Richland County, South Carolina

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One-Call Response Center 24 Hours (803) 929-6000

Magistrates


Dear Richland County Citizens,

The Richland County Magistrate Offices are operating on a normal schedule.

Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, all persons employed in, conducting business in, or otherwise visiting or present for any reason in county and municipal courthouses statewide are required to wear a protective mask or other facial covering while inside the courthouse.


Mission

  • The mission of the Magistrate Court is to provide the citizens of Richland County with a fair and impartial Summary Court. The fourteen full time and three part-time magistrates perform the following:
  • Issue criminal arrest and search warrants
  • Conduct bail bond hearings four times daily to determine how a defendant should be released from detention
  • Conduct preliminary hearings for General Sessions level cases
  • Conduct jury trials for all magistrate level cases
  • Conduct criminal hearings to include such offenses such as Criminal Domestic Violence, Malicious Injury to Personal Property, Trespassing, County Ordinance Violations, etc.
  • Conduct traffic hearings to include Driving Under the Influence, Driving Under Suspension, Failure to Pay Property Tax, etc.
  • Conduct civil hearings including landlord/tenant hearings, summons and complaint cases (to claim disputed funds), claim and delivery cases (to reclaim property), and public sales of abandoned vehicles
  • A magistrate may impose a fine with court assessments of up to $5242.50 and/or a penalty of up to a 180 day sentence. The civil jurisdiction is $7500.00.

Magistrate's Court Guide

For your convenience, you may click on the link below to view a guide which contains detailed information concerning Magistrate's Court.

Your Guide to Magistrate's Court

Online Services

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Recommended Fine List

Central Traffic Court Payments

Richland County Magistrate Court Online Payments

Central Traffic Court and Richland County Magistrate Court Online Payments

For your convenience, you may pay online to pay the full amount on the citation via credit card. No partial payments are accepted online. Your mandatory court appearance is still required for certain charges (see copy of ticket for case number). All online payments should be made no less than twenty-four hours before your scheduled court date and time.

Online Payment

Listing of Magistrate Courts

Bond Court

Mailing Address

201 John Mark Dial Drive (Click for Map)
Columbia, South Carolina 29209
Hours of Operation
24 hours a day, 365 days a year

Telephone: (803) 576-3281
Fax: (803) 576-3303

Central Court

Judge Michelle Branch-Howard

Judge Michelle Branch-Howard
Magistrate for Richland County Central Court / Bond Court
Physical Address
2500 Decker Blvd, Columbia, SC 29206 (Click for Map)
Hours of Operation
8:30am – 5:00pm
Telephone: (803) 576-2300

 

 

 

 

 

Judge Deirdre Louise Simmons

Judge Deirdre Louise Simmons
Magistrate for Richland County Central Court / Bond Court
Physical Address
2500 Decker Blvd, Columbia, SC 29206 (Click for Map)
Hours of Operation
8:30am – 5:00pm
Telephone: (803) 576-2300

 

 

 

 

 

 

Judge Mildred Rita Metts

Judge Mildred Rita Metts
Magistrate for Richland County Central Court / Bond Court
Physical Address
Richland County Bond Court
201 John Mark Dial Drive, Columbia, SC 29209 (Click for Map)
Telephone: (803) 576-3281

 

 

 

 

 

 

Judge Patience Orbriel Van Ellis

Judge Patience Orbriel Van Ellis
Magistrate for Richland County Central Court / Bond Court
Physical Address
Richland County Bond Court
201 John Mark Dial Drive, Columbia, SC 29209-9481 (Click for Map)
Telephone: (803) 576-3281

 

 

 

 

 

Judge R. Allyce Bailey

Judge R. Allyce Bailey
Magistrate for Richland County Central Court / Bond Court
Physical Address
2500 Decker Blvd, Columbia, SC 29206 (Click for Map)
Telephone: (803) 576-2300

 

 

 

 

  

 

Judge LaTonya Derrick

Judge Latonya Derrick
Magistrate for Richland County Central Court / Bond Court
Physical Address
Richland County Bond Court
201 John Mark Dial Drive, Columbia, SC 29209-9481 (Click for Map)
Telephone: (803) 576-3281

 

 

 

 

  

 

Judge Margaret Strom Williams
Magistrate for Richland County Central Court / Bond Court
Physical Address
2500 Decker Blvd, Columbia, SC 29206 (Click for Map)
Hours of Operation
8:30am – 5:00pm
Telephone: (803) 576-2300

 

Judge Christina Thompson
Magistrate for Richland County Central Court / Bond Court
Physical Address
Richland County Bond Court
201 John Mark Dial Drive, Columbia, SC 29209-9481 (Click for Map)
Telephone: (803) 576-3281

 

Judge R. John McLeod
Magistrate for Richland County Central Court / Bond Court
Physical Address
Richland County Bond Court
201 John Mark Dial Drive, Columbia, SC 29209-9481 (Click for Map)
Telephone: (803) 576-3281

 

Judge Shanita Grimes
Magistrate for Richland County Central Court / Bond Court
Physical Address
Richland County Bond Court
201 John Mark Dial Drive, Columbia, SC 29209-9481 (Click for Map)
Telephone: (803) 576-3281

