Criminal history in South Carolina runs through more than one office. The State Law Enforcement Division keeps the statewide record known as CATCH, and it sells name-based checks to the public. The Clerk of Court in Charleston holds the case files that feed those records. Arrest entries start with a booking agency, and dispositions come from the court that closed the case, so two sources can disagree.
This page explains what a criminal history entry holds, how arrests differ from convictions, and which files stay out of public view. It covers status labels, identity checks, expungement limits, and the steps to take when a name search returns the wrong person. Keep a full name, a birth date, and a case number ready before you request a record from SLED or from the clerk.
Criminal History Search
South Carolina keeps two public paths to a criminal record: the statewide CATCH index and the county court file.
- SLED CATCH portal: https://catch.sled.sc.gov/
- CATCH returns statewide arrest and disposition data by name and date of birth.
- The Clerk of Court holds Charleston County case files and docket sheets.
- Name-based checks need a full name and a birth date.
- Certified records come from SLED, not from a third-party site.
- Some files stay sealed, expunged, or limited to juvenile court.
Record Contents & Offense Types
An entry on a criminal history is a summary, not the file. It lists the person, the arresting agency, the charge, the date, and the outcome. The county court file holds the complaint, the bond, the plea, and the sentence order. A charge can appear in both places with different wording, since one source records the arrest and the other records the court’s action. Compare the case number when the two disagree.
| Office detail | Verified information |
|---|---|
| Location | South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), statewide agency; headquarters at 4400 Broad River Road, Columbia, SC 29210 |
| Contact Number | See SLED official contact information for CATCH assistance |
| Office Hours | See SLED official contact information |
| Official Website Search Portal | https://catch.sled.sc.gov/ |
Start with the statewide index when you need a record for a job, a license, or a volunteer post. CATCH returns arrests and dispositions that reported to SLED from every county. Use the clerk’s file when you need the docket, the charging paper, or the sentence on one case. A private background site may copy the same data and add errors. Read the source line on any report before you rely on it.
Subject Identity & Arrest Logs
A name alone does not identify a person in a criminal record. The full name, the date of birth, and often the last four digits of a Social Security number tie an entry to one person. An arrest log adds the booking date, the arresting agency, and the charge at booking. A jail may release a person the same day, and the log still shows the arrest. Read the birth date before accepting a match.
Misdemeanor & Felony Charges
South Carolina divides offenses by the possible sentence. A misdemeanor carries a term in a county jail or a fine, and the maximum usually stays under one year. A felony carries a state prison term of more than one year. A charge can drop from a felony to a misdemeanor after a plea or an amendment. Read the statute cited on the warrant, then confirm the class on the sentencing sheet.
Sentences, Fines & Case Dispositions
A disposition is the final result on one charge. A guilty plea, a trial verdict, a dismissal, and an acquittal are all dispositions. The sentence states the prison term, the probation term, and any fine or restitution. A suspended sentence puts a term on hold and adds conditions. A case can hold one disposition per charge, so a three-count indictment may show three separate outcomes with different sentences.
Differentiating Arrests & Convictions
An arrest means an agency took a person into custody on a charge. A conviction means a court accepted a plea or a jury returned a guilty verdict. A record can show the first with no second, and that gap matters to an employer or a licensing board. A pending charge has no conviction yet. A dismissal or an acquittal ends the case without one. Read the disposition field, then read the sentence field.
| Label | What it means |
|---|---|
| Arrest | Custody on a charge; no outcome yet |
| Pending | Filed and awaiting a plea, trial, or order |
| Conviction | Guilty plea or verdict; a sentence follows |
| Dismissal | Prosecutor or judge ends the charge |
| Acquittal | Judge or jury finds the person not guilty |
| Expunged | Record destroyed or restricted by court order |
Use the table to translate the labels that appear on a rap sheet or a docket. A charge with no disposition is still open, and a reader should not treat it as a conviction. A dismissal and an acquittal both end a case, yet only the acquittal carries a finding of not guilty. An expunged entry should not appear at all on a certified record. Ask the clerk when a label is unclear.
Case Status & Public Availability
Status tells you where a charge sits today. A newly filed charge is active, and a court date may not exist yet. Pending covers a case with hearings or a trial ahead. A closed file carries a final order from a judge. An appeal moves review to a higher court and keeps the file open in practice. Read the newest docket line, since the status field can lag behind the paper by days.
Active, Pending & Closed Cases
An active case has new papers arriving and dates on the calendar. A pending case waits on a plea, a hearing, or a trial setting. A closed case has a final order, and no further hearings are scheduled. A closed file can reopen when a party files a new motion or when an appeal returns it to the lower court. Check the newest entry before you describe a case as finished.
