Court calendars in Charleston County list the hearings set for a given day. The Clerk of Court keeps the docket for Circuit Court, and the county website links to the public index. People use it to find a courtroom, a start time, or a case number before they travel downtown. This page shows where the schedule lives, how to read each entry, and what to do when a hearing does not appear.
A printed calendar is a snapshot, not a promise. Hearings move when a judge is in trial, when a lawyer asks for a continuance, or when a defendant is late from the jail. The online docket can lag behind the courtroom sheet by hours. Read the case number first, then the time and room. Call the clerk at (843) 958-5000 when the entry looks wrong or missing.
Court Calendar Search
Start with the county’s public index, then narrow the list by date, name, or judge.
- Official search portal: https://www.charlestoncounty.gov/online-services.php
- Office: Charleston County Clerk of Court, 100 Broad Street, Suite 106, Charleston, SC 29401-2258.
- Main line: (843) 958-5000.
- Counter hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., closed on county holidays.
- Search keys: case number, party name, and hearing date.
- Bring: photo ID and the case number for any counter request.
Court Schedule Information
A schedule entry has four parts: the time, the room, the parties, and the hearing type. Read all four before you plan the day. Courthouse security lines are long on Monday mornings, and a 9:30 a.m. call can mean a 7:45 a.m. arrival. The docket is set by the judge’s chambers, then posted by the clerk. Each change passes through both offices before it reaches the public page.
The county portal gathers links to court records, property files, and payment pages. Choose the court records link, then pick the case type. Criminal court covers charges, civil court covers lawsuits, and Family Court covers domestic matters. Each search screen asks for a different key. A case number returns one file, and a name returns every case that matches, including old ones that closed years ago.
| Search route | What it returns | Best key |
|---|---|---|
| County public index | Case entries and scheduled events | Case number |
| Clerk counter | Printed docket for a courtroom | Date and courtroom |
| Courtroom sheet | Daily list posted at the door | Judge and room |
| Magistrate office | Summary court dates | Citation or case number |
Magistrate offices handle small claims, traffic tickets, and some criminal charges, and each office keeps its own calendar. A hearing listed on the county portal may still sit in a magistrate courtroom across the street. Ask which court issued the case before you drive. Write down the courtroom number, the floor, and the judge’s name. Staff at the Broad Street counter can read the docket but cannot move a date.
Hearing Time & Courtroom Location
Times on a South Carolina docket are call times, not appointment slots. A courtroom may hear twenty matters in a morning, and your case can be reached at any point in that block. Plan to arrive early and stay until the judge finishes the list. Room numbers follow a pattern: courtrooms sit on the upper floors of the Broad Street building, and a directory in the lobby names each one.
Case Number & Listed Parties
Every case carries an index number that stays with it from filing to appeal. Use that number, not the names, when you search or call. Party names on the docket are often shortened, and middle names or suffixes may be dropped. A criminal entry may read as the state against a person, with the state’s file named first. Read the caption twice before you decide the entry is yours.
Hearing Type & Presiding Judge
The entry names the judge assigned to the courtroom, though a different judge may sit if the calendar shifts. The hearing type tells you what the court expects that day: a plea, a motion, a status conference, or a trial. A judge’s name on the docket is not a promise that the same judge will hear the matter. Confirm with the clerk when the hearing type shapes your preparation.
Calendar Status Codes
Clocks and letters at the left of a docket line carry meaning. A code can mark a case as continued, passed, ready, or held. Some systems print a time stamp for each entry. Others use a single letter for the outcome of the day. Ask the clerk what a code means before you read it as a delay. A short note in your file prevents a wasted trip.
| Code | Meaning | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Continued | Hearing moved to a new date | Ask for the new date in writing |
| Passed | Called later in the same session | Stay in the building |
| Ready | Case reached, parties present | Enter when called |
| Held | Hearing went forward | Check the file for the result |
| Closed | Matter ended for the day | Confirm the next event |
Codes differ by court, so treat the table as a starting point. A family docket may use words that a criminal docket never prints. If a code is unclear, read the case file rather than guess. The file shows the order that changed the date and the judge who signed it. Bring the case number to the counter and ask for a printed copy of the docket line.
Types of Court Hearings
Charleston County runs separate dockets for civil, criminal, family, and probate matters. Each has its own courtroom, its own clerk team, and its own pace. A civil motion may take ten minutes, and a criminal trial can hold a courtroom for a week. The groups below sort hearings by what happens at them, not by the office that files them. Read the group that matches your case.
Civil, Criminal & Family Dockets
Civil dockets list lawsuits over contracts, injuries, and property. Criminal dockets list charges brought by the state, with the Solicitor’s Office presenting the case. Family Court handles divorce, custody, support, and juvenile matters, and its records carry tighter privacy limits. probate court covers estates, guardianships, and marriage licenses. Each docket posts on a different schedule, and some are read only at the counter, so call the office first.
Arraignments & Pretrial Hearings
An arraignment is the first formal appearance on a charge. The court reads the charge, confirms the lawyer, and sets the next date. In South Carolina, Circuit Court arraignments often follow a grand jury indictment. A pretrial hearing comes later and covers bond, evidence sharing, and scheduling. Some pretrial matters happen in magistrate court before the case moves up. Arrive with the case number and any paperwork already served on you.
