Situated in Northwestern South Carolina, Greenville County, established in 1786, has approximately 550,000 residents and covers a land mass of 2,011 square kilometers. Greenville has its county seat in Greenville City and is known for its contribution to advanced manufacturing, especially in the automotive and aerospace sectors.

Courts in Greenville County

The judicial system in Greenville County comprises Circuit, Family, Probate, Magistrates, and Municipal Courts. The Greenville County Circuit Court is the highest trial court in the County and has broad jurisdiction over criminal cases, major civil cases, and appeals from lower courts. The Circuit Court has 2 Divisions: The Courts of Common Pleas, which handles civil cases such as claims for disputes above $7,500 and landlord/tenant disputes. The Court of General Session Division handles criminal cases.

The Family Courts have exclusive jurisdiction over domestic disputes, including child custody, visitation schedules,  divorces, property disputes between spouses, and name changes. The Probate Courts preside over matters relating to the administration of a deceased estate, including wills, trusts, guardianships, and conservatorships.

The Greenville Magistrates Courts handles certain civil and criminal cases, including preliminary hearings for criminal cases and criminal offenses punishable by fines. The Courts preside over cases such as domestic violence, shoplifting, and fraudulent checks. Greenville Municipal Courts handles traffic and criminal misdemeanor violations and City ordinance violations.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Greenville County

Public court records are court papers and documents open to the public for viewing and copying. The Clerk of Court provides access to all public court records from Greenville County using the 13th Judicial Circuit Public Index portal. The Clerk's office also grants access to public court records at the courthouse. Record seekers may view or copy the records. The court also permits mail requests for the records.

Types of Public Court Records in Greenville County

Public court records in Greenville County provide insights into the happenings in the county’s judiciary and promote equity and fairness. Court records publicly available to Greenville County residents include:

• Civil Court Records: Contract breaches, property damage, personal injury claims, and landlord/tenant disputes
• Criminal Court Records: Felonies such as murder and armed robberies, and misdemeanors including public intoxication and shoplifting
• Probate Records: Trusts, wills, guardianships, and conservatorships
• Family Court Records: Marriage annulments and divorces, legal separation, child support, name change, and alimony
• Traffic Records: Traffic offenses such as speeding, illegal parking, expired license, and driving without a seat belt

Confidential Court Records in Greenville County

Confidential court records are documents containing private or sensitive information unavailable to the public. Confidential court records are sealed by court order and are only accessible to authorized parties such as court judges or juvenile attorneys. Confidential court records in Greenville County include:

• Juvenile court records
• Trade secrets
• Child abuse and neglect cases
• Medical, psychiatric, and psychological records
• Adoption records
• Alcohol and drug dependency records

Likewise, personal data within a court document are restricted from public view. Personal identifiers contain information where disclosure may threaten the safety of the person named on the court document. Personal data on court records are confidential records and redacted from the document. They include:

• Social Security numbers
• Tax identification numbers
• Vehicle plate numbers
• Insurance policy numbers
• Financial account information

Juvenile Delinquency in Greenville, SC

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Greenville 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 1461 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Greenville County. Of that total, 93% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 1364 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

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

Government of Greenville County, SC

https://sc.gov/

County Seat:	Greenville
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Home Rule
Year Organized:	1798
Total Square Miles:	795
2019 Population:	506,837
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00

Greenville County, SC Courts