South Carolina Criminal Records Search: Cases & Public Records

Quick answer

Where to Search South Carolina Criminal Records

The fastest route depends on whether you need a court case, an official South Carolina criminal-history report, a current inmate record or an appellate proceeding. South Carolina has 46 counties, and trial-court public index searches are organized around county court records.

Official case-search procedure

How to Search South Carolina Criminal Court Cases Online

South Carolina’s Judicial Branch links to county trial-court Public Index systems. Start on the official court website, choose Court Records – Trial, then select the county for the case you are researching.

1. Open the South Carolina Judicial Branch website

   Look for Court Records – Trial under the site’s public resources or Quick Links.

2. Select the filing county

   Use the county map or county selection interface. For example, a Greenville County General Sessions case is searched through Greenville’s county public index, not Charleston’s.

3. Read and accept the Public Index disclaimer

   The court’s public system may require you to accept its conditions. Use the portal manually; the Judicial Branch prohibits automated scraping of its Public Index.

4. Choose the correct case-search option

   Search using a case number, a participant name or other options displayed by the county’s portal. Exact available fields can differ by court and system.

5. Search by case number when possible

   A known case identifier reduces confusion from common names and spelling variations. Keep all letters, digits and leading zeros.

6. Check the candidate record

   Compare county, court, case number, filing details, names and any lawfully displayed identifying information. A matching name alone is not enough.

7. Read the docket and final outcome

   Review the most recent case entries for dismissal, disposition, guilty plea, conviction, sentencing or later court action. Do not rely only on the initial charge.

8. Contact the record custodian for documents

   When you need a certified record or documents that are not available online, contact the Clerk of Court or relevant summary court in the county.

South Carolina-specific case numbers

Understanding South Carolina Criminal Case Numbers

The South Carolina Judicial Branch publishes a case-number format guide. Reading the code helps determine whether you have a General Sessions criminal case or a summary court matter and which county should be searched.

The published formats include GS for General Sessions and CP for Common Pleas. Common Pleas is generally a civil court category, so do not classify every Public Index result as a criminal case merely because it appears in the same county system.

Read the official Judicial Branch case-number guide (PDF)

Official state criminal history

SLED CATCH Criminal Background Check: Costs, Search Steps and Limits

SLED CATCH stands for Citizens Access to Criminal Histories. It allows users to submit name-based requests and view or print available South Carolina criminal-history information.

How much does SLED CATCH cost in 2026?

The standard online transaction can therefore involve a published total of $27.43 if both the $1 convenience fee and $1.43 service fee apply. Verify the actual checkout amount on CATCH before paying.

How to request a CATCH report

1. Open catch.sled.sc.gov

   Read the scope, fees, legal notices and limitations. CATCH returns South Carolina criminal-history information, not nationwide results.

2. Select the requester type

   Continue as a guest or use an existing eligible organization account, depending on the request.

3. Enter the subject information

   Provide the required first name, last name and date of birth. Enter additional lawful identifiers when available and appropriate.

4. Review accuracy before submitting

   CATCH relies on name and date-of-birth matching. Aliases or inconsistent recorded details can affect results.

5. Complete payment

   Confirm the displayed fees and follow the official payment process.

6. Review and save the response

   View or print the returned report when available. A Special Processing Required notice may appear if the system finds multiple possible subjects.

Mail-in requests and support

SLED also accepts mail-in requests with the official criminal records form, accepted payment and a self-addressed stamped envelope. It does not accept personal checks or cash for mailed requests.

Official court documents

How to Obtain Certified Criminal Records From a South Carolina Clerk of Court

The Clerk of Court maintains Circuit Court records in each South Carolina county. This includes General Sessions criminal case records. A printed Public Index page is not automatically a certified sentencing sheet, judgment or disposition.

1. Find the county and case number

   Use the Public Index to identify the case. Note the GS case number for General Sessions criminal matters.

2. Select the appropriate clerk

   Open the Judicial Branch clerk directory or courthouse search and choose the county where the matter was filed.

3. Specify the document

   Ask for the disposition, sentencing sheet, judgment, order, certified docket or another specific public filing.

4. Verify access and fees

   Ask whether the document is publicly available, whether certification is offered, and the cost and delivery options.

5. Confirm the final result

   Use the official certified record for consequential purposes rather than assuming an older online docket entry is final.

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Find the Correct South Carolina Criminal Record Search

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Appellate records

South Carolina Supreme Court and Court of Appeals Criminal Cases

For appeals from a criminal proceeding, use C-Track Public Access, the South Carolina Judicial Branch appellate case management system.

C-Track provides public case information, events and many associated documents. It is a separate system from the county trial-court Public Index. Some appellate filings remain restricted or unavailable online.

1. Open the official C-Track Public Access page.
2. Accept the site’s access conditions.
3. Select the relevant appellate court or case search option.
4. Search by appellate case number, case title or available filing criteria.
5. Review events and publicly available documents.
6. Use the underlying General Sessions case number to research the original trial proceeding separately.

Custody records

South Carolina Department of Corrections Inmate Search

South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) publishes information for inmates currently sentenced to and incarcerated in its facilities. The official system says its current-inmate data reflects information as of midnight the previous day.

What to do after opening

1. Enter the strongest identifier

   Use the SCDC identification number or SID if known. Otherwise enter the person’s first or last name.

2. Use phonetic matching when needed

   If the name spelling is uncertain, try the phonetic option provided by SCDC.

3. Choose a result

   Select the candidate result in the search table.

4. Read the inmate detail report

   The SCDC system can open a detailed report as a PDF in a new browser tab or window. Compare identifiers carefully.

For inmate-related questions, SCDC also publishes a toll-free information line: 1-866-727-2846.

Specialized public records

South Carolina Sex Offender Registry Search

The SLED-maintained South Carolina Sex Offender Registry supports public searches by name and geographic criteria. It can display registered names, photographs, aliases, offense-related information and mapped locations where available.

Registry information is not a complete record of South Carolina convictions. SLED cautions that reported location or status information can change and may not have been independently verified when published.

Do not use registry information to harass, threaten or unlawfully target any person.

Corrections and restricted records

South Carolina Expunged Records, Record Errors and Missing Charges

South Carolina criminal records may be missing from a public search because the case is restricted, sealed, expunged, confidential or not indexed by that particular system.

For qualifying expungements, SLED explains that the process generally begins with the Solicitor’s Office in the county where the arrest charge occurred. Dismissed Magistrate or Municipal Court charges may require contacting the particular court directly.

Find the correct jurisdiction

South Carolina Criminal Records by County

Search the county in which the prosecution was filed, not necessarily the person’s current residence. The public-index county selection and courthouse directory help route your search correctly.

Federal jurisdiction

Federal Criminal Records in South Carolina

Federal prosecutions are not maintained by the South Carolina Judicial Branch’s county Public Index. Federal court cases involving South Carolina are searched through PACER and the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina.

Practical troubleshooting

Why a South Carolina Criminal Record May Not Appear Online

Accuracy and lawful use

Using South Carolina Criminal Public Records Responsibly

Public criminal records can contain serious allegations, incomplete identity data and outdated case information. A court charge is not a finding of guilt; a dismissal does not mean every associated record is automatically removed; and an online index is not a certified background check.

Read FTC employment background-check guidance.