Williamsburg County Court Records Search
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Williamsburg County, South Carolina operates a layered court system that produces a wide variety of judicial records — criminal case files, civil judgments, family court orders, probate inventories, and property instruments. Depending on which court handled the matter, these documents are maintained by several different clerk offices, and most are accessible to the public under South Carolina's open records framework. Attorneys, litigants, journalists, and researchers regularly consult these records to verify case outcomes, trace property ownership, or support ongoing legal matters.
If you're researching court information in South Carolina, SouthCarolinaCourts.us can help you identify publicly available case records and locate clerk offices across the state. In Williamsburg County, records can be accessed through official clerk offices, public access terminals at the courthouse, and online search portals maintained by the South Carolina Judicial Branch.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Williamsburg County?
Start with the South Carolina Judicial Branch's free statewide Case Records Search through its Public Index portal. You can search by case number, party name, or filing date for Circuit Court, Family Court, and certain Municipal Court cases from all 46 counties, including Williamsburg. It's the fastest way to confirm whether a case exists or check its current status without visiting a courthouse.
For records not yet available online — or when you need certified copies or physical case files — contact the Williamsburg County Clerk of Court and Register of Deeds:
Williamsburg County Clerk of Court (Circuit, Family & Register of Deeds)
Address: 125 West Main Street, Kingstree, SC 29556
Phone: (843) 355-9321, ext. 7100
Fax: (843) 213-6913
Automated Phone Line: (843) 355-1584
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Current Clerk: The Honorable Deitra McKnight Johnson (elected June 2024; took office January 8, 2025)
Here's how to request records in person or by mail:
- Identify the correct court (Circuit, Family, Magistrate, or Probate) and confirm the correct custodian.
- Gather case identifiers: party names, case number, approximate filing date, and the type of record you need.
- Visit the Clerk of Court during business hours or send a written request by mail to 125 West Main Street, Kingstree, SC 29556.
- Bring a valid government-issued photo ID — this is required regardless of record type.
- Pay any applicable copy or certification fee at the time of the request.
For appellate court case records from the South Carolina Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, a separate C-Track Public Access system is available through the Judicial Branch website.
Are Court Records Public in Williamsburg County?
South Carolina's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Title 30, Chapter 4 of the S.C. Code of Laws, establishes the public's right to inspect and obtain copies of government records, including court records. The default rule is openness — records are public unless a specific legal exemption applies.
Under S.C. Code § 30-4-40, a public body may — but is not required to — withhold certain categories of information. Courts commonly invoke these exemptions to restrict access to the following:
- Juvenile court records — protected by state statute and not available to the general public
- Adoption records — sealed by court order and accessible only to authorized parties
- Trade secrets and proprietary business information disclosed in litigation
- Confidential plans or economically sensitive data that would cause competitive harm if disclosed
- Records related to ongoing criminal investigations, to the extent release would interfere with the investigation
- Personal identifying information that would constitute an undue invasion of privacy
- Records sealed by specific court order
When a record is withheld, the custodian must identify the applicable exemption. If you believe access was improperly denied, you can seek review through the courts. When a document contains both public information and exempt content, the standard practice is redaction — the protected portions are removed and the remainder is released.
Williamsburg County Criminal Court Records
Felony and certain misdemeanor criminal matters in Williamsburg County go before the Williamsburg County Circuit Court, located at 125 West Main Street, Kingstree, SC 29556. The Circuit Court's criminal division receives warrants from law enforcement, manages bail, assembles trial lists, coordinates jury selection, and maintains all criminal filings and courtroom minutes. The Clerk of Court's Office at the same address is the official keeper of these records.
Criminal records available through the Clerk typically include charging documents, bail records, case dockets, plea and disposition records, sentencing orders, and trial transcripts. You can search these through the South Carolina Judicial Branch's Public Index online, or review and copy them in person at the Clerk's Office. A valid photo ID is required for all in-person requests.
Arrest records and detention information are maintained by the Williamsburg County Sheriff's Office:
Williamsburg County Sheriff's Office
Address: 200 South Jackson Street, Kingstree, SC 29556
Phone: (843) 355-6381
Fax: (843) 355-7956
Website: Williamsburg County Sheriff
The Sheriff's Office handles open records requests for incident reports, arrest logs, and detention records. The Williamsburg County Detention Center is operated at the same location. For criminal history background checks, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) is the appropriate statewide agency — this is separate from the county Clerk's Office.
Traffic and minor criminal matters are handled by the Magistrate and Municipal Courts. Magistrate Court criminal records can be accessed through the Kingstree Central Office at 209 Short Street, Kingstree (Phone: (843) 355-9565; fax: (843) 355-6444), and the Hemingway Satellite Office at 2811 South State Highway 41-51, Hemingway, SC 29554 (Phone: (843) 558-4145). Magistrate Court hours are Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Williamsburg County Civil Court Records
Civil litigation in Williamsburg County is divided by dollar amount and the type of relief sought. The Circuit Court handles larger civil claims — contract disputes, personal injury cases, property disputes, and matters seeking equitable relief. The Magistrate Court handles smaller civil claims of $7,500 or less, along with evictions, landlord-tenant disputes, claim and delivery actions, restraining orders, and judicial sales of abandoned property. Note that Magistrate Courts do not have jurisdiction over real property disputes.
