Civil court records in Charleston County sit with the Clerk of Court at 100 Broad Street in Charleston. The office files contract claims, injury suits, debt actions, and landlord-tenant disputes for the Ninth Judicial Circuit. Each case carries a number, a caption, and a docket that lists every paper added after the complaint. This page explains how to search those files and read what the docket shows.
It covers the record fields that matter most: the filing date, the parties, the judge, and the current status. Read on for judgment types, default awards, and the copy requests that produce a certified document for court or for an employer. The last sections explain update delays and the steps to take when a file cannot be found. Call the clerk before a trip downtown.
Civil Court Search
The county portal and the clerk’s index hold civil case numbers, captions, and docket text for public review.
- County online services and court search portal: https://www.charlestoncounty.gov/online-services.php
- Search civil files by case number, party name, attorney, or filing date.
- Case numbers begin with a year, a court code, and a sequence.
- Clerk of Court counter: 100 Broad Street, Suite 106, Charleston.
- Certified copies require a written request and a per-page fee.
- Public terminals at the courthouse are free.
Record Details & Case Types
A civil file starts with a complaint or a petition, and the caption names the parties and the claim. The index shows the case type, the filing date, the amount in dispute when a rule requires it, and the assigned judge. Read the case type first, since it decides which court hears the matter and which deadlines apply. Then read the party rows for names, addresses, and lawyers.
| Office detail | Verified information |
|---|---|
| Location | Charleston County Clerk of Court, 100 Broad Street, Suite 106, Charleston, SC 29401-2258 |
| Contact Number | (843) 958-5000 |
| Office Hours | Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. (excluding county holidays) |
| Official Website Search Portal | https://www.charlestoncounty.gov/online-services.php |
Begin with a case number if a summons, a bill, or a lawyer’s letter supplies one. A surname search serves too, though popular names bring back long lists. Add a middle initial, a filing year, or a date range to narrow the rows. Record the number and the full party name on a request slip. Counter staff pull the file by number, and a docket printout follows in minutes.
Contract, Property & Injury Disputes
Contract claims cover unpaid invoices, broken agreements, and construction defects. Property claims cover boundary lines, easements, foreclosures, and damage to land or a building. Injury claims cover car crashes, slips, and workplace harm. A claim of that kind states a dollar amount for medical bills, lost pay, and pain. Read the demand clause in the complaint to see the sum at issue and the full relief sought by the plaintiff.
Debt Collection & Landlord-Tenant Actions
Debt claims often come from a credit card, a medical bill, or a loan, and the plaintiff may be a bank or a buyer of old accounts. A landlord file can seek unpaid rent, a repair order, or possession of the unit. A tenant may counterclaim for a security deposit or a habitability problem. Read the amount requested and the date of the last payment shown in the file.
Plaintiff, Defendant & Attorney Details
The plaintiff files the claim, and the defendant answers it. Each row may list a full name, an address, a birth year for a person, and a registered agent for a company. A lawyer’s row shows a name, a firm, a bar number, and an address for service. Read the newest row, since a party can add counsel or change an address during the case.
Presiding Judge & Jurisdiction
The docket header names the judge assigned to the case and the court that hears it. Circuit Court judges handle larger civil claims, and magistrate or municipal courts handle smaller ones. A transfer can follow a recusal, a conflict, or a change in the amount at issue. Read the newest entry, since the header may still show an earlier assignment. Ask the clerk which courtroom holds the file.
| Civil case type | What the file usually holds |
|---|---|
| Contract claim | Unpaid invoice, broken agreement, construction defect |
| Property claim | Boundary line, easement, foreclosure, damage to land |
| Injury claim | Car crash, slip, workplace harm |
| Debt action | Credit card balance, medical bill, loan payment |
| Landlord-tenant | Rent owed, repair order, possession of a unit |
| Appeal | Review of a ruling from a lower court |
One civil case can hold more than one claim. A plaintiff may plead a contract count and a negligence count in the same complaint, and each count carries its own elements and its own relief. A counterclaim adds a claim by the defendant. Read the caption, the counts, and the prayer for relief as three separate parts before you decide what the case is about and who must answer.
Case Filings & Judgment Outcomes
Every civil file moves through steps: a complaint, a response, a period for motions, and a final order. The docket records each step with a date and a short label. Some steps happen in court, and others happen on paper without a hearing. Read the newest five entries first, then work back to the complaint. That order shows how the case reached its current stage in the court.
Complaints, Petitions & Responses
A complaint states the facts, the claims, and the relief the plaintiff wants. A petition does the same work in a matter that starts without a summons. The defendant files an answer that admits or denies each numbered paragraph, and a counterclaim may come with it. A reply follows when a rule requires one. Read the answer first, since it frames the issues that remain in dispute.
Motions, Court Orders & Hearings
A motion asks the court for a ruling on one point. Common examples include a motion to dismiss, a motion for summary judgment, and a motion to compel evidence. The other side files a response, and a judge may set a hearing. An order follows, and it carries a signature date and a description of the relief granted or denied. Read the order’s last page for the exact ruling.
