Beaufort County was created in 1769 and is home to 187,117, according to the 2020 census. The county has an estimated 80,670 households, with a median household income of $83,323. Its county seat, Beaufort City, is the second-oldest city in South Carolina.

Courts in Beaufort County

Courts in Beaufort County include the Circuit Court, Magistrates Court, Family Court, Probate Court, and Municipal Courts. 

The Beaufort County Circuit Court is classified in the Court of Common Pleas and the Court of General Session. The Court of Common Pleas hears general civil matters involving more than $7,500. It also handles cases of damage to property, forfeiture, and landlord-tenant disputes. On the other hand, the Court of General Session hears criminal cases, including felonies and misdemeanors.

Beaufort County Family Court hears all family cases arising from the county, including domestic abuse, divorce, child support, alimony, and child custody cases. The court also hears juvenile and adoption cases.  

Beaufort County Probate Court has jurisdiction over matters relating to trusts and wills, estate administration, guardianships, and involuntary commitments. The court also handles settlements of claims involving minors of less than $10,000.

Beaufort County Magistrates Court hears civil claims involving $7,500 or less. It also has jurisdiction over traffic offenses and crimes punishable by imprisonment of not more than 30 days or a fine of $500 or less.

Municipal Courts operate in cities in the County. They have jurisdiction over misdemeanor offenses and ordinance violations. Municipal courts have similar criminal jurisdiction to the Magistrates Court, but their jurisdiction is limited to the city in which they operate.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Beaufort County

The Beaufort County Clerk of Court is responsible for maintaining all court records in the county apart from those of the Municipal Courts. Interested people can contact the Clerk’s office for copies of the records. Beaufort County court records are also available online through the case record search portal. The Probate Court case information is also available on the South Carolina probate case search portal. For the Municipal Courts' records, contact the relevant Municipal Court where the case was heard. 

Types of Public Court Records in Beaufort County

Court records include case dockets and calendars, exhibits, filings, pleadings, and court judgments generated or submitted during a court case. These records are considered public in most cases, including:

• Civil claims
• Small claims
• Felony cases
• Misdemeanors and traffic offenses
• Probate cases

Confidential Court Records in Beaufort County

Confidential court records refer to case records to which federal, state, or local laws restrict access. Such records are not open to the public and may only be accessed by certain persons or bodies. Some examples of confidential court records in Beaufort County include:

• Adoption records
• Juvenile records
• Records sealed by court order
• Records containing trade secrets
• Records that violate attorney-client privilege
• Records containing personal information like social security and account numbers

Juvenile Delinquency in Beaufort, SC

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Beaufort County, juvenile delinquency crimes are on the rise. There are many reasons for the increase in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in South Carolina often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of offenses, and other family matters.

In 2015, a total of 666 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Beaufort County. Of that total, 79% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 523 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

A lot of counties, including, Beaufort County, are focusing on family health and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Beaufort County juvenile delinquency statistics will show whether or not this approach is working.

Government of Beaufort County, SC

https://sc.gov/

County Seat:	Beaufort
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Home Rule
Year Organized:	1764
Total Square Miles:	923
2019 Population:	186,844
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00
County Contact:	PO BOX 1228 County Courthouse Beaufort , SC 29901-1228 http://www.bcgov.net

Beaufort County, SC Courts