South Carolina Circuit Court civil filing fees (as published by the South Carolina Judicial Branch):
| Case Type | Filing Fee |
|---|---|
| New cases (never previously filed) | $150.00 |
| Appeals from Magistrate Court (civil) | $150.00 |
| Foreign judgments | $100.00 |
| Transcript of judgment from Federal or Magistrate Court | $35.00 |
| Lis Pendens (without Summons and Complaint) | $10.00 |
| Confession of Judgment | $10.00 |
| Criminal appeals from Magistrate or Municipal Court | No fee |
| Post-conviction relief | No fee |
| Forma pauperis filings | No fee |
For civil matters in Magistrate Court, the standard small claims filing fee in South Carolina is approximately $80.00, though the exact amount may vary. If you're representing yourself in small claims, contact the Magistrate Court directly at (843) 355-9565 to confirm current fees and available forms.
Civil case records — including summonses, complaints, motions, judgments, and court orders — are maintained by the Clerk of Court at 125 West Main Street. The Public Index case search provides online access to civil docket entries and case status. Certified copies and physical documents require an in-person or mail request to the Clerk's Office.
The Clerk also serves as the Register of Deeds, maintaining recorded property instruments including deeds, mortgages, plats, leases, powers of attorney, and easements. Property document searches are available through the county's Register of Deeds records system; contact the Clerk's Office at (843) 355-9321 for access instructions.
Williamsburg County Family Court Records
The Williamsburg County Family Court handles divorce and legal separation, child custody and visitation, child support, alimony, domestic violence protective orders, DSS hearings, DNA paternity actions, and adoption proceedings. The Family Court Clerk's Office processes all filings, manages child support payment processing, and maintains the official case record for each matter.
Williamsburg County Family Court
Address: 147 West Main Street, Kingstree, SC 29556
Phone: (843) 355-9321, ext. 6100
Fax: (843) 355-1586
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Note: Per the South Carolina Judicial Branch courthouse directory, filings for Williamsburg County Family Court must be submitted using traditional methods accepted by the local clerk; electronic filing is not currently available for this court.
Family court records are searchable through the Judicial Branch's Public Index. For certified copies of divorce decrees, custody orders, or child support records, submit your request in person or by mail to the Family Court Clerk at the address above. A valid photo ID is required for all copy requests.
Marriage records are issued and maintained by the Williamsburg County Probate Court. The South Carolina Department of Public Health also maintains statewide marriage records from July 1950 through December 2023. Records outside that range should be requested directly from the Probate Court.
To request a certified marriage certificate from the SC Department of Public Health Vital Records:
- Standard mail-in or drop-box request: $12.00 non-refundable search fee (includes one certified copy); each additional copy is $3.00
- Expedited or in-person/online request: $17.00 non-refundable fee; each additional copy is $3.00
- Mail applications and fees to: SC Department of Public Health, Vital Records Section, P.O. Box 2046, West Columbia, SC 29171
- Download the marriage certificate request form and include a photocopy of a valid photo ID
Divorce records from the SC DPH are available for events from July 1962 through December 2023:
- In-person/online: $17.00 per copy; mail-in/drop-box: $12.00 per copy; each additional copy: $3.00
- Download the divorce record request form and submit with photo ID and fee
Birth certificates (maintained by SC DPH since 1915) and death certificates follow the same fee structure: $12.00 for mail-in or $17.00 for expedited/in-person, with $3.00 for each additional copy. Use the birth certificate application or death record request form available on the DPH website.
Adoption records and juvenile proceedings are sealed and not available to the general public. Anyone with a legal right to those records — such as adoptees over 18 or parties to a juvenile case — should consult an attorney or contact the Family Court directly.
Williamsburg County Probate Court Records
The Williamsburg County Probate Court has jurisdiction over a broad range of matters: administration and probate of decedents' estates, appointment and monitoring of guardians and conservators for minors and incapacitated adults, marriage license issuance, approval of minor settlements of $25,000 or less, conservatorships for estates of minors or incapacitated persons valued at $25,000 or more, and involuntary commitment proceedings in coordination with mental health and substance abuse treatment centers.
Williamsburg County Probate Court
Address: 147 West Main Street, P.O. Box 1005, Kingstree, SC 29556
Phone: (843) 355-9321, ext. 6200
Fax: (843) 213-6997
Email: probatecourt@wc.sc.gov
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Judge: Betty F. Matthews, Probate Court Judge
As of 2025, Williamsburg County probate records are not available through an online search portal. Contact the Probate Court by phone or email to schedule an appointment before visiting. The court also accepts contact-free service by email, mail, and document drop-off for those unable to appear in person.
Probate court fees for Williamsburg County are published on the county's official fee schedule page. Probate forms are available through the South Carolina Judicial Branch website, which maintains a comprehensive statewide library of standardized probate court forms. Guardianship and conservatorship matters each involve separate petition processes; details are outlined on the county's Guardian/Conservator page.
Marriage licenses are issued by the Probate Court, not the Clerk of Court. Both applicants must appear in person at the Probate Court to apply. For details on license requirements and fees, contact the Probate Court directly or visit the county's Marriage Licenses page. Once a license is issued and the ceremony performed, the recorded license becomes part of the court's permanent marriage docket.