York County Court Records
York County court records are kept by the Clerk of Court at the Moss Justice Center in York, South Carolina. The office handles Circuit Court and Family Court filings for the county and also serves as the Register of Deeds. York County is one of the fastest-growing counties in South Carolina, with a large and active court system. You can search York County court records for free using the South Carolina Public Index or visit the courthouse in person. This guide explains how to find records, which offices hold them, and how to request copies.
York County Court Records Quick Facts
York County Clerk of Court
The Honorable Angie M. Bryant serves as the York County Clerk of Court and Register of Deeds. She was appointed by Governor Henry McMaster in July 2023, making her the first female Clerk of Court in York County history. She began her legal career in 1991, served as a Child Support Enforcement Specialist in 2003, and became Chief Deputy Clerk in 2008. She oversees more than 65 employees working across five locations.
The Clerk of Court is responsible for three courthouses in York County: the Historical Courthouse, the Joseph R. Moss Justice Center at 1675 York Highway, York, SC 29745, and the York County Family Court Courthouse at 1555 West Main Street, Rock Hill, SC 29732. The mailing address is PO Box 649, York, SC 29745-0649. The phone is (803) 684-8507 and the fax is (803) 628-3226. The full county court page is at yorkcountygov.com.
As Register of Deeds, the Clerk's office records nearly 60,000 documents annually. Land records go back to the 1700s. The office also operates a Passport Acceptance Facility in Rock Hill that processes more than 14,000 passport applications each year.
The official York County Clerk of Court page provides detailed information on all court functions including Family Court records, criminal warrants, child support enforcement, property recording, and jury management.
Search York County Court Records Online
You can search York County court records using the 16th Circuit Court Public Index Search. The SC Judicial Branch case records search at sccourts.org/case-records-search links to the York County Public Index. Search by case number, the name of a party, or a tax map number. Click on any blue case number to see the full detail page with docket entries, hearings, and case status. Common Pleas Court Dockets and Marriage License and Estate Information are also accessible through the county's quick links page at yorkcountygov.com/QuickLinks.aspx?CID=23.
The Public Index shows all publicly accessible court records for York County. Results include civil lawsuits, criminal case details, and family court matters. Juvenile records and sealed filings are excluded. Certified copies require a visit to the Clerk of Court or a written mail request. The SC Judicial Branch provides this free tool for all 46 counties in South Carolina.
York County's online deeds system at search.yorkdeeds.com provides public access to property records including index and document information. The Register of Deeds does not certify the authenticity of online records. For certified copies, contact the Clerk of Court office directly. Records being processed may not yet appear in the online system, and accuracy depends on how information was entered at the time of recording.
York County Circuit Court Records
The 16th Judicial Circuit covers York County and Union County. The Circuit Court handles civil matters in Common Pleas and felony criminal cases in General Sessions. York County court records from General Sessions include arrest warrants, criminal warrants, indictments, sentence sheets, and plea documents. Common Pleas records include civil complaints, motions, orders, and final judgments. The Clerk of Court stores all of these at the Moss Justice Center.
The filing fee to start a civil case in York County is $150 under the statewide Circuit Court fee schedule. Standard copy fees apply at $0.25 per page, and certified copies cost $5.00 per document. Under South Carolina Code § 14-3-410, Circuit Court judges rotate across circuits on a set schedule. Under § 14-9-150, the Clerk of Court is charged with keeping records and making them available to the public. The SC Circuit Court page explains how Circuit Court works across South Carolina. The Solicitor for the 16th Circuit maintains a York court docket page for case information related to pending criminal matters.
The 16th Circuit Solicitor's court docket page provides supplemental case information for criminal matters pending in York County courts. This is a useful tool alongside the Public Index for tracking active criminal cases in the county.
York County Family Court Records
York County Family Court is at 1555 West Main Street, Rock Hill, SC 29732. Family Court judges serving York County include Hon. Sammy Diamaduros, Hon. David G. Guyton at (803) 909-7117, and Hon. R. Chadwick Smith at (803) 909-7132. The Family Court handles divorces, child custody and support, adoptions, juvenile matters, and orders of protection. The Clerk of Court stores all Family Court records at the York County Family Court Courthouse in Rock Hill.
Family Court records in York County are searchable through the Public Index. Divorce decrees, custody orders, separation agreements, and other family court orders are generally public. Juvenile records are not accessible to the general public. For certified copies of divorce decrees or custody orders, contact the Clerk of Court at (803) 684-8507 or mail a request to PO Box 649, York, SC 29745. The Clerk also handles collection and disbursement of child support and alimony payments, issuance of Rules to Show Cause, and child support enforcement. Orders of Protection are also filed and stored by the Clerk of Court. The SC Family Court page explains Family Court rules statewide. Under § 30-2-330, certain personal information in family court records is protected from public disclosure.
Note: Deadbeat parent information is available through the York County quick links page at yorkcountygov.com/QuickLinks.aspx?CID=23 and links to state resources for locating non-paying parents.
York County Magistrate Court Records
York County operates one of the largest Magistrate Court systems in upstate South Carolina. Chief Magistrate is Hon. John C. Dover, and Associate Chief Magistrate is Hon. Walton H. Beck. Magistrates serving the county include Hon. Douglas W. Sexton in Clover at (803) 675-6040, Hon. Jennifer S. Colton in Rock Hill at (803) 909-7600, Hon. Curtis J. Cousins at the Moss Justice Center at (803) 628-3095, Hon. David S. Wood in Fort Mill at (803) 547-5572, and several others serving different areas of the county.
Magistrate Court locations in York County include courts in Clover, Hickory Grove, Rock Hill, Fort Mill, and multiple locations at the Moss Justice Center. The Bond Court is at the Moss Justice Center, 1675-3C York Highway, York, SC. DUI Court is also at the Moss Justice Center. Magistrate Court handles misdemeanor criminal charges, traffic cases, and small civil claims not exceeding $7,500. Many Magistrate Court records appear in the Public Index. The SC Magistrate Court page covers the statewide rules for these courts.
York County Probate and Other Records
The Probate Court for York County is led by Hon. Carolyn E. Woodruff. The mailing address is PO Box 219, York, SC 29745-0219. The office is reachable at (803) 684-8513 with a fax at (803) 684-8536. The Probate Court handles estate matters, wills, guardianships, marriage licenses, and probate proceedings. For marriage license and estate record information, use the quick links page on the county website.
The Master-in-Equity for York County is Hon. Teasa K. Weaver. Her office is at P.O. Box 627, York, SC 29745, and can be reached at (803) 628-3930. The Master-in-Equity handles complex civil cases referred from Circuit Court and often involves foreclosures and property matters. York County has five municipal courts: Clover, Fort Mill, Rock Hill, Tega Cay, and York. These courts handle criminal cases within each city's limits. For statewide criminal background checks, use the SLED CATCH system at $25 plus $1 online. South Carolina's Freedom of Information Act under § 30-4-10 et seq. governs access to all public records. Written FOIA requests to the Clerk of Court must receive a response within 10 business days. The SC Probate Court page has more on probate record access statewide. Information about York County property records is also available through search.yorkdeeds.com for online deed searches going back to the 1700s.
Nearby Counties
York County is in the northern part of South Carolina, sharing a border with North Carolina to the north. It shares the 16th Judicial Circuit with Union County. Cherokee and Spartanburg counties border it to the east and south. Lancaster County borders it to the southeast.