Finding Greenville County South Carolina court records can feel like trying to navigate a maze where half the signs are in a language you don't quite speak. Honestly, most people think they can just "Google" a case and see everything. It doesn't really work that way. South Carolina's 13th Judicial Circuit has its own quirks, and if you're looking for a divorce decree from 1992 or trying to figure out if that new contractor has a rap sheet in General Sessions, you need to know exactly which door to knock on.
Public records are a right. You've got the law on your side with the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, but the bureaucracy is real. Records are scattered across different offices depending on if the case is civil, criminal, or probate.
The Digital Front Door: The Public Index
The fastest way to start is the Greenville County Public Index. It's an online portal that acts as a clearinghouse for most circuit court filings.
Basically, this is where you go for "Common Pleas" (civil lawsuits over $7,500) and "General Sessions" (felonies and serious misdemeanors). You don't need a login. Just a name. But here's the kicker: the online version is often just a "summary." You'll see the docket, the judge's name, and a list of filings, but you might not see the actual PDFs of the motions unless the case was filed electronically recently.
If you're hunting for older stuff, say pre-2000s, the digital index might just give you a "see paper file" notification. That's your cue to put on real shoes and head downtown.
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Where to Go in Person
The Greenville County Courthouse sits at 305 East North Street. It's a busy spot. If you need a certified copy of something—meaning a copy with the official seal that a bank or another court will actually accept—this is your destination.
The Clerk of Court handles the heavy lifting here. They manage the records for:
- Civil Cases: Lawsuits, foreclosures, and property disputes.
- Criminal Cases: The serious stuff. If it’s a high-level crime, it's here.
- Family Court: Divorces, child support, and name changes.
Wait. There's a catch with Family Court.
If you are looking for a divorce record from before April 1996, you go to the main courthouse on North Street. If the divorce happened after April 1996, you actually have to go to the Family Court office at 301 University Ridge. It’s only a few minutes away, but it's a different building. Small details like that save you an hour of circling for parking.
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Probate and the "Other" Records
Then there’s the Probate Court. This isn't just about dead people, though that's a big part of it (estates and wills). It’s also where you find marriage licenses and guardianship records.
Greenville's Probate Court is located at County Square (301 University Ridge). If you’re doing genealogy or checking a will, you can search their database online, but requesting the actual files usually involves a small fee. Speaking of money, keep some cash or a card handy. Copies are usually about $0.25 per page, and getting a document certified generally costs $10.00. It's not expensive, but it adds up if you're pulling a 50-page deposition.
The Misdemeanor Gap
One thing that trips everyone up is looking for "summary court" or "magistrate" records on the main circuit index. They aren't there.
If someone got a speeding ticket or a small-time shoplifting charge, those records are often kept at the municipal level or by the Magistrate Court. You might need to check the Greenville Municipal Court portal specifically if the incident happened within city limits. It’s a separate silo. People often panic when they can't find a record of an arrest they know happened, and 9 times out of 10, it's because they're looking in the "Big Court" (Circuit) instead of the "Small Court" (Magistrate).
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What You Can't See
Not everything is public. South Carolina is pretty open, but judges can seal cases.
Juvenile records? Sealed. Adoptions? Definitely sealed. Certain "sensitive" filings in a nasty divorce might also be restricted. Also, don't expect to see Social Security numbers or bank account digits. Redaction is a big deal now, and the clerks are pretty aggressive about scrubbing private data before a document hits the public terminal.
How to Actually Get What You Need
- Start Online: Use the 13th Judicial Circuit Public Index first. It's free.
- Narrow the Date: If you're looking for property or old deeds, the Register of Deeds (also at County Square) is your spot, not the Clerk of Court.
- Call Ahead: If you need a certified copy of a decades-old file, call the Records Department at 864-467-8551. They often have to pull files from off-site storage, which can take 24 to 48 hours.
- Bring ID: You don't always need it to look, but you'll definitely need it if you're a party to a case trying to get specific restricted documents.
The reality of Greenville County South Carolina court records is that the information is there, but it’s partitioned. Once you realize that "Circuit," "Family," and "Probate" are three different worlds, the whole process gets a lot faster.
To get started right now, visit the official Greenville County Public Index portal to run a preliminary name search. If the record you need requires a certified seal for legal purposes, prepare a written request with the case number and mail it to the Clerk of Court at 305 East North Street, Suite 228, Greenville, SC 29601, along with the required $10 certification fee.