 

Central Court:

 2500 Decker Boulevard, Columbia SC, 29206    Phone: 803-576-2300

Telephone Extensions:

 Cashier Division Ext. 1
 Time Payments and Show Cause Hearings   Ext. 2
 Jury Duty Ext. 3
 Setoff Debt  Ext. 4
 Traffic Court Ext. 5
 Jury Trial Scheduling Ext. 6
Civil Mediation and Civil Jury Trials Ext 7
Criminal Domestic Violence Ext. 7
Preliminary Hearings Ext. 8
Expungement and DMV Orders Press *



Accepted forms of payment:  Cash, cashier checks, money orders, credit cards (Visa, Master Card, Discover)

No personal checks are accepted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Columbia Magistrate

Columbia Magistrate - Judge Stephanie Denise Bess

Judge Stephanie Denise Bess
Mailing Address (Click for map)
3875 Lucius Road
Columbia, South Carolina 29201-1120
Hours of Operation
8:30am – 5:00pm
Telephone: (803) 576-2510
Fax:  (803) 576-2519

 

 

Blythewood Magistrate

Judge Diedra Wilson Hightower

Judge Diedra Wilson Hightower
Mailing Address (Click for map)
118-A McNulty Street
Blythewood, South Carolina 29016
Hours of Operation
8:30am – 5:00pm
Telephone: (803) 576-1580
Fax: (803) 576-1583

 

 

 

Dutch Fork Magistrate

Judge Michael David Scott

Judge Michael David Scott
Mailing Address
1019 Beatty Road (Click for Map)
Columbia, South Carolina 29210-4630
Hours of Operation
8:30am – 5:00pm
Telephone: (803) 576-2540
Fax: (803) 576-2545    

 

 

 

Eastover Magistrate

Eastover Magistrate - Judge Donald Jeffrey SimonsJudge Donald Jeffrey Simons
Physical Address:  501 Main Street, Eastover, SC 29044 (Click for Map)
Mailing Address
PO Box 762, Eastover, SC 29044
Columbia, South Carolina 29202
Hours of Operation 8:30am – 5:00pm
Telephone: (803) 576-2580 Fax: (803) 576-2589

 

 

Hopkins Magistrate

Hopkins Magistrate - Judge Valerie R. StromanJudge Valerie R. Stroman -  Chief Magistrate
Physical Address
5425 Lower Richland Blvd. Hopkins, SC 29061 (Click for Map)
Hours of Operation 8:30am – 5:00pm
Telephone: (803) 576-2530 Fax: (803) 766-5183

 

 

 

 

Lykesland Magistrate

Lykesland Magistrate - Judge Barbara Wofford-Kanwat

Judge Barbara Wofford-Kanwat
Mailing Address 1403 Caroline Road (Click for Map)
Columbia, South Carolina 29209
Hours of Operation
8:30am – 5:00pm
Telephone: (803) 576-2500
Fax: (803) 576-2504

 

 

Olympia Magistrate

Olympia Magistrate - Judge Harold A. CuffJudge Harold A. Cuff
Mailing Address
1601 Shop Road (Suite B) (Click for Map)
Columbia, South Carolina 29201-4858
Hours of Operation
8:30am – 5:00pm
Telephone:(803) 576-2550
Fax: (803) 576-2555

 

 

Pontiac Magistrate

Pontiac Magistrate - Judge Kela Evans Thomas

Judge Kela Evans Thomas
Mailing Address
2500 Decker Blvd (Click for map)
Columbia, South Carolina 29206
Hours of Operation
8:30am – 5:00pm
Telephone: (803) 576-2520/576-2521
Fax: (803) 576-2522

 

 

Upper Township Magistrate

Upper Township Magistrate - Judge Tomothy Clinton Edmond Judge Tomothy Clinton Edmond
Mailing Address
7615 A Wilson Boulevard (Click for Map)
Columbia, South Carolina 29203
Hours of Operation
8:30am – 5:00pm
Telephone: (803) 576-2570
Fax: (803) 576-2579

 

 

Waverly Magistrate

Waverly Magistrate - Judge Sandra Ann Sutton

Judge Sandra Ann Sutton 
Mailing Address
2712 Middleburg Drive, Ste. 106 (Click for Map)
Columbia, South Carolina 29204-2415
Hours of Operation
8:30am – 5:00pm
Telephone: (803) 576-2590
Fax: (803) 576-2599

 

Dentsville Magistrate

Dentsvill Magistrate Judge Paulette Edwards

Judge Paulette Edwards
Mailing Address
2500 Decker Blvd (Click for Map)
Columbia, South Carolina 29206
Hours of Operation
8:30am – 5:00pm
Telephone: (803) 576-2560
Fax: (803) 576-2569

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have a question or concern?

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Richland County
South Carolina

Mailing Address
2020 Hampton Street
P.O. Box 192
Columbia, SC 29201

Physical Address
2020 Hampton Street
Columbia, SC 29204

One-Call Response Center
24 Hours (803) 929-6000

ombudsman@richlandcountysc.gov

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