Named after Lord John Berkeley, one of the Lords Proprietors of Carolina, Berkeley County is located in the southeastern part of South Carolina. Established in 1682, Berkeley County has its county seat in Moncks Corner and is home to over 240,000 South Carolinians.

Courts in Berkeley County

The Berkeley County Court comprises Circuit, Family, Probate, Magistrate, and Municipal Courts. The Circuit Court handles all criminal and civil cases. It has two Sections: the Court of Common Pleas, which handles civil cases, and the Court of General Sessions, which handles criminal cases.

The Family Court specializes in family-related disputes and presides over divorce, separation, adoption, child custody, child support, and domestic abuse cases. The Probate Court handles matters relating to the administration of estates, including wills, guardianships, conservatorships, and mental health commitments.

The Magistrate Courts have limited authority. It presides over misdemeanors, small claims for disputes up to $7,500, traffic violations, and landlord/tenant disputes. The Municipal Court presides over city ordinance violations,  misdemeanors, and traffic violations.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Berkeley County

Public court records are the documents maintained by the courts that are open for inspection and copying. The Clerk of the Circuit Court is the record custodian for public court records. The Clerk provides access to Berkeley County public court records online through the Case Records Search.  Additionally, record seekers may visit the courthouses during official hours to obtain the records or mail requests to the courthouses for the documents.

Types of Public Court Records in Berkeley County

Access to court records educates the public about the judicial process, enabling citizens to stay informed about significant cases and legal trends. The following court records are publicly available in Berkeley County:

• Civil Court Records: Small claims, contract breaches, defamation, personal injury claims, and employment disputes
• Criminal Court Records: Felonies and misdemeanors such as homicide, aggravated assaults, disorderly conduct, and petty theft
• Probate Records: Estates, wills, name changes, trusts, guardianships, and conservatorships
• Family Court Records: Legal separation, annulment, divorce, alimony, child custody and child support
• Traffic Records: Illegal parking, driving without a valid license, and seat belt violation

Confidential Court Records in Berkeley County

Confidential court records in Berkeley County refer to the documents maintained by the courts that are inaccessible to the public. Confidential courts contain sensitive information and are sealed by the court to protect the safety and privacy of the record holder. Examples of confidential court records include:

• Juvenile records
• Adoption records
• Grand jury proceedings
• Medical and mental health records
• Substance abuse treatment records

Similarly, court records contain private information exempted from public view by law. Personal data on court records are confidential and are redacted to prevent potential harassment, fraud, or identity theft. Personal identifiers on court records excluded from public view include:

• Social Security numbers
• Vehicle plate numbers
• Drivers license numbers
• Passport numbers
• Bank and credit card numbers

Juvenile Delinquency in Berkeley, SC

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

In 2015, a total of 963 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Berkeley County. Of that total, 89% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 856 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

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

Government of Berkeley County, SC

https://sc.gov/

County Seat:	Moncks Corner
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Home Rule
Year Organized:	1882
Total Square Miles:	1,229
2019 Population:	217,937
Persons/Square Mile:	0.01
County Contact:	PO BOX 6122 County Courthouse Moncks Corner , SC 29461-6120 https://www.berkeleycountysc.gov

Berkeley County, SC Courts