Lexington Criminal History Records
Lexington is the county seat of Lexington County, one of the fastest-growing counties in South Carolina, located just west of Columbia. Criminal history in Lexington runs through the Lexington Police Department for city-level arrests, the Lexington County Clerk of Court for case filings, and SLED for statewide background records. This page covers where to find criminal records tied to Lexington, how each source works, and what state law says about public access.
Lexington Quick Facts
Lexington Police Department Records
The Lexington Police Department is at 111 Maiden Lane, Lexington, SC 29072. The non-emergency line is (803) 359-6260. The department's website is at lexsc.com/police. The records division accepts requests for incident and accident reports in person or by mail.
When requesting records, provide the date of the incident, the type of report, and the names of persons involved. Per-page fees may apply. Active investigation records are withheld. Once a case is resolved, the records are generally accessible under South Carolina's public records framework.
Lexington Police records cover city activity only. The Lexington County Sheriff handles unincorporated county areas. For a full picture of Lexington criminal history, use the county court system and SLED alongside local police records. The Lexington County Sheriff's site at lexingtonscsheriff.com provides agency information for the broader county area.
Searching Criminal History in Lexington
SLED CATCH at catch.sled.sc.gov is the broadest tool for a statewide name-based criminal history search covering Lexington. The fee is $25 per search. Results include data from Lexington Police and Lexington County courts, as well as all other reporting agencies in South Carolina.
For court-specific records, the Lexington County Public Index at publicindex.sccourts.org/lexington is free. Search by name or case number to see General Sessions cases, charges, and dispositions. As the county seat, Lexington cases are prominent in this index.
The SC Courts courthouse directory at sccourts.org/courts/courthouse-search provides additional information about Lexington County court locations and contacts. The Lexington County Court website at lexingtoncountycourt.org covers court operations and records access.
FOIA and Public Records in Lexington
The Freedom of Information Act at S.C. Code Ann. Title 30, Chapter 4 applies to the Town of Lexington and Lexington County agencies. FOIA requests to Lexington go to 111 Maiden Lane, Lexington, SC 29072. The same number, (803) 359-6260, handles records and FOIA inquiries.
The town must respond within ten business days. Fees may be charged for copying and staff time. Exempt records include active investigation materials, records identifying confidential informants, and juvenile records. A written request identifying the specific record, the date range, and the individuals involved gives the agency what it needs to respond quickly and accurately.
Many court records are already accessible through the Lexington County Public Index. FOIA is most useful for police incident reports and other city-held records that are not available through the court system.
County Court Criminal Records for Lexington Residents
The Lexington County Clerk of Court is at 205 E. Main Street, Lexington, SC 29072. The phone number is (803) 785-8217. The clerk's website is at lexingtoncountycourt.org. All General Sessions cases from Lexington are filed and maintained at this office.
Felony and serious misdemeanor cases from the town flow to the Lexington County Clerk. Indictments, plea agreements, verdicts, and sentencing documents are all on file there. The free Public Index at publicindex.sccourts.org/lexington provides name-based and case-number access to those records.
Lexington Municipal Court at 111 Maiden Lane handles lower-level matters within town jurisdiction. Contact that court at (803) 359-6260 for records specific to municipal-level Lexington criminal history. Municipal court records may not all appear in the county Public Index.
Criminal History Statutes and Lexington
S.C. Code Ann. § 23-3-115 authorizes SLED to gather criminal records from reporting agencies across South Carolina. Lexington Police and Lexington County courts both report to SLED under this statute. When CATCH returns results for a Lexington criminal history search, that data comes from this reporting framework.
The Freedom of Information Act at Title 30, Chapter 4 governs all public records requests to Lexington town and county agencies. The law sets the ten-day response window, the fee structure, and the categories of records that are exempt from disclosure.
S.C. Code Ann. § 17-1-40 covers expungement. Records destroyed through expungement are permanently removed from all public sources. If a search of Lexington criminal history returns missing records, expungement may explain the gap. Records that were expunged will not appear in the Public Index, in CATCH results, or in any FOIA response.
Expungement in Lexington
Under S.C. Code Ann. § 17-1-40, qualifying individuals can petition the Lexington County courts to have their criminal records destroyed. Eligible records include arrests that did not lead to conviction, cases completed through pretrial intervention programs, and certain first-offense convictions after the statutory waiting period.
The petition is filed at the Lexington County Clerk of Court, 205 E. Main Street in Lexington. The filing fee is $250. If the court grants the petition, it orders the Lexington Police Department and SLED to destroy the records. The destruction is permanent and cannot be reversed.
After expungement, those records are removed from every public search of Lexington criminal history. The Public Index will not show the case. SLED CATCH will not return it. Municipal court records included in the petition are also cleared. For eligibility questions, contact the Lexington County Clerk at (803) 785-8217 or consult a South Carolina attorney.
Lexington County Criminal History
Lexington is the county seat of Lexington County, and all General Sessions criminal cases from the town are processed through the county court system. For a full view of Lexington County criminal history resources, visit the county page.
Nearby South Carolina Cities
Several cities near Lexington have their own criminal history resources. Choose a city below to learn more.