Find Civil Court Records in York County
York County civil court records are filed and maintained by the Clerk of Court at the York County Courthouse. The Court of Common Pleas handles all civil cases in York County, including contract disputes, personal injury claims, real property matters, commercial litigation, and foreclosure proceedings. York County is one of South Carolina's fastest-growing counties, with Rock Hill and Fort Mill among the most active civil court jurisdictions in the Upstate region. You can search York County civil court records online through the South Carolina Public Index or visit the courthouse in York.
York County Quick Facts
York County Court of Common Pleas
York County is part of South Carolina's 16th Judicial Circuit. The 16th Circuit Court serves York County with judges assigned by the Chief Justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court. The Court of Common Pleas handles all civil actions where the amount in controversy exceeds $7,500.
York County has a Master-in-Equity Court. Under S.C. Code Ann. § 14-11-20, counties with a population of at least 130,000 qualify for a Master-in-Equity. The Master-in-Equity handles complex equity matters and foreclosure proceedings referred by the Circuit Court. As one of South Carolina's fastest-growing counties, York has seen significant growth in civil court filings across all categories.
The York County Clerk of Court also serves as the Register of Deeds, recording all property transactions and deeds under state law. Under Title 14 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, circuit court judges are elected by the General Assembly for six-year terms.
York County Clerk of Court
The York County Clerk of Court maintains all civil case records for the county and serves as the Register of Deeds. 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 York County.
Visit the York County Clerk of Court at the courthouse at 2 South Main Street in York to search civil case files, request document copies, or locate a case by party name or case number. You can also contact the courthouse through the statewide courthouse search tool for current hours. Staff can show you records in the public file and explain filing procedures. The office cannot provide legal advice.
How to Search York County Civil Court Records Online
The South Carolina Public Index provides free online access to York County civil court records. Go to publicindex.sccourts.org/york 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.
For civil disputes under $7,500, York 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 York 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 York 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 York County civil court records. If you find such information in a public record online, you can ask that it be removed.
York County's Master-in-Equity Court handles complex civil equity matters and foreclosures referred by the Circuit Court. The Master-in-Equity Court page at sccourts.org provides information about this court's jurisdiction and procedures. Self-help resources for York County civil cases are also available at the South Carolina Judicial Branch website.
Note: Civil procedures for all York 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
York County is part of the 16th 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.