Final Judgments, Settlements & Dismissals
A judgment can follow a trial, a motion, or an agreement. A settlement ends the case when the parties sign a written term sheet and ask the court to dismiss it. A dismissal can be with prejudice, which bars a refiling, or without prejudice, which allows one. A consent judgment carries the terms both sides signed. Read the final entry in the file to see which result applies to your case.
Default Judgments & Monetary Awards
A default judgment follows when a defendant is served and fails to answer within the time allowed. The plaintiff then asks the court for a judgment on the pleadings or for a hearing on damages. A judge may award the sum requested, a smaller sum, or nothing. Interest and costs can add to the total. Read the order for the principal amount, the interest rate, and the date payment is due.
Public Access & Official Copies
The public can read civil docket text at a courthouse terminal and on the county portal. Images of filed papers appear for some cases and not for others. A certified copy is the paper an employer, a title company, or an appeals court will accept. Bring a case number and photo identification to the records window. Check what the office will release before any copy fee is paid.
Public Docket Search Logs
Each search you run on a public terminal may be logged with the date, the time, and the case number you opened. Some courts keep those logs for a set period and release them only on request. A log does not change the case file, and it does not prove that a person asked for a file. Ask the clerk how long the office keeps search records when that detail matters to you.
Sealed & Restricted Record Rules
A judge can seal a whole file or restrict one document inside an open case. State law closes some matters, and a protective order can cover a trade secret, a medical record, or a financial statement. A sealed file may appear in the index as a number with no caption. A party can ask the court to lift a seal. Other requesters need an order that states a reason.
Court Clerk & Certified Copy Requests
The Clerk of Court issues certified copies at the counter on Broad Street. Bring the case number, the title of the document, and photo identification. State whether you need the whole file or one paper, since a long file takes more time and costs more per page. Staff search the file, print the pages, and attach a certification. The quoted fee falls due at the moment you place the order.
Copy Fees & Processing Timelines
The office charges a per-page fee for copies and a set sum for the certification, and staff quote both before you pay. A short document is often ready the same day. A large file can take several business days, and a file stored off site takes longer. Ask for a pickup date in writing. Keep the receipt with the copies, since a later request may need the same order number.
| Request item | Why the office needs it |
|---|---|
| Case number | Finds the file in the index |
| Document title | Tells staff which paper to copy |
| Photo identification | Confirms the requester at the window |
| Certification request | Adds the clerk’s seal and signature |
| Pickup date | Written date for a long file |
A copy request is not the same as a search. Search results show docket text and party names, and a copy carries the clerk’s seal and signature. Ask for the certification page when a recipient needs proof, and ask for plain copies when you only need the text. Keep both versions in separate folders so a later request does not mix them up at the window.
Record Accuracy & Resolution
A civil search that returns nothing does not prove a file is absent. Names change, middle initials get dropped, and a company may file under a trade name. A case number with a wrong year or a missing digit sends you to another file. New complaints wait in a queue before the index shows them. Try a partial name, a wider date range, and the state court portal.
System Delays for Recent Filings
Clerks enter new complaints in batches, and a holiday weekend can push the queue back. A summons may be served before the docket line exists. Keep the filing date, the amount claimed, and the name of the lawyer who filed. Call the clerk after five business days when the case still does not appear. A stamped copy of the complaint at the window can confirm the filing sooner.
Unlisted Civil File Resolution
Begin at the clerk’s office and share each detail you hold: the party names, the filing date, the amount claimed, and the court that may keep the file. Staff can search by party, by lawyer, or by date. The file may rest in a municipal court, a magistrate court, or a court in a nearby county. Ask for a written note when no record exists, since an employer or a lawyer may need one.
Frequently Asked Questions
These questions come up at the civil records window and on the phone. Every reply here rests on South Carolina practice and the offices named on this page. Staff can verify a case number, a fee, or a document title, and an attorney can say how a rule fits a single file. Hours and fees change, so call ahead before you visit Broad Street downtown in Charleston.
Are all Charleston County civil filings open to the public?
No. The index and the docket are open, but some papers stay closed. A judge can seal a file or restrict one document, and state law closes some matters. Juvenile records and certain family files carry limits. A party can ask the court to release a sealed paper, and other requesters need an order that states a reason. Ask the clerk about the rules for one file in person.
How quickly do newly filed civil claims appear online?
Most appear within one to three business days after the clerk accepts the complaint and the filing fee. A holiday or a backlog can add a day or two. A summons may be issued before the docket text is complete. Call the clerk with the case number, the filing date, and the party names when nothing shows after five business days. A stamped copy at the window proves the filing date.
What is required to obtain certified civil court records?
Bring the case number, the exact title of the paper, and photo identification to the Clerk of Court at 100 Broad Street. State whether you need one document or the whole file. Staff quote the per-page fee and the certification charge before you pay. A short paper is often ready the same day, and a long file takes several business days. Keep the receipt with the copies for your records.
Who confirms missing or unlisted civil court files?
The Clerk of Court at 100 Broad Street confirms whether a civil file exists. Give the party names, the filing date, the amount claimed, and the lawyer’s name when you have it. Staff can check the circuit, magistrate, and municipal indexes. If the paper rests in another county, the clerk names the office there. Ask for a written note when nothing turns up in any index. Keep that note.