Charleston County court files begin at the Clerk of Court office at 100 Broad Street in downtown Charleston. The clerk holds civil, criminal, and family case files, and each file carries a case number that ties its papers together. Most files are open to any reader at a public terminal or by a counter request. A file shows what was filed, who signed it, and how the case ended.
This page covers name and number searches, the papers inside a case file, and the rules on public viewing at the courthouse. It lists the clerk’s verified contact details, the office hours, and the steps for a certified copy. Later sections explain sealed and juvenile files, fee questions, and what to do when a case does not appear. Call the office before you make the trip to Broad Street.
Court Record Search
Start with a name or a case number, then confirm the court and the filing year.
- Clerk of Court portal: https://www.charlestoncounty.gov/online-services.php
- Search by party name, case number, or filing date.
- Civil, criminal, and family files sit in separate indexes.
- A case number carries a year, a court code, and a sequence.
- Read the case caption before you order a copy.
- Certified copies come from the clerk, not the website.
Required Search Details
A name search needs the spelling used at filing, since a maiden name or a suffix can break a match. Add a middle initial when a common surname returns many results. A number search needs the year, the court code, and the sequence digits. Date range searches help when the exact number is lost. Keep a printout of each result, including the case status and the filing date.
Case Filings & Proceedings
A case file grows one paper at a time, and the docket lists each entry with a date and a page number. The complaint or petition opens the matter, and an answer responds to it. Motions ask the judge for a ruling, and notices set the hearing date. Exhibits carry the evidence, and orders record the outcome. Read the docket first, then open the papers that answer your question.
The county portal opens a search form with fields for a party name, a case number, and a date range. A number search returns one file, which saves time when a surname is common in Charleston County. Name results can list several people with the same spelling. Write the full case number, including the year and the court code, on any request. A clerk can verify a number the public page refuses to show.
| 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 |
Counter staff at Suite 106 answer questions about a file that the portal cannot find. Bring the case number, the names of the parties, and the year of the filing. A clerk can check an internal index that the public page does not show. Ask for the courtroom number and the judge’s name during your visit. Note the fee before you order a certified copy at the window.
Complaints, Petitions & Answer Responses
A civil case starts with a complaint that names the parties, states the claims, and asks for relief. A family case starts with a petition, and a probate matter starts with an application. The defendant files an answer within the time set by the rules, often 30 days after service in a civil suit. A counterclaim or a reply can follow. Read the first three papers to see the shape of the dispute.
Motions, Notices & Filed Exhibits
A motion asks the court for an order, and it carries a notice of hearing with a date, a time, and a courtroom. The other side may file a response before the hearing. Exhibits sit with the paper that introduced them, and each exhibit has a label such as A or 1. Some exhibits stay in the clerk’s custody after trial. Ask the clerk before you handle an original exhibit.
Presiding Judge & Courtroom Jurisdiction
The caption names the presiding judge and the court. Charleston County sits in the Ninth Judicial Circuit, and its circuit judges hear civil and criminal matters. Family Court has its own judges and its own docket. A case number can show the court in its prefix. Check the caption before you cite a ruling, since a case can move to another judge after a recusal or a reassignment.
Hearings, Judgments, Settlements & Dismissals
A hearing puts the parties before the judge, and the clerk records the result in the docket. A judgment ends a civil case and states the relief, and a sentence ends a criminal case. A settlement closes a dispute when the parties sign an agreement, and the judge often dismisses the case on that basis. A dismissal can come with or without prejudice. Read the final entry to see which one applies.
| Paper | What it does | Where it appears |
|---|---|---|
| Complaint or petition | Opens a civil or family case | First entry on the docket |
| Answer or response | Replies to the claims | After service of the complaint |
| Motion | Asks the judge for an order | Docket entry with a hearing notice |
| Notice | Sets a hearing date and courtroom | Filed with the motion |
| Exhibit | Carries evidence into the record | Attached to the filing |
| Judgment or order | Records the ruling | Final entries in the docket |
This table covers the papers in most files, and the docket shows the order in which they arrived. Not every case carries each item in the table. A settled civil case may hold no judgment, and a criminal case may end with a plea and no trial. Read the docket from the first entry forward, then pull the papers that answer your question about the outcome of the case.
Public Availability & Official Copies
Court files in South Carolina are open to the public except when a statute or a judge’s order closes them. The clerk provides a public terminal at the Broad Street office, and the statewide index lists cases from many counties across the state. Some papers, such as financial statements in a divorce, are confidential under a court rule. Ask the clerk what can be viewed and copied before you travel.
