How to Search Greenville County Court Records
Court records in Greenville County start with the Greenville County Public Index. This free portal lets anyone look up Circuit Court cases by name or case number. The South Carolina Judicial Branch also links Greenville from its statewide Case Records Search page. The county portal covers Common Pleas civil cases and General Sessions criminal cases. It does not replace the official file. For certified proof, you still request a copy from the right court office.
Before you start, get your browser ready and gather a few details. The search works best when you know a full name or a case number.
- Open the Public Index and use a browser with cookies and JavaScript turned on.
- Read the county disclaimer, then click Accept to agree to the terms.
- Enter the security code in the check window and click Validate. Pressing Enter does not work.
- Type a party name or a case number. For a criminal case, the arrest warrant number is shown as the case number.
- Narrow the list by court type, case type, date range, or party type, then click Search.
- Click a case number link to view docket actions, financials, and any document images.
If a search returns too many people, add a court type or a date range. If it returns nothing, drop the extra filters and try a partial name with the Contains option. The official guide says to start simple and add filters only after you see broad results.
The Greenville County Judicial System
Greenville County is part of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, which it shares with Pickens County. South Carolina runs a single statewide court system, so the same court names and rules apply across the state. The Circuit Court is the main trial court. It splits into the Court of Common Pleas for civil cases and the Court of General Sessions for criminal cases. Below it sit the summary courts, which are the Magistrate and Municipal courts. Above it sit the Court of Appeals and the South Carolina Supreme Court.
The South Carolina Judicial Branch lists the courts, judges, and clerk for the county. You can review them on the state's Greenville County courthouse page, which names the 13th Circuit, the courthouse address, and the Clerk of Court.
The state page is a good starting point when you are not sure which court hears your matter. The chart below shows how a case moves up through the system.
Case flow: Magistrate / Municipal Court › Circuit Court (Common Pleas & General Sessions) › Court of Appeals › Supreme Court
| Court | Jurisdiction | Case Types |
|---|---|---|
| Circuit Court | General trial court, 13th Circuit | Civil suits, foreclosures, felonies, serious misdemeanors |
| Family Court | Exclusive over domestic matters | Divorce, custody, support, adoption, juvenile |
| Probate Court | County probate court | Estates, wills, marriage licenses, guardianship |
| Magistrate Court | County summary court | Small claims to $7,500, county traffic, minor crimes |
| Municipal Court | City summary court | City ordinance, municipal traffic and criminal cases |
The Greenville County Circuit Court page covers Common Pleas and General Sessions in more depth, including the judges who serve the 13th Circuit.
Greenville County Courthouses
Greenville County court business is spread across four areas of the county, so the building you need depends on the case. A civil or felony case usually points downtown. A divorce or custody case points to Halton Road. A marriage license or estate matter points to University Ridge. A jail or bond issue points to McGee Street. The county's own courthouse listing confirms the main addresses and the 13th Circuit judges.
The image below shows the South Carolina Judicial Branch page for the county.
That state page lists the courthouse address, the Clerk of Court, the Register of Deeds, and the judges in one place. Use the address cards below to reach the right Greenville County office directly.
Greenville County Courthouse
305 East North Street
Greenville, SC 29601
864-467-8551
Greenville County Probate Court
301 University Ridge, Suite N-T100
Greenville, SC 29601
864-467-7170
Types of Court Records Available in Greenville County
Greenville County court records fall into a few main groups. Each group is kept by a different court, and the access rules are not the same for all of them. Civil and criminal files come out of Circuit Court. Domestic files come out of Family Court. Estate and marriage files come out of Probate Court. Traffic and small claims usually sit in the summary courts.
Most of these records are open to the public unless a law or a judge's order seals them. Here is a quick map of what each one covers.
- Civil records - Common Pleas lawsuits, foreclosures, judgments, and liens. Images of most civil cases can be printed from the Public Index.
