Common Questions About Richland County Court Records
How do I search Richland County court records online?
Use the South Carolina Judicial Branch Public Index for Richland County, or start at the statewide Case Records Search page and pick Richland. Turn on cookies and JavaScript, and add a pop-up exception if a case window does not open. Search by case number when you have it, since the number codes the court and the county. Otherwise search by last name and narrow with a first name and a date range. See the Richland County court records page for the full walkthrough.
What courts are included in Richland County court records?
Richland records can include Circuit Court Common Pleas civil cases, General Sessions criminal cases, Family Court matters, Probate estate and marriage files, Magistrate cases, and Master-in-Equity referred matters. Columbia Municipal Court is listed as available in the statewide index as of December 1, 2025. Each court keeps its own files. For how the courts fit together, see the Circuit Court page.
Who is the Richland County Clerk of Court?
The Clerk of Court is Jeanette McBride, an elected official first chosen in 2008. Her office is at the Richland County Judicial Center, 1701 Main Street, Columbia, SC 29201, phone 803-576-1950, open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Clerk covers Common Pleas, General Sessions, and Family Court records. For divisions and copy requests, see the Clerk of Court page.
Can the Clerk run a full criminal background check?
No. The Clerk's records do not include Magistrate or Summary Court cases, and the office does not perform a certified records check. For a full statewide criminal history, contact SLED at 803-737-9000 or use SLED CATCH. The Clerk can still provide copies of the General Sessions files it holds. The arrest records page explains the difference between local and statewide checks.
Where are General Sessions criminal records requested?
Mail a request or go in person to 1701 Main Street, Columbia, SC 29201, where Criminal Records is on the 4th floor. General Sessions records include warrants, indictments, sentence sheets, bond papers, and related documents filed with the Clerk. Mailed requests go to the Clerk of Court, Attn: Criminal Records, P.O. Box 2766, Columbia, SC 29202. See court records for the request process.
How do I get a Richland County marriage license?
Richland County Probate Court issues marriage licenses. The application is online only, paid by debit or credit card, with a fee of $45.24. South Carolina requires a 24-hour waiting period after the application is received, then Probate mails the license. No blood test is required, and residency is not required to use a South Carolina license for a South Carolina marriage. See the marriage and divorce records page.
How do I order a Richland marriage certified copy?
Use the official certified-copy portal and enter both parties' names as they appear on the license. The fee is $8 per copy, paid online, and payments are nonrefundable. Processing runs within two business days of a completed request. Licenses applied for before 1993 may not show the date of marriage. The marriage and divorce records page has the search fields and steps.
Are Probate estate records public?
Estate records are generally open to the public. Richland Probate keeps estate records from 1900 to the present, with 1900 through 1982 on microfilm and files since 1983 scanned for public computers. Mental health records and files with lunacy information are confidential. You can search by decedent name or estate number. See the probate records page for fees and access.
How much are Probate estate record copies?
In-office copies are $0.50 per copy. Mail requests start with a $3 search fee, then a bill letter is emailed for the copy costs before the copies are sent. Online estate-record access is offered by subscription, priced by day, week, month, or year. For the full fee detail and the subscription option, see the probate records page.
How do I search for someone in the Richland County jail?
Use the official detainee lookup. Enter a last name and a first name, complete the CAPTCHA, then click Search Offenders. The portal has Public Access for people in custody now and a Secure Access side that requires issued credentials. Jail data can update faster than the court index after an arrest. The inmate records page covers the roster, visitation, and money rules.
What is the Richland County jail address?
The Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center is at 201 John Mark Dial Drive, Columbia, SC 29209, phone 803-576-3200. Bond Court is at the same address, phone 803-576-3281. The detention center is the intake jail for the county, holding people awaiting trial and people serving sentences. See the inmate records page for visitation and contact details.
What are jail visiting hours?
General visits run Monday through Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and can pause during meals, shift changes, or lockdowns. Each detainee can choose one one-hour visit per week, with two visitors allowed at a time, including children. Bring a photo ID and dress appropriately. Attorney visits run Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. The inmate records page has the full schedule.
How do I add money to a detainee account?
You can leave a U.S. Postal money order in the front lobby from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week, use the lobby kiosk for cash or credit card, deposit online through McDaniel Supply Company, or mail a U.S. Postal money order. Deposits must be made by noon on Wednesday for that week's commissary. No personal checks, and staff do not take counter payments. See inmate records.
Does Richland County publish released inmates?
No separate recently released list was located. Use the detainee lookup for current custody, then call the detention center at 803-576-3200 if a person no longer appears and you need to confirm a release. For state prison and federal searches, plus release alerts through VINELink, see the released inmates page.
Where do I search state and federal inmates?
Use the South Carolina Department of Corrections search for people sentenced to and held in state prison as of midnight the previous day; it does not show released or county inmates. For federal custody, use the Bureau of Prisons locator, which covers federal inmates from 1982 to the present. The released inmates page links both tools and the search fields.
Is there a Richland County warrant search?
No official county active-warrant portal was located. Search the Public Index for related cases, then contact the issuing court or the Sheriff's Department. Magistrates issue most arrest and search warrants, while judges issue bench warrants for missed court dates. Bond Court and Magistrate Court handle many warrant and bond matters. See the warrant records page for how to check and resolve a warrant.
What law governs South Carolina public records?
South Carolina's Freedom of Information Act, in Title 30, Chapter 4 of the state code, governs public records. It gives people the right to inspect and copy non-exempt records, sets response deadlines, and lists exemptions. Judicial records also follow court rules, such as Rule 610 for bulk or compiled data. The public records page explains how to file a request.
Are juvenile records public?
Generally no. Juvenile records are confidential under the Juvenile Justice Code, with access limited to authorized people and agencies or by court order. Most juvenile information will not appear in a public case search. Adoption and mental-health commitment records are also restricted. The court records page covers what is open and what is sealed.
What is the Master-in-Equity?
The Master-in-Equity is a division of the Circuit Court for referred equity matters. No case starts there; a Circuit Court Order of Reference sends a case to the Master, who then exercises circuit-judge authority over the referred, non-jury matter. Richland's Master handles foreclosure, quiet title, partition, supplemental proceedings, and writs of assistance. Judge Stephanie N. Lawrence was appointed in March 2025. See the Circuit Court page for more.
How do expungements work in Richland County?
South Carolina uses a statute-specific expungement system rather than one universal process. Many adult expungements run through the Fifth Circuit Solicitor's office, and eligibility depends on the offense and the outcome. The General Sessions office notes that an expungement-order payment filed with the Clerk must be a postal money order or cashier's check, or the order will not be filed. The arrest records page covers eligible categories.
Still Have Questions?
For the right office, see Clerk of Court. For broader access rules, see public records. For records by topic, browse court records, arrest records, inmate records, warrant records, marriage and divorce, or probate records.