Public Case Directories & Search Logs
The county portal and the statewide case index both list dockets, but neither holds the papers themselves. A docket line gives the date, the title, and often a page count. The image of the paper comes from the clerk’s system or from a terminal at the courthouse. A search log records who viewed a file in some systems. Ask the clerk when you need a paper that the index only names.
Sealed, Expunged & Juvenile File Rules
A judge can seal a file or a single paper when a party shows a good reason, and a sealed entry may still appear on the docket without detail. Juvenile matters are closed by law, and entry to them runs through a judge. An expunged criminal record is removed from public view after an order, and the process starts with an application. The clerk can explain which rule covers a file.
Court Clerk & Certified Copy Requests
Bring the case number, the title of the paper, and the filing date to the counter at Suite 106. Say whether the copy should be plain or certified, since a certification adds a seal and a signature. Photo identification helps at the window. A mailed request needs a signed letter with a return address. Staff pull the image and quote the fee before the copy is made.
Copy Fees & Processing Timelines
The clerk quotes the fee for each order, and the amount depends on the page count and on whether you ask for certification. A short paper is often ready the same day at the counter, and a mailed order takes longer to process. A file held in an off-site storage room can add several days to the wait. Ask for a pickup date in writing, and keep the receipt with the copies.
| Request item | Why the clerk needs it |
|---|---|
| Case number | Finds the file in the index |
| Document title | Names the paper to be copied |
| Filing date | Separates papers with similar titles |
| Certification choice | Sets the seal and the fee |
| Photo identification | Confirms the requester at the window |
| Mailing address | Directs a mailed order |
Order the certification when you place the copy request, since a second trip means a second fee. A certified page carries a clerk’s statement that the image matches the file, and a plain page carries only the image. Courts, lenders, and title examiners often ask for the certified set. Store the pages flat in a folder away from direct light, and keep the receipt with them.
Record Accuracy & Resolution
A search can fail on a maiden name, a suffix, or a misspelling typed at filing. A case number with a wrong court code points to another county. A paper filed late in the day may sit in a queue before the docket shows it. Try the name without a middle initial, then try the filing year alone. The clerk can check a back index that the public page does not show.
Matching Party Names & Docket Numbers
Match at least two fields before you accept a record as the right one: the street address, a birth year, and the filing date. A common surname can return several parties in the same county. Read the caption and the list of parties, since a middle initial or a suffix separates two people. Ask the clerk to confirm the case number when two files look alike.
System Delays for Recent Filings
A paper filed late in the afternoon may not appear until the next business day, and a weekend filing waits longer. The docket can show a case before the scanned image loads. Keep the filing date, the case number, and the name of the attorney who filed. Phone the clerk after two business days if the case still has not shown up. A stamped copy proves the filing date.
Unlisted Court File Resolution
A missing case may sit in another county, under another spelling, or in a closed file that the search skips. Check the county where the party lived before the filing, then check the county where a business operated. Ask the clerk to search by case number when you have one. Request a written note when no file turns up, since a lender may ask for proof.
Frequently Asked Questions
These questions come from the clerk’s window and from callers who cannot find a file. Each answer follows South Carolina practice and the office named on this page. A clerk can confirm a case number, a fee, or a document title, and a lawyer can explain how a rule applies to one case. Fees and hours change, so call before you travel to Broad Street.
Are court records open to the public in Charleston County ?
Yes. Court files in Charleston County are open to any person who asks, and the clerk provides a terminal for reading them during office hours. A judge can seal a paper or a whole file, and juvenile matters stay closed by law. Some family court papers are confidential under state court rules. Bring the case number to the counter, and staff will show you which papers the file holds.
What documents are included in an official court file?
A file holds the papers that the parties filed and the orders that the judge signed. Expect a complaint or petition, an answer, motions, notices, exhibits, and a final order or judgment. The docket lists each item with a date and a short title. Some papers, such as a presentence report or a settlement agreement, may be sealed or left out of the public set. Copies of each page come from the clerk.
How do I request certified copies from the court clerk?
Visit the counter at 100 Broad Street, Suite 106, during office hours, or send a signed letter. Give the case number, the title of the paper, and the filing date. State that you need a certified copy, since the seal and the signature add to the fee. Bring photo identification. Staff quote the fee, and payment is due when you place the order. A mailed copy follows in a few days.
Who confirms missing or unlisted court case files?
The Clerk of Court confirms whether a case exists in Charleston County. Give the party name, the filing year, the court, and any number you hold. Staff can search by name, by number, by filing year, and by the attorney on the case. When the file sits in another county, the clerk can name that office. Ask for a written note when nothing turns up at all in the county.