Motions, Trials & Sentencings
A motion hearing asks the judge to rule on a request before trial. A trial date is the firmest entry on the docket, and it can still move. A sentencing follows a plea or a verdict, and the judge sets the term at that hearing. Victims may speak at sentencing under state law. Each of these events has its own courtroom rules, so check the docket and the posted signs.
Schedule Changes & Remote Access
Dates move for reasons that have nothing to do with guilt or innocence. A judge may be assigned to a trial in another county. A witness may fail to appear. A lawyer may file for a continuance with the court’s consent. The clerk posts the change after the order is signed, and the parties get notice by mail or through their lawyers. Check again two days before the hearing.
Rescheduled & Continued Hearings
A continuance keeps the case alive and sets a later date. A rescheduling may move a hearing to a different courtroom on the same day. The order that grants either one names the new date and the judge who signed it. Do not rely on a phone call alone. Ask the clerk for the new date in writing, and check the public index after the order is docketed. Notice by mail can arrive late.
In-Person Attendance Rules
Courthouse entry requires a photo ID and a pass through a metal detector. Weapons, food, and recording devices are restricted. Phones must be silent, and photography is barred in most courtrooms. Dress code is not formal, but hats and shorts draw a comment from the bailiff. Arrive thirty minutes before the call time, leave the phone in the car if you can, and bring the case number.
Virtual Hearing Links
Some hearings run by video, mostly for status conferences, bond reviews, and short motions. The court sends a link or a dial-in number to the parties, and the public may be routed to a viewing room instead. A virtual hearing follows the same rules as a courtroom: no recording, no talking over the judge, and no side calls. Ask the clerk which platform the courtroom uses before the day arrives.
Schedule Accuracy & Resolution
No public calendar is perfect. A docket reflects the plan at the moment the clerk printed it, and the plan can change within the hour. Errors fall into three groups: an entry that lags behind a signed order, a hearing closed by law, and a case that never made it to the list. Each has a different fix. Know which one you face before you call, and the call will be shorter.
Calendar Update Delays
A signed order reaches the public index after it is filed and docketed. That chain can take a business day, and holiday weeks take longer. A hearing removed on Friday may still show on Monday morning. If you have an order in hand, bring it to the counter and ask the clerk to compare it with the docket. A stamped copy of the order protects you if a question comes up later.
Confidential & Sealed Hearings
Some matters never appear on a public calendar. Juvenile cases, sealed indictments, and hearings closed by statute stay off the list. Adoption files and some protective order cases carry the same limits. The clerk can confirm that a case exists without showing the file. Ask what can be released and what needs a court order. A written denial helps when a lawyer asks a judge to open a record.
Missing Schedule Resolution
Start with the courtroom. A posted sheet at the door often lists matters that the website missed. Then call the clerk at (843) 958-5000 with the case number and the party name. Ask whether the hearing is set, moved, or closed. If staff cannot find the file, request a written no-record reply. Keep the date, the name of the person you spoke with, and the answer.
| 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 |
The Clerk of Court keeps its counter at 100 Broad Street, Suite 106, in downtown Charleston. The office handles filings, copies, and docket questions during weekday hours. Staff cannot give legal advice or predict a ruling, and they cannot move a hearing without a judge’s order. Bring a photo ID and the case number, and arrive before 4:30 p.m. so the line does not close on you.
Frequently Asked Questions
These questions come from people who checked the docket and still had doubts. Timing, notice, remote attendance, and missing entries cause most of the confusion. The answers below describe how the Clerk of Court and the assigned courtroom handle each case at the county level. Confirm anything that affects a hearing date with the clerk before you travel, and keep a dated note of the answer you receive.
When are daily court schedules updated?
The docket is usually posted the afternoon before a hearing day, and staff refresh it again in the morning. A change filed after the morning update may not show until the next business day. Courts with heavy trial weeks sometimes post two days ahead. Check the county portal after 8:30 a.m. and again before you leave for the courthouse. A call to the clerk confirms what the screen shows.
How do I verify a rescheduled court date?
Read the written order first, since it names the new date and the judge who signed it. Then check the public index for the same case number and compare the two entries. If they disagree, call the clerk and read both dates aloud. Ask which one the courtroom will follow. Request the answer in writing, and confirm again the day before the new date. Bring both papers to court.
Are virtual hearings open to the public?
Most virtual hearings are open, but the court controls how people attend. Some judges send a viewing link on request, and others route the public to a courtroom screen. Hearings that involve juveniles, protected witnesses, or sealed files stay closed. Ask the clerk for the entry rule before the hearing. Join early, mute your microphone, and never record the session. Give your full name when joining, and stay muted until called.
Who confirms unlisted court appearances?
The clerk of the court that holds the case has the final word on the docket. For a criminal matter, that is the Clerk of Court at Broad Street. A magistrate office confirms its own summary court dates. If the case sits in family or probate court, call that office directly. Ask for the case number, the courtroom, and the time in one request. Keep the name of the person who answered.