Find Civil Court Records in Greenville County
Greenville County civil court records are filed and maintained by the Clerk of Court at the Greenville County Courthouse. The Court of Common Pleas handles all civil cases filed in Greenville County, including contract disputes, personal injury claims, real property matters, commercial litigation, and foreclosure proceedings. Greenville County is one of South Carolina's largest and most active civil court jurisdictions. You can search Greenville County civil court records online through the South Carolina Public Index or visit the courthouse in downtown Greenville.
Greenville County Quick Facts
Greenville County Court of Common Pleas
Greenville County is part of South Carolina's 13th Judicial Circuit, which also includes Pickens County. The 13th 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 Greenville 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.
Greenville County has a Master-in-Equity Court. The Master-in-Equity handles complex equity matters and foreclosure proceedings referred by the Circuit Court. Under S.C. Code Ann. § 14-11-20, counties with a population of at least 130,000 qualify for this court, and Greenville County well exceeds that threshold. Greenville County also has a federal courthouse handling federal civil matters for the Greenville Division of the U.S. District Court.
Greenville County Clerk of Court
The Greenville 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 the jury system, issues subpoenas, and keeps all court documents generated by civil cases in Greenville County.
Visit the Greenville 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 Greenville County Civil Court Records Online
The South Carolina Public Index provides free online access to Greenville County civil court records. Go to publicindex.sccourts.org/greenville 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. Recent entries may lag behind actual filings due to processing time.
Greenville County also has a federal courthouse handling federal civil cases. Federal records are searchable through PACER at scd.uscourts.gov. For smaller civil disputes under $7,500, Greenville County Magistrate Courts hold jurisdiction, with separate records from the Court of Common Pleas system.
Civil Record Access Rights in Greenville 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 Greenville 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 Greenville County civil court records. If you find such information in a public record online, you can ask that it be removed.
Civil proceedings in Greenville County follow the South Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure and other court rules promulgated by the Supreme Court. These rules govern pleadings, discovery, motions, and trial procedures in the Court of Common Pleas. Self-help resources are available at the South Carolina Judicial Branch website.
Note: For legal aid assistance in Greenville County, visit scaccesstojustice.org/get-help.
Nearby Counties
Greenville County is part of the 13th Judicial Circuit. Neighboring counties in this region of Upstate South Carolina share circuit court resources. Civil cases must be filed in the county where the dispute arose or where the parties reside.