Dismissals, Acquittals & Convictions
A dismissal ends a charge before a verdict, and the prosecutor or the judge can order it. An acquittal follows a trial and carries a finding of not guilty. A conviction follows a plea or a guilty verdict, and a sentence comes with it. Each outcome carries a different effect on a background check. A dismissed charge may still show on a court index, and a private site may drop it.
Online Directories & Public File Rules
South Carolina court dockets are public except when a statute or a judge closes them. The clerk’s index shows the caption, the charge, and the docket text, and a terminal at the courthouse is free. SLED sells a certified statewide record for a fee. A commercial directory may gather the same rows and add mistakes. Read the source and the update date on any online listing before you use it in a decision.
Expunged, Sealed & Juvenile File Rules
An expungement removes an arrest or a charge from the public record after a court order. South Carolina allows it for some first offenses, some dismissed charges, and some cases handled in a pretrial program. A sealed file stays in the clerk’s custody but leaves public view. Juvenile records sit apart from adult files and carry tight limits. A person who wants an expungement files a request with the solicitor or the court.
Two record types can describe the same event, so read them with the case in hand. A public docket does not promise a public document, and a clerk may hold the charging paper at the counter. A dismissed charge stays visible until a court order removes it. A juvenile file stays closed to the public even after the person turns eighteen. Ask the clerk which rule applies before you pay for a copy.
Record Accuracy & Resolution
A record can be wrong, and a wrong record can cost a job. A misspelled name, a shared birth date, or a file entered under a maiden name causes most errors. An arrest that never led to a charge may sit on a commercial site for years. A court order can correct a docket, and an expungement can remove an eligible entry. Start with the agency behind the record, not the site that copied it.
Identity Verification & DOB Matching
Date of birth is the main check on a name-based record, and it settles most doubtful matches. A record request asks for the name, the birth date, and the last four digits of a Social Security number. Compare the birth date on the report with the one you hold. When the dates differ, the row belongs to someone else. Ask the clerk to check the case number against the name before you accept a match.
Handling Multiple Name Matches
A common name can return a dozen rows that share a first and last name. Sort by birth date first, since that field removes most false rows. Then check the middle name and the suffix. A booking photo can help, and so can the agency that made the arrest. Keep a list of the case numbers that survive, and give the clerk the birth date with each one.
System Delays & Missing Record Resolution
SLED updates CATCH from reports that courts and agencies send, and a new disposition can take weeks to appear. A county docket may show a sentence before the statewide record does. Keep the case number, the disposition date, and the name of the court. Request a certified record when a copy must be current. Call SLED or the clerk when a record stays missing after a month, and ask which source holds it.
| Problem | Where to start |
|---|---|
| Wrong birth date on a row | Ask the clerk to check the case number and caption |
| Charge dismissed but still listed | Request the disposition sheet from the clerk |
| Eligible record still public | File an expungement request with the court |
| Statewide record out of date | Ask SLED to review the CATCH entry |
| Arrest with no charge | Ask the arresting agency for the report number |
Work from the smallest error outward. A wrong birth date is a matching problem, and a clerk can fix it at the counter with the case number. A stale disposition usually means the court has not sent the update to SLED. An expungement takes a court order, and the clerk needs the original charge and the case number. Keep a copy of every request, since a second call often needs the same detail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Readers ask the same handful of questions at the counter and by phone. Replies below follow South Carolina practice and the offices listed on this page. The statewide record rests with SLED, and the Charleston County case file rests with the Clerk of Court. No office can promise an outcome until a name and a birth date are checked. Phone first, since hours and fees shift.
Are criminal history records public in South Carolina?
Adult criminal dockets in Charleston County are public at the Clerk of Court, and SLED sells a certified statewide record to a requester who submits a name and a birth date. Sealed, expunged, and juvenile files stay closed. Each state keeps its own repository, so a record built in one place does not replace a South Carolina check. Confirm the exact document an employer wants.
Do criminal records list dismissed charges?
Dismissed charges often appear on a court docket and on a commercial background report, since the arrest and the filing stay in the index until a court order removes them. A certified SLED record should show the dismissal as the disposition. An expungement takes the entry out of public view. Ask the clerk for the disposition sheet, and send a copy when an employer questions a dismissed count on a job application.
How long after disposition do records update online?
A county docket usually shows a disposition within one to three business days after the judge signs the order. The statewide CATCH record follows later, since SLED waits for the court to send the report. Allow four to six weeks for that transfer, and longer after a holiday backlog. A certified record ordered too soon can show the older charge status. Call SLED when six weeks pass with no change.
Who confirms missing criminal history files in Charleston County ?
The Clerk of Court confirms a Charleston County case file, and SLED confirms the statewide record. Give both offices the full name, the birth date, the case number if you have one, and the arresting agency. A missing entry may sit in a magistrate or municipal court file that the county index never lists. Ask for a written note when neither office finds a record for your subject.