Courts and Judicial System
Clerk of Court
The Clerk of Court's Office is divided into two areas: Circuit Court, which handles civil and criminal cases, and Family Court, which handles juvenile and domestic cases.
Family Court
Family court hears cases that relate to familial and domestic relationships, such as child custody issues.
Magistrates
Magistrate’s Court hears civil cases involving landlord tenant issues and injury or property damage where the claim is under $7500.00. Magistrate Courts also handle traffic and criminal cases where the fine is no more than $2000.00 and/or 90 days.
Master-in-Equity
Master-in-Equity Court handles non-jury cases over $5,000 and provides a relatively quick and inexpensive means of litigation resolution for civil matters.
Probate Court
Administers estates of decedents; issues marriage licenses; appoints guardians and conservators for minor and incapacitated persons; orders involuntary commitments of mentally ill or chemically dependent persons; and hears and decides trust and estate litigation.
Public Defender
The S.C. Commision of Indigent Defense is responsible for ensuring that all individuals participating in the delivery of indigent defense services in South Carolina provide the highest quality of representation to our clientele.
Solicitor
The Solicitor ensures prosecutions are processed by organizing the flow of cases, assigning cases to attorneys, advising attorneys on cases assigned, monitoring status of pending cases and supervising personnel.