Abbeville County Criminal History Records

Abbeville County Clerk of Court

The Abbeville County Clerk of Court is Shandal Boggs. Her office sits inside the historic 1908 courthouse at 102 Court Square, Room 103, Abbeville, SC 29620. The Clerk is the official recordkeeper for the 8th Judicial Circuit and maintains every criminal, civil, and family court file generated in Abbeville County. For criminal matters, that includes General Sessions case files, indictments, warrants, bond