Calhoun County Court Records

Calhoun County court records are held by the Clerk of Court in St. Matthews, the county seat. The office keeps records for Circuit Court and Family Court cases filed in the county. You can search case data at no cost through the Calhoun County Public Index. As one of the smaller counties in South Carolina, Calhoun shares judicial resources with neighboring Orangeburg and Dorchester counties in the 1st Judicial Circuit. This page covers how to find and access Calhoun court records online and in person.

Calhoun County Clerk of Court

The Clerk of Court in Calhoun County serves as the official record keeper for all Circuit Court and Family Court proceedings. The office is located at the Calhoun County Courthouse in St. Matthews. Staff handle case filings, docket entries, certified copies, and fee collection for court matters filed in the county.

The clerk and deputy clerks manage records for General Sessions criminal cases, Common Pleas civil cases, and Family Court matters. They also handle notary public applications for Calhoun County residents.

The South Carolina Judicial Branch maintains the official Calhoun County Clerk of Court page with current contact information, court rosters, and magistrate court details. Visit sccourts.org/clerksCourt/clerk.cfm?countyno=9 for current information about the office and its staff.

The SC Judicial Branch clerk page for Calhoun County provides direct access to court rosters, magistrate court information, and contact details for all court divisions in the county.

Note: New filings at the Clerk's office are typically not accepted after 4:30 PM, even though the office remains open until 5:00 PM.

Search Calhoun County Court Records Online

The SC Judicial Branch case records search is the main tool for finding Calhoun County court records online. You can search by party name, case number, or filing date. The system is free and does not require an account. Basic case summaries, docket entries, and party information are all viewable without any cost.

Calhoun County falls under the 1st Judicial Circuit, which also includes Orangeburg and Dorchester counties. Some records from these counties share a common portal system. For best results, search the Calhoun-specific Public Index at publicindex.sccourts.org/calhoun/publicindex. Your browser must have cookies and JavaScript enabled for the system to work properly.

The SC Judicial Branch courthouse search page for Calhoun County provides information about court locations, judge assignments, and available online resources. Visit sccourts.org/courts/courthouse-search/calhoun for the full county court directory.

This page from the SC Judicial Branch lists all courts operating in Calhoun County, including contact numbers for circuit judges, family court, magistrate courts, and probate court.

Home address information is no longer shown in the Public Index as of January 1, 2026, in keeping with the privacy requirements of South Carolina Title 30. Case names, numbers, and docket activity remain available to the public.

Calhoun County Circuit Court Records

Calhoun County is served by the 1st Judicial Circuit. This circuit covers Calhoun, Orangeburg, and Dorchester counties. Resident circuit judges oversee both General Sessions and Common Pleas proceedings throughout the circuit. Judges rotate among counties to maintain consistency and handle caseloads effectively.

General Sessions handles criminal cases. This includes felonies and serious misdemeanors charged in Calhoun County. All indictments, plea agreements, and sentencing records from General Sessions are maintained by the Clerk of Court. Common Pleas handles civil disputes where the amount in controversy is over $7,500. Court filings, motions, judgments, and case dispositions are all part of the permanent record kept at the courthouse.

The public nature of these records is grounded in South Carolina law. Under S.C. Code § 14-3-410, court records are presumed public unless specifically exempted. The Circuit Court filing fee is $150 for new cases. Additional fees apply for motions, certified copies, and certain other filings. Most copy fees run $0.25 per page, with certified copies carrying an additional charge per document.

Calhoun County Family Court Records

The Family Court in Calhoun County handles divorce, legal separation, child custody, child support, adoptions, and juvenile matters. Family Court judges assigned to the 1st Circuit bring specialized knowledge to these proceedings. Filing fees for Family Court cases are set by statute, and the Family Court fee schedule is published on the SC Judicial Branch website.

