Berkeley County Civil Court Records
Berkeley County civil court records are maintained by the Clerk of Court at the Berkeley County Courthouse in Moncks Corner. All civil cases in Berkeley County are filed in the Court of Common Pleas, the civil division of the Circuit Court. This includes contract disputes, personal injury claims, real property matters, commercial litigation, and foreclosure proceedings. You can search Berkeley County civil court records online through the South Carolina Public Index or visit the Clerk of Court office in Moncks Corner.
Berkeley County Quick Facts
Berkeley County Court of Common Pleas
Berkeley County is part of South Carolina's 9th Judicial Circuit, which also includes Charleston County. The 9th Circuit Court rotates judges between these counties throughout the year. The Court of Common Pleas handles all civil actions where the amount in controversy exceeds $7,500.
Civil cases in Berkeley County cover the full range of matters handled statewide: contract disputes, personal injury actions, real property claims, commercial litigation, and foreclosure proceedings. Under Title 14 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, circuit court judges are elected by the General Assembly for six-year terms and rotate among counties within their assigned circuit.
Berkeley County has a Master-in-Equity Court. The Master-in-Equity handles matters referred by the Circuit Court, including foreclosure proceedings and other complex equity cases. Under S.C. Code Ann. § 14-11-20, counties with a population of at least 130,000 qualify for a Master-in-Equity, and Berkeley County meets that threshold.
Berkeley County Clerk of Court
The Berkeley County Clerk of Court is the official custodian of all civil case records for the county. The Clerk's office files and processes civil complaints, maintains judgment rolls, issues subpoenas, manages the jury system, and keeps all court documents generated by civil cases in Berkeley County.
Visit the Berkeley County Clerk of Court in person to search civil case files, request document copies, or locate a case by party name or case number. Staff can show you records in the public file and explain filing procedures. Copy fees apply. The office cannot provide legal advice.
How to Search Berkeley County Civil Court Records Online
The South Carolina Public Index provides free online access to Berkeley County civil court records. Go to publicindex.sccourts.org/berkeley and accept the terms of service to begin. You can search by case number, party name, or attorney name.
The index shows case captions, filing dates, party information, docket entries, and hearing schedules. It does not display every document in the file. For copies of actual pleadings, orders, or other documents, contact the Clerk of Court or visit the courthouse in person. Recent entries may lag behind actual filings due to processing time.
For civil disputes under $7,500, Berkeley County Magistrate Courts hold jurisdiction. These smaller civil cases are filed at the magistrate level and have separate records from the Court of Common Pleas system. Municipal Courts in Berkeley County have no civil jurisdiction.
Civil Record Access Rights in Berkeley County
South Carolina's Freedom of Information Act at S.C. Code Ann. §30-4-10 makes civil court records available to the public. Anyone can view or copy Berkeley County civil case records. You do not have to be a party to the case to access it.
Privacy protections apply to sensitive personal information. Under S.C. Code Ann. §30-2-330, documents placed on publicly accessible websites must not include social security numbers, financial account numbers, driver's license numbers, or similar identifiers. This protection applies to all Berkeley County civil court records. If you find such information in a public record online, you can ask that it be removed.
Municipal courts in Berkeley County and across South Carolina have no civil jurisdiction under state law. All civil cases must be filed in the Court of Common Pleas or, for smaller claims, in Magistrate Court. Self-help resources are available at the South Carolina Judicial Branch website.
Note: Current courthouse contact information for Berkeley County is available through the statewide courthouse search tool at sccourts.org.
Nearby Counties
Berkeley County is part of the 9th Judicial Circuit. Neighboring counties in this region of South Carolina share circuit court resources. Civil cases must be filed in the county where the dispute arose or where the parties reside.