- Criminal records - General Sessions charges, indictments, and dispositions. File details show online; copies go through the Clerk.
- Family and divorce records - divorce, custody, support, and adoption. See marriage and divorce records for details.
- Probate records - wills, estates, guardianships, and marriage licenses through Probate Court.
- Traffic records - county and city citations through traffic court records.
What Greenville County Court Records Show
A court record is more than a name and a charge. Each file is built from many entries, added over the life of the case. The Public Index pulls the key fields into one view. When you open a case number, you can read the parties, the filing date, and the docket actions. Some cases also show financial entries such as fines, fees, and bond amounts. Civil cases in Common Pleas may include printable document images. As of January 1, 2026, home addresses no longer appear on the public index for new or existing cases.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Case Number | The case link. For criminal cases, the arrest warrant number serves as the case number. |
| Filing Date | The date the first pleading or charge was entered. |
| Parties | Plaintiff and defendant, or petitioner and respondent. A double-arrow icon toggles all parties. |
| Charges / Cause | The criminal charge or the civil claim that opened the case. |
| Disposition | The final outcome, such as a plea, a judgment, a dismissal, or a sentence. |
| Financials | Fines, court costs, bond, and payment entries tied to the case. |
Note: A screenshot of an online record is not certified proof, so request a certified copy from the court when you need an official document.
Public Access Laws for Greenville County Court Records
South Carolina starts from a position of open records. The state Freedom of Information Act says public business should be done openly and that people should be able to learn about it with little cost or delay. County government, the sheriff, and many public safety records fall under that law. Court records are also shaped by court rules, privacy statutes, and judge's orders, so a few categories stay closed even when the general rule is open. Bulk or compiled judicial data follows a separate rule and goes through the Office of Court Administration, not a normal records request.
Key Statutes:
S.C. Code § 30-4-30 - Gives the public the right to inspect or copy nonexempt records and sets fee and time limits.
S.C. Code § 30-4-40 - Lists exemptions, such as law-enforcement investigation files, medical data, and certain privacy matters.
S.C. Code § 30-2-10 - The Family Privacy Protection Act, which limits use of personal data pulled from public records.
For more on filing a request and the fees that apply, see the Greenville County public records page.
Records That Are Restricted or Confidential
Not every court file is open. The Greenville County Clerk lists clear exceptions to public viewing and copying. These include dismissed warrants, sealed cases, juvenile cases, and adoption filings. Expunged records are removed from public access under state law. Medical and mental-health records held by the jail are protected by HIPAA, and involuntary commitment files in Probate Court are highly restricted. Personal data such as Social Security numbers and financial account numbers is redacted.
If a record is sealed, you cannot simply ask the clerk to print it. You file a motion or petition in the court that holds the case, and a judge decides whether any part can be released. An attorney can help when the matter is sealed, juvenile, or confidential by statute.
Specialty Courts in Greenville County
The 13th Circuit runs several problem-solving and specialty programs. The Solicitor's Office has a Domestic Violence Unit with assistant solicitors, investigators, and victim advocates serving Greenville and Pickens counties. It also references approved batterer's intervention programs that run 26 weeks. The Solicitor hosts pretrial intervention and diversion materials, and successful completion of a diversion program can lead to dismissal and expungement eligibility for some charges.
Probate Court handles involuntary commitment proceedings, which involve emergency admission and judicial review rather than a criminal case. Those records are sensitive and are not open like a normal court file. Treatment court is listed by the state as a trial-court resource, and the 13th Circuit Solicitor is the office to contact for current diversion and intervention options.
Greenville County Sheriff and Jail
The Greenville County Sheriff's Office is led by Sheriff Hobart Lewis. The county runs the Adult Detention Center on McGee Street in downtown Greenville, with a rated capacity of 1,277 across three housing buildings. The detention center handles intake, housing, medical care, and release. Most people held there are pretrial detainees, which means they have been charged but not convicted.
