Keitt Street, Manning, SC 29102
Phone: (803) 435-2450
Fax: (803) 435-2461

Clarendon County Magistrate Court
Address: 102 South Mill Street, P.O. Box 371, Manning, SC 29102
Phone: (803) 435-8925 / (803) 435-2670
Fax: (803) 433-0885

To search General Sessions criminal case records online, use the SC Judicial Branch Case Records Search Portal and select Clarendon County. For copies, contact the Clerk of Court at (803) 435-4443 or visit in person at 102 South Mill Street.

For criminal history background checks, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) operates SLED CATCH, a name-based criminal records check system. A non-refundable fee of $25.00 is charged per search, payable by major credit or debit card. SLED CATCH returns publicly available criminal history information compiled from law enforcement agencies statewide, including Clarendon County.

The Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office handles law enforcement matters across the county and can be reached for records-related inquiries as follows:

Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office
Address: 217 Commerce Street, Manning, SC 29102
Phone: (803) 435-4414
Fax: (803) 433-4009
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Accident reports from law enforcement incidents may be requested separately from standard court records. The Clarendon County Detention Center can be contacted at (803) 435-0032 for matters related to individuals in custody.

Municipal criminal matters within Manning are handled by the Manning Municipal Court (29 West Boyce Street, Manning Judicial Center; Phone: (803) 433-0050). The municipalities of Summerton and Turbeville also maintain their own municipal courts for local ordinance violations.

Clarendon County Civil Court Records

Civil litigation in Clarendon County is managed at two levels. The Court of Common Pleas — the civil division of the Circuit Court — handles civil disputes where the amount in controversy exceeds $7,500, including personal injury cases, contract disputes, business litigation, and real property matters. The Magistrate Court holds civil jurisdiction for smaller claims where the amount in controversy does not exceed $7,500, including landlord-tenant disputes and small claims matters.

Clarendon County Court of Common Pleas
Address: 102 South Mill Street, Manning, SC 29102 (Clerk of Court)
Phone: (803) 435-4443
Fax: (803) 435-4844

To search civil case records:

Visit the SC Judicial Branch Case Records Search Portal and select Clarendon County.
Search by party name, case number, or filing date.
For copies, contact or visit the Clerk of Court at 102 South Mill Street.

Copy fees:

$10.00 for the first 4 pages
$0.25 per page thereafter (24-hour standard turnaround)

The Clerk’s office maintains all civil case filings, judgments, and docket entries. If the requested file is stored off-site, retrieval may take longer than the standard 24-hour window.

For civil process service in connection with lawsuits — such as service of summonses, complaints, and writs — the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office handles service of process countywide.

Applications for the Public Defender can be submitted at the Public Defender’s office during normal Clerk of Court business hours. The non-refundable application fee is $40.00, payable by cash or money order only; personal checks and credit card payments are not accepted. Questions about Public Defender appointments should be directed to (803) 433-0188.

Clarendon County Family Court Records

The Clarendon County Family Court handles all matters involving divorce, legal separation, child custody, child support, paternity, adoption, juvenile delinquency, and abuse and neglect proceedings. The Family Court division of the Clerk of Court’s office manages filings for all these case types.

Clarendon County Family Court
Address: 102 South Mill Street, P.O. Box 136, Manning, SC 29102
Phone: (Family Court general): (803) 435-4210
Phone: (Clerk of Court office): (803) 435-4443
Fax: (803) 433-8008
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Questions specifically about child support payments should be directed to the State Disbursement Unit at (800) 768-5858, not the Clerk’s office. Child support payment printouts are processed on Thursdays only, between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Questions about hearings, court proceedings, and non-payment family matters should go to Family Court at (803) 435-4210.

Family Court records — including divorce filings, custody orders, and child support records — can be searched online through the SC Judicial Branch Case Records Search Portal. For certified copies of divorce decrees or family court orders, contact the Clerk of Court.

Marriage records in Clarendon County are issued and maintained by the Probate Court. Marriage licenses are public records, though certified copies may require proof of identity or relationship to the parties named. The Probate Court charges the following fees for marriage licenses:

License Type	Fee
In-County Residents	$30.00 + $20.00 Domestic Violence \= $50.00 cash
Out-of-County Applicants	$40.00 + $20.00 Domestic Violence \= $60.00 cash
Marriage Ceremonies	$60.00 cash

Required documents for a marriage license application include a driver’s license, passport, or government-issued ID; a Social Security card, alien ID, or tax document showing the full Social Security number; and the applicable fee in cash only (no electronic payment or checks accepted).

Certified copies of marriage records from 1950 through December 2023 can also be ordered through the South Carolina Department of Public Health Vital Records Marriage Certificates page.

Divorce records are public but subject to redaction of sensitive personal information. Certified copies are restricted to the parties involved, their legal representatives, and those with a demonstrated legitimate interest. Eligible individuals may order certified Clarendon County divorce records through the SC DPH Vital Records Divorce Reports page or through the Clerk of Court directly.

Birth and death records intersect with family court matters — birth certificates are commonly required in custody, support, and adoption proceedings. Clarendon County birth certificates are confidential and accessible only to the subject (age 18 or older), parents named on the record, legal guardians, and authorized representatives. Eligible requesters can apply through the SC DPH Vital Records Birth Certificates page or visit the regional vital records office in Sumter at 105 N. Magnolia, Sumter, SC 29150 (Phone: (803) 934-2845). Death records fewer than 50 years old are restricted to immediate family, legal representatives, and court-ordered requesters; certified copies can be ordered through the SC DPH Vital Records Death Certificates page.

Clarendon County Probate Court Records

The Clarendon County Probate Court administers all probate matters within the county, including the probate of wills, intestate estate administration, trusts, guardianships, conservatorships, and proceedings involving mentally ill or developmentally disabled individuals. The court also issues marriage licenses and maintains related records.

Clarendon County Probate Court
Address: 411 Sunset Drive, Suite 1304, Manning, SC 29102
Phone: (803) 435-8774
Fax: (803) 435-8698

Probate Court records are generally public, subject to any specific sealing orders. To search probate case records online, use the SC Judicial Branch Case Records Search Portal and filter for Clarendon County probate cases. For direct access to probate filings, contact or visit the Clarendon County Probate Court at the address above.

For archived historical probate records, two additional resources are available:

The Clarendon County Archives and History Center holds selected historical probate materials, including petition and orders from 1925–1942, Probate Court journals from 1946–1956, devise lands records from 1883–1917, and an index for county marriage licenses from 1911–1950. The Archives staff can conduct limited research for those unable to visit in person; requests should include family names and as much identifying information as possible (dates of residence, approximate birth/death years, names of relatives). Contact the Clarendon County Archives and History Center at (803) 435-0328.
The South Carolina Department of Archives and History (SCDAH) holds older county probate and estate records and provides an online catalog for searching holdings. The SCDAH is located at 8301 Parklane Road, Columbia, SC 29223; Phone: (803) 896-6196

Property records related to estate transactions — including deeds, liens, and recorded instruments — are maintained by the Clarendon County Register of Deeds. The Clarendon County Register of Deeds Official Records Search allows online searches of recorded documents. Property valuation and assessment data can be found through the Clarendon County Assessor’s Office property records portal.