Court Records in Dorchester County

Dorchester County court records are maintained by the Clerk of Court at the main courthouse in St. George, the county seat. A second Family Court location serves the Summerville area, which is the most populous part of the county. You can search Dorchester court records at no cost through the Dorchester County Public Index. Dorchester is part of the 1st Judicial Circuit along with Calhoun and Orangeburg counties. This page covers all your options for finding and accessing Dorchester County court records.

Dorchester County Clerk of Court

The Dorchester County Clerk of Court operates from two locations to serve the entire county. The main courthouse is at 5200 East Jim Bilton Boulevard in St. George, handling Circuit Court matters. The Troy Knight Judicial Complex in Summerville serves as the Family Court location, at 212 Deming Way, P.O. Box 1885, Summerville, SC 29484. Both locations provide records services during regular business hours.

The Clerk's office manages records for both Circuit Court divisions and Family Court. Records include civil case filings, criminal indictments, family court orders, and real estate documents. Dorchester County also maintains records for Summerville Municipal Court, with summary court records from 1988 to the present available through the county system. The search fee for records is $15, with copies at $0.25 per page.

The South Carolina Judicial Branch maintains a Dorchester County clerk page with court rosters, judge assignments, and public index access. Visit sccourts.org/clerksCourt/clerk.cfm?countyno=18 for the full listing of judicial officers and court contacts serving Dorchester County.

The SC Judicial Branch page for Dorchester County includes contact information for circuit judges, family court judges, magistrate courts, and probate court, covering both St. George and the Summerville area.

How to Search Dorchester County Court Records

The SC Judicial Branch case records search is the primary online tool for Dorchester County court records. Search by party name, case number, or date range at no cost. The Dorchester-specific portal at publicindex.sccourts.org/dorchester/publicindex covers Circuit Court and Family Court cases filed in the county. Cookies and JavaScript must be enabled in your browser.

Dorchester County also maintains its own case search portal for magistrate court records. Visit the county website for access to the magistrate case search system, which covers summary court records from 1988 onward. Home address information is no longer displayed in public search results as of January 1, 2026, per state privacy law under § 30-2-330.

The Dorchester County Public Index at publicindex.sccourts.org/dorchester/publicindex provides free access to Circuit Court and Family Court case records filed in Dorchester County, searchable by name, case number, or court type. Records include docket entries and case status information.

The Public Index for Dorchester County is updated regularly with new case filings and court actions, giving the public access to current case status and docket information without any cost.

The SC Judicial Branch courthouse search page for Dorchester County provides a full directory of courts, judges, and locations. Visit sccourts.org/courts/courthouse-search/dorchester for the complete listing of courts and contacts for both the St. George and Summerville areas.

The Dorchester County court directory covers all circuit judges, family court judges, magistrate court locations in both St. George and Summerville, and probate court contacts for all Dorchester County residents.

Note: Family Court records requests for files older than 20 years may require additional time, as archived files must be retrieved before copies can be made.

Dorchester County Circuit Court Records

Dorchester County is part of the 1st Judicial Circuit, shared with Calhoun and Orangeburg counties. Circuit judges rotate among all three counties throughout the year. The 1st Circuit includes the Lowcountry-adjacent communities of Dorchester County as well as the rural farming communities of Calhoun and Orangeburg.

Dorchester County has seen significant population growth due to its proximity to the Charleston metro area. The town of Summerville alone has grown into one of the larger communities in South Carolina. This growth has driven an increase in court filings and caseloads for the Dorchester County Circuit Court. The Court of General Sessions handles felonies and indicted misdemeanors. Common Pleas handles civil cases above $7,500. Both are maintained by the Clerk at the St. George main courthouse.

All Circuit Court records in Dorchester County are public under S.C. Code § 14-3-410. The Circuit Court filing fee is $150 for new civil cases. Copy fees are $0.25 per page, and the record search fee is $15 per name requested at the St. George location.

Family Court Records in Dorchester County

The Family Court for Dorchester County is based at the Troy Knight Judicial Complex at 212 Deming Way in Summerville. This location is more accessible to the bulk of the county's population, which is concentrated in the Summerville area. The court handles divorce, custody, child support, adoption, and juvenile matters. Reach Family Court at (843) 563-0360.

Family Court records in Dorchester County are generally accessible through the Public Index and through in-person requests at the Summerville location. Files older than 20 years may be archived and require additional processing time before they can be reviewed or copied. Juvenile records are sealed by law. Adoption proceedings are confidential. Divorce and custody records are typically public unless specifically sealed by court order.

Child support payments for Dorchester County cases go through the South Carolina State Disbursement Unit at PO Box 100302, Columbia, SC 29202. The in-person Family Court office at 212 Deming Way, Summerville, SC 29483, can also accept requests for Family Court records by appointment. The Family Court fee schedule applies to all filings in Dorchester County.

Dorchester County Magistrate Court Records

The Magistrate Court in Dorchester County operates multiple locations, including a Summerville location at 212 Deming Way, Box 10, Summerville, SC 29483, reachable at (843) 832-0370. Magistrate courts handle traffic violations, misdemeanor criminal charges, small claims, and bond hearings. Civil cases up to $7,500 and criminal cases with fines up to $500 or jail time up to 30 days are within magistrate jurisdiction.

Dorchester County maintains its own online magistrate case search system covering summary court records from 1988 to the present. You can browse and search by selecting Summary Court from the county case search portal. Warrants issued in Dorchester County come from Circuit Court judges (General Sessions), magistrate judges, municipal court judges in Summerville, St. George, Ridgeville, and Harleyville, and Family Court judges. Magistrate records are separate from those held by the Clerk of Court but are accessible through the county system.

Probate Court Records in Dorchester County

The Dorchester County Probate Court handles estate administration, wills, guardianships, conservatorships, marriage licenses, and involuntary mental health commitments. The probate judge is an elected official serving a four-year term. Most probate records are public and searchable through the SC Probate online system or in person at the probate court office.

Marriage licenses for Dorchester County residents are issued by the Probate Court. Both parties must appear in person with valid photo identification. Marriage records from 1950 to the present are held at the Probate Court. Estate proceedings become part of the public record after the court approves the final accounting and closes the estate. For estate records specific to Dorchester County, contact the probate court directly at the courthouse location in St. George.

Criminal Records and FOIA Access in Dorchester County

For statewide criminal history searches covering Dorchester County and all of South Carolina, use the SLED CATCH system. A name-based check costs $25 plus a $1 online fee, with instant results. Mail requests go to SLED Records Department, PO Box 21398, Columbia, SC 29221. Pay by money order, certified check, or business check.

For records specific to the Dorchester County Sheriff's Office, contact the Records Division at 212 Deming Way, Summerville, SC 29483, by phone at (843) 832-0300. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. A Public Records Request Form is required along with valid government-issued ID. The $15 search fee and $0.25 per page copy fee apply. The office must respond within 10 business days per S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-30(C).

Court records in Dorchester County are public under the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act at § 30-4-10 et seq. Submit FOIA requests in writing to the Clerk of Court at the St. George main courthouse. Personal information protections under § 30-2-330 mean sensitive personal data will be redacted from released documents. The SC Judicial Branch website provides statewide information on court access across all 46 South Carolina counties.

Note: Mail requests for Dorchester County court records should be addressed to the main Clerk's office at 5200 East Jim Bilton Blvd, St. George, SC 29477, unless your request involves Family Court records, which should go to the Summerville location at 212 Deming Way.

Nearby Counties

Dorchester County is part of the 1st Judicial Circuit with Calhoun and Orangeburg counties. Charleston and Colleton counties border Dorchester to the east and south.

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