Find Civil Court Records in Charleston County
Charleston County civil court records are filed and maintained by the Clerk of Court at the Charleston County Courthouse. The Court of Common Pleas serves as the civil division of the Circuit Court, handling contract disputes, personal injury claims, real property matters, commercial litigation, and foreclosure proceedings. Charleston County is one of the most active civil court jurisdictions in South Carolina. You can search Charleston County civil court records online through the South Carolina Public Index or visit the courthouse in downtown Charleston.
Charleston County Quick Facts
Charleston County Court of Common Pleas
Charleston County is part of South Carolina's 9th Judicial Circuit, which also includes Berkeley County. The 9th Circuit Court serves both counties, with judges rotating throughout the year. The Court of Common Pleas handles all civil actions where the amount in controversy exceeds $7,500.
Civil cases in Charleston County include the full range of matters: contract disputes, personal injury actions, real property claims, commercial litigation, foreclosure proceedings, and declaratory judgment actions. 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 on assignment by the Chief Justice.
Charleston County has a Master-in-Equity Court. The Master-in-Equity handles complex equity matters and foreclosure proceedings referred by the Circuit Court, exercising the power and authority of the Circuit Court sitting without a jury. Under S.C. Code Ann. § 14-11-20, counties with a population of at least 130,000 qualify for this court, and Charleston County well exceeds that threshold.
Charleston County Clerk of Court
The Charleston County Clerk of Court is the official custodian of all civil case records for the county. The office files and processes civil complaints, maintains judgment rolls, manages jury selection, issues subpoenas, and keeps all documents generated by civil cases in Charleston County.
Visit the Charleston 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 Charleston County Civil Court Records Online
The South Carolina Public Index provides free online access to Charleston County civil court records. Go to publicindex.sccourts.org/charleston 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.
Charleston County also has a federal courthouse. The J. Waties Waring Federal Courthouse in Charleston handles federal civil cases for the region. Federal civil records are searchable through PACER at scd.uscourts.gov.
Civil Record Access Rights in Charleston 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 Charleston 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 applies to all Charleston County civil court records.
Civil case appeals from Charleston County's Court of Common Pleas go to the South Carolina Court of Appeals or Supreme Court. Those appellate records are searchable through C-Track Public Access, the South Carolina appellate court case management system, for cases filed on or after May 1, 2012.
Note: Self-help resources for civil cases in Charleston County are available at the South Carolina Judicial Branch website. For legal aid assistance, visit scaccesstojustice.org/get-help.
Nearby Counties
Charleston 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.