Richland County, with its county seat in Columbia City, was established in 1785. Situated in the central parts of South Carolina, it is part of the Columbia metropolitan area, the central hub for government and education. Richland County has a population of over 430,000 residents and covers an area of about 772 square miles.

Courts in Richland County

The court system in Richland County comprises Circuits, Family, Probate, Magistrate, and Municipal Courts. The Richland County Circuit Court serves as the general jurisdiction trial court for the county, handling criminal and civil cases. The Court also hears appeals from the lower courts. The Circuit Court has two divisions.  The Court of Common Pleas Division, which handles civil cases, and the Court of General Sessions Division, presides over criminal cases. Criminal cases include felonies and misdemeanors, while civil cases include claims for more than $7,500.

The Family Court has jurisdiction over domestic relations cases such as divorce, annulments, child visitation, and division of marital property. The Probate Court handles wills, estates, trusts, and guardianship of minor cases. The Magistrate Court handles misdemeanor offenses and civil cases such as landlord/tenant disputes and small claims. The Municipal Courts handle cases involving violations of city ordinances, traffic offenses, and other minor criminal cases.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Richland County

Public court records are documents and papers from judicial proceedings that are publicly available to Richland County residents. The Clerk of Court Office is the custodian of public court records in the county. The office provides online access to public court records using the South Carolina Judicial Branch portal. Record seekers may also visit the courthouse to view and obtain copies of public court records. The office also permits mail requests for court documents.

Types of Public Court Records in Richland County

The following court records are open to Richland County residents for inspection, viewing, and copying:

• Civil Court Records: Landlord/tenant disputes, business litigations,  property disputes, and small claims records
• Criminal Court Records: Felonies such as aggravated assaults and homicide, and misdemeanors, including vandalism and disorderly conduct records
• Traffic Records: Traffic citations, including illegal parking, speeding tickets, and driving under the influence records
• Probate Records: Guardianships, conservatorships, wills, and trust records
• Family Law Records: Child custody, child support, legal separation, annulments, and divorce records

Confidential Court Records in Richland County

Confidential court records are documents from the courts in Richland County that are inaccessible to the public. Confidential court records contain sensitive and private information where disclosure may result in an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. Confidential court records are restricted from the public by court orders or federal or state laws. The following court records are exempt from public view in Richland County:

• Trade secrets
• Grand jury proceedings
• Juvenile court records
• Adoption records
• Medical and mental health records

Similarly, personal identifiers within public court records are excluded from court records and exempted from public view. Personal identifiers are information on court documents used to identify an individual. Disclosing personal data on court records may jeopardize the safety of the record holder, exposing them to fraud and identity theft. Personal identifiers redacted from court records include:

• Date of birth
• Driver’s license numbers
• Passport numbers
• Financial account numbers
• Social Security numbers

Juvenile Delinquency in Richland, SC

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Richland 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 968 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Richland County. Of that total, 96% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 934 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

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

Government of Richland County, SC

https://sc.gov/

County Seat:	Columbia
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Home Rule
Year Organized:	1799
Total Square Miles:	772
2019 Population:	411,592
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00

Richland County, SC Courts