You can look up a person in custody through the Greenville County inmate records page, which explains the county search portal, bond, and release timing. For active warrants and how the Public Index ties a warrant number to a case, see the warrant records page. The county warns that online inmate data changes fast and is not the official record.
Marriage, Divorce, and Probate Records
Marriage licenses come from Greenville County Probate Court, not the Clerk of Court. Divorce is a Family Court matter. Estates, wills, and guardianships are handled in Probate Court as well. See marriage and divorce records for the license process and probate records for estate searches. The terms below come up often in estate files.
- Testator
- A person who makes and leaves a valid will.
- Executor
- The personal representative named to carry out the will and settle the estate.
- Conservator
- A person the court appoints to manage the finances of someone who cannot do so.
- Intestate
- Dying without a valid will, so state law decides who inherits.
Greenville County Court Records Fees
The Clerk of Court charges set fees for copies and certifications. The copies of records page lists them. Plain copies run a quarter a page. Certified and exemplified copies cost more because they carry the court seal. These are copy fees, not filing fees. A new Common Pleas lawsuit has its own filing fee of $150, which opens a civil case and is separate from buying a copy.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Plain copy per page | $0.25 |
| Certified or sealed copy | $10.00 per document |
| Exemplified copy or notary under seal | $10.00 per document |
| Common Pleas civil filing fee | $150.00 |
The Clerk takes cash, money order, business check, or a credit or debit card with a processing fee. The screenshot below shows the county's criminal records copy instructions.
That page explains that General Sessions copies are requested in person at Suite 228 or by email, using the warrant or indictment number. More detail is on the Clerk of Court page.
How to Interpret Greenville County Court Records
Court files use shorthand that can confuse a first-time reader. A docket is the running list of events in a case. A roster is the list of hearings set for a court day. A disposition is the final result of a charge. A charge is not the same as a conviction, and an arrest does not mean guilt. In a criminal case, the State is the party bringing the charge, and the defendant is the person charged.
Bond terms also trip people up. A temporary bond means the person has not yet seen a judge for arraignment and no bond has been set. A personal recognizance release lets a person leave on a promise to appear. When you read a Greenville County court record, match the docket entry to the date so you can follow the case in order.
Accuracy and Record Limitations
Online court data is a useful starting point, not the last word. Entries can lag behind the paper file. The county says inmate and case information may not reflect current status. Older files may sit off-site and take a couple of business days to retrieve after you ask.
Note: Always confirm a name, date, or disposition with the court office that holds the file before you rely on an online result for any legal or personal decision.
History of Greenville County Courts
The current Circuit Court courthouse at 305 East North Street is a three-story red brick building that fills a downtown block at Church Street and East North Street. South Carolina set up its statewide Family Court system by statute in 1976, the same year the county built a new Law Enforcement Center and moved the jail to McGee Street. Building One was added in 1994 and Building Four in 2007. Jay Gresham took office as Clerk of Court in January 2025 after his 2024 election, and the state notes he is the youngest person in county history to hold the post and only the second attorney to do so.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I search Greenville County court records online?
Use the Greenville County Public Index. Open the portal, accept the disclaimer, enter the security code, and click Validate. Then search by name or case number. You need a browser with cookies and JavaScript turned on. The state Judicial Branch also links Greenville from its statewide Case Records Search page.
What is the difference between Common Pleas and General Sessions?
Both are divisions of Circuit Court. Common Pleas is the civil side and handles lawsuits, foreclosures, and judgments. General Sessions is the criminal side and handles felony and serious misdemeanor cases. The Clerk of Court keeps records for both.
Where is the Greenville County Courthouse?
The main courthouse is at 305 East North Street in downtown Greenville, at Church Street and East North Street. Family Court is separate, at 350 Halton Road. Probate Court is at 301 University Ridge, Suite N-T100.
More answers are on the Greenville County Court records FAQ page.