Formed from portions of Orangeburg County in 1804, Lexington County is named in honor of the Battle of Lexington during the American Revolutionary War. Located in the central part of South Carolina, Lexington County is home to over 290,000 people. The county covers an area of about 758 square miles and has its county seat in Lexington.

Courts in Lexington County

The judicial system in Lexington County encompasses Circuit, Family, Probate, Magistrate, and Municipal Courts. The Circuit Court has jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases and has two divisions. The Court of Common Pleas Division presides over civil cases, such as civil claims for disputes over $7,500, contact claims, and landlord-tenant disputes. The General Session Division presides over criminal cases, including felonies and misdemeanors.

The Domestic Relations Court in Lexington County presides over family law, mental health, and some juvenile cases. The court handles divorce, annulment, adoption, child custody, child support, and civil domestic violence cases.

The Probate Court deals with matters relating to the administration of the decedent’s estates. Probate cases include guardianship of minors, conservatorships, wills, and mental health commitments.

The Magistrate Court in Lexington County has limited jurisdiction over lesser civil and criminal offenses, such as disputes for amounts under $7,500, traffic violations, and misdemeanors. The Municipal Courts are established by municipalities and handle cases involving city violations, traffic infractions, and violations of city ordinances.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Lexington County

Public court records refer to court documents open for public viewing and copying. Public court records in Lexington County are available online through the Case Record Search. Record seekers may also visit the courthouses where the case was filed and heard to view and copy court records. Also, interested persons can mail requests for public court records.

Types of Public Court Records in Lexington County

Public access to court documents enables the public to see how decisions are made during legal proceedings, ensuring fairness and integrity of the judicial system. Publicly accessible court records in Lexington County include:

• Civil Court Records: Injunctions, contract disputes, evictions, property disputes, and small claims
• Criminal Court Records: Felonies and misdemeanors, including aggravated assaults, robberies, vandalism, and petty theft
• Family Law Court Records: Legal separation, annulments, divorce, child visitation, child custody, and child support
• Probate Records: Conservatorship, guardianship, estates, wills, and trusts
• Traffic Records: Hit and run, speeding violations, driving without insurance, and parking violations

Confidential Court Records in Lexington County

Confidential court records in Lexington County refer to documents from the courts that are inaccessible to the public. Confidential court records contain private and sensitive information and are protected by the courts to protect individuals from harm and comply with the law. Examples of confidential court records include:

• Juvenile court records
• Grand jury proceedings
• Trade secrets
• Mental health records
• Substance abuse treatment records

Court records contain personal data exempted from public view.  Personal identifiers are confidential by law and are redacted from public court records to prevent misuse of personal information. Personal identifying information removed from public court records include:

• Social Security numbers
• Financial account numbers
• Passport numbers
• Medical records
• Birthdates, home addresses, and phone numbers

Juvenile Delinquency in Lexington, SC

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Lexington 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 803 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Lexington County. Of that total, 88% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 704 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

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

Government of Lexington County, SC

https://sc.gov/

County Seat:	Lexington
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Home Rule
Year Organized:	1804
Total Square Miles:	758
2019 Population:	290,642
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00
County Contact:	212 S Lake Dr County Courthouse Lexington , SC 29072-3410 http://www.lex-co.com

Lexington County, SC Courts