Many Family Court records carry confidentiality protections by law. Adoption proceedings are sealed. Juvenile records are restricted from public access. Divorce and custody records are generally accessible to parties and their attorneys, and in most cases to the general public, but sensitive financial exhibits and certain protective order filings may be withheld. Child support payments in Calhoun County are processed through the South Carolina State Disbursement Unit at PO Box 100302, Columbia, SC 29202. For child support questions, call 800-768-5858.

Note: Sealed and expunged records will not appear in any standard public records search, including the Public Index.

Calhoun Magistrate Court Records

The Magistrate Court in Calhoun County handles lower-level criminal matters and civil cases. Criminal jurisdiction covers offenses where the fine does not exceed $500 or imprisonment does not exceed 30 days. Civil cases with amounts up to $7,500 are also heard in magistrate court. Traffic violations, small claims, and civil disputes fall under magistrate jurisdiction as well.

Magistrate judges in Calhoun County also conduct preliminary hearings for felony arrests and set bonds for persons charged in criminal matters. Bond court may be available outside regular business hours for this purpose. Magistrate records are kept separately from Circuit Court records and are maintained at the magistrate court location rather than the Clerk of Court's office.

Probate Court Records in Calhoun County

Calhoun County Probate Court handles estate administration, wills, guardianships, conservatorships, marriage licenses, and involuntary mental health commitments. The probate judge is an elected official who serves a four-year term. Probate records are generally open to public inspection. Most are searchable through the SC Probate online system as well as at the courthouse.

Marriage licenses for Calhoun County residents are issued by the Probate Court. Both applicants must appear in person with valid identification. Marriage records from 1950 to the present are available through the Probate Court. Historical marriage records prior to 1950 may require a visit to the South Carolina Department of Archives and History in Columbia or a search of microfilm held by the State.

Estates filed in Calhoun County Probate Court include an inventory of assets and an accounting of how those assets were distributed. These documents become part of the public record once probate closes, though certain privacy protections apply to sensitive financial information contained within estate files.

Criminal Records and SLED CATCH in Calhoun County

The most complete source for South Carolina criminal history is the SLED CATCH system, maintained by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. CATCH stands for Citizens Access to Criminal Histories. A name-based search costs $25 plus a $1 online convenience fee. Results are returned immediately when ordered online. Mail requests are also accepted and take longer to process.

SLED CATCH covers criminal conviction records from across South Carolina, not just Calhoun County. This makes it the best tool when you need a comprehensive statewide picture of a person's criminal history. Fingerprint-based searches are available for greater accuracy. Mail requests go to SLED Records Department, PO Box 21398, Columbia, SC 29221.

For Calhoun County-specific warrant searches and local criminal history, contact the Calhoun County Sheriff's Office or the Clerk of Court directly. Active warrants and pending charges may appear in the Public Index before final disposition.

Public Records Access and FOIA in Calhoun County

South Carolina's Freedom of Information Act, codified at S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-10 et seq., gives residents the legal right to inspect and copy government records. Court records in Calhoun County are public under this law and under Title 30 of the South Carolina Code. The right to inspect records under § 30-4-30 applies to documents maintained by the Clerk of Court, the Magistrate Court, and the Probate Court.

FOIA requests for Calhoun County court records can be submitted in writing to the Clerk of Court at the Calhoun County Courthouse in St. Matthews. You should include the specific case information or document description, your contact details, and payment for any applicable fees. The agency must respond within 10 business days and fulfill eligible requests within 30 calendar days. The protection of personal information under § 30-2-330 means that Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and certain other personal data may be redacted from documents released under FOIA.

For records related to appellate proceedings, the SC Appellate Court C-Track system provides access to Supreme Court and Court of Appeals case information. The SC Judicial Branch website is the main portal for all court information across all 46 South Carolina counties.

Note: Certified copies of court records require an in-person or mail request to the Clerk's office and cannot be obtained through the online Public Index.

Nearby Counties

Calhoun County is part of the 1st Judicial Circuit along with Orangeburg and Dorchester counties. These neighboring counties each maintain their own court records systems and Public Index portals.

View All 46 Counties