Florence County Civil Court Records
Florence County civil court records are maintained by the Clerk of Court at the Florence County Courthouse. The Court of Common Pleas handles all civil cases filed in Florence County, including contract disputes, personal injury claims, real property matters, commercial litigation, and foreclosure proceedings. Florence County is one of the larger civil court jurisdictions in the Pee Dee region. You can search Florence County civil court records online through the South Carolina Public Index or visit the Clerk of Court office in Florence.
Florence County Quick Facts
Florence County Court of Common Pleas
Florence County is part of South Carolina's 12th Judicial Circuit, which also includes Clarendon, Marion, and Williamsburg Counties. The 12th Circuit Court rotates judges among 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 Florence County include 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.
Florence County also has a federal courthouse. The Florence Division of the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina handles federal civil matters arising in Florence County and the surrounding area. Federal records are searchable through PACER at scd.uscourts.gov.
Florence County Clerk of Court
The Florence 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, issues subpoenas, manages the jury system, and keeps all court documents generated by civil cases in Florence County.
In-person access to Florence County civil court records is available through the Florence County court records system at the courthouse. You can search civil case files, request document copies, or locate a case by party name or case number. Contact the courthouse through the statewide courthouse search tool for current hours. Staff can explain filing procedures. The office cannot provide legal advice.
How to Search Florence County Civil Court Records Online
The South Carolina Public Index provides free online access to Florence County civil court records. Go to publicindex.sccourts.org/florence 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. Florence County civil case files retained permanently for historically significant cases and for at least 15 years for routine matters under S.C. Code § 30-1-90.
For civil disputes under $7,500, Florence 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.
Civil Record Access Rights in Florence 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 Florence 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 Florence County civil court records. If you find such information in a public record online, you can ask that it be removed.
For historical Florence County civil court records, the South Carolina Department of Archives and History at 8301 Parklane Road, Columbia, maintains records from the state's earliest courts. Self-help resources for Florence County civil cases are available at the South Carolina Judicial Branch website.
Note: Civil procedures for all Florence County civil actions are governed by Title 15 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, which sets venue rules, statutes of limitations, and judgment procedures.
Nearby Counties
Florence County is part of the 12th 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.