A court docket is the running list of papers and events in one case. In Charleston County the Clerk of Court keeps that list for the Ninth Judicial Circuit. Each line carries a date, a short label, and a page or image number. The docket does not hold the papers themselves, yet it tells you what exists and when it arrived. Read it from the newest line back.
This page covers search routes, hearing schedules, and copy requests. It names the office that holds the file and the details a public log shows. Two tables list the contact block and the docket entry types. Later sections explain sealed files, entry delays, and the steps to take when a case number returns nothing. Call the Clerk of Court before a trip to Broad Street downtown.
Court Docket Search
Start with the county portal, then narrow by case number, party name, or filing year.
- County online services and court search portal: https://www.charlestoncounty.gov/online-services.php
- Search by case number, party name, attorney, or filing date.
- Case numbers carry a year, a court code, and a sequence.
- Clerk of Court counter: 100 Broad Street, Suite 106, Charleston.
- Hearing calendars post with a date, a time, and a courtroom.
- Certified copies need a written request and a per-page fee.
Docket Activity & Hearing Schedules
The docket grows with each filing, and the schedule moves with it. A hearing can be set, moved, or canceled, and each change adds a line. Four case types share the same docket structure, yet they use different court codes and different judges in Charleston County. Read the newest lines for schedule changes, then read the older lines for the claims, the parties, and the money at stake.
The portal opens with a case number box and a name box. A number search is fastest, and it returns one caption with a list of entries. A name search can return dozens of rows for a common surname, so add a middle initial or a filing year. Write the number on a request slip before you visit the counter, since staff can pull a file in minutes.
| 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 |
Search results show the case caption, the filing date, the assigned judge, and the current status. Some rows carry a link to a scanned paper, and others carry text only. A closed case keeps its docket, so an old number still returns a full history. Print the result page when you find the case, since a later search may charge a fee or ask for a login.
Criminal, Civil, Family & Probate Filings
Four court types file into separate indexes, and each index uses its own prefix. Criminal rows list charges, warrants, and bond terms. Civil rows list claims, answers, and money judgments. Family rows cover divorce, support, and custody, and many of those files stay closed to the public. Probate rows cover wills, estates, and guardianships. Ask the clerk which index holds a number before you search.
Filings, Motions, Orders & Judgments
A filing starts a docket line, and a motion asks for a ruling on one point. An order answers a motion and carries a judge’s signature and a date. A judgment ends a claim and states the relief granted, the sum owed, or the dismissal terms. Read the newest order first, then read the motion that led to it, so the ruling makes sense at the counter.
Upcoming, Rescheduled & Completed Hearings
The calendar shows a date, a time, a courtroom, and a hearing type, such as a motion call, a status conference, or a trial. A continuance moves a hearing to a new date, and the old line stays on the docket with a note. A completed hearing gains a result line within a day or two. Check the calendar the night before you travel, or call the clerk.
Chronological Activity Timelines
Each entry sits in the order the clerk recorded it, and the newest line sits at the top on most screens. A timeline view adds a date column and a short event label, which helps when a case runs for years. Sort by date to read the story in order. Note gaps of several months, since they often mark a stay, a delay, or a transfer to another judge.
| Docket entry | What it usually marks |
|---|---|
| Complaint or indictment | Start of a civil claim or a criminal charge |
| Motion | Request for a ruling on one point |
| Order | Judge’s signed answer to a motion |
| Notice of hearing | Date, time, and courtroom assignment |
| Judgment | End of a claim, with relief stated |
| Continuance | Hearing moved to a later date |
A docket line is short by design, so the label carries most of the meaning. A line that reads “order filed” tells you little until you open the paper. Write down the page number next to each line you need, since the counter staff use that number to find the image. Ask for a printout when the case has more than a few dozen lines.
Public Availability & Copy Requests
Most docket text is open to any requester, and the courthouse terminals are free. A few files stay closed by statute or by order, and a judge can seal one paper inside an open case. The clerk handles copy requests at the window and by mail. Ask what the office can release before you pay, since a sealed paper will not appear in the copy.
Public Search Logs & Sealed Exclusions
A terminal may log the date, the time, and the case number you open, and some courts keep those logs for a set period. A log does not change a file, and it does not prove who asked for one. A sealed case may show as a number with no caption. Ask the clerk about the release rule for a log or a sealed paper.
Online Directory & Court Clerk Requests
The county site lists office hours, phone numbers, and a search box for case records. A directory page names the clerk, the judge, and the courtroom for each division. Use the number on the site before you drive downtown, since a record can sit in an off-site storage room. Staff can order a file to the counter for pickup, and that step may add a day.
Certified Copies, Fees & Timelines
Bring the case number, the document title, and photo identification to the records window. State whether you need one paper or the whole file, since a long file costs more per page and takes longer. The office quotes the copy fee and the certification charge before you pay. A short paper is often ready the same day, and an off-site file can take a week.
| Request item | Why the office needs it |
|---|---|
| Case number | Finds the file in the county 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 |
File the receipt beside the copies, since a second request may cite the same order number. A certified page carries a seal and a signature, and a plain copy carries neither. Request both when one employer needs proof and another reader needs only the text. Mark the folder with the case number, the order date, and the name of the clerk who helped at the window.
Record Accuracy & Resolution
A failed search says nothing about whether a file exists. Middle initials get dropped, a company may file under a trade name, and a case number with a wrong year points elsewhere. New filings sit in a queue until the index catches up. Search part of the name, a broader date span, and the state court portal before you decide the record really is not there.
System Delays for Recent Filings
Clerks key new cases in batches, and a holiday weekend can leave the queue behind by several days. A summons may be served before any docket line exists. Note the filing date, the amount claimed, and the name of the lawyer who filed. Phone the clerk after five business days if the case still does not show. A stamped copy of the complaint proves the filing date.
Unlisted Docket & Hearing Resolution
Hand the clerk every detail you hold: the party names, the filing date, the charge, and the courtroom you expected. Staff can look the matter up by party, by lawyer, or by date. A hearing that does not appear may sit in a magistrate court, a municipal court, or another county. Ask for a written note when no record turns up, since a lawyer or an employer may need one.
Frequently Asked Questions
The window and the phone bring the same questions from people who cannot locate a hearing. Every reply below follows South Carolina practice and the offices named on this page. Counter staff can verify a case number, a fee, or a document title, and a lawyer can say how a rule fits one file. Hours and fees change, so phone before you drive to Broad Street.
How quickly do new hearing schedules post online?
Most hearing dates appear within one to three business days after the clerk enters the scheduling order. A holiday or a heavy filing week can add a day or two. A criminal bond hearing may post sooner than a civil motion call. Call the clerk with the case number and the party names when nothing shows after five business days. A printed calendar at the counter is the final word.
What details are included in a public docket log?
A public log lists the case number, the caption, the filing date, the case type, and the assigned judge. Each entry carries a date, a short label, and often a page number. Party names and lawyer names appear on the caption line. Bond terms and hearing results show on criminal rows. Sealed papers do not appear, and a restricted document may show a label with no text at all.
What is required to obtain certified docket copies?
Take the case number, the precise title of the document, and photo identification to the Clerk of Court at 100 Broad Street. Say whether you want a single paper or the whole file. The office quotes a per-page fee and a certification charge before payment. A short paper is often ready the same day, and a file stored off site can take a week. Keep the receipt in the same folder as the copies.
Who confirms missing or unlisted court docket entries?
The Clerk of Court at 100 Broad Street confirms whether a docket exists. Give the party names, the filing date, the charge or claim, and the lawyer’s name when you have it. Staff can check the circuit, magistrate, and municipal indexes, and they can point to another county when the file sits there. Ask for a written note on office letterhead when nothing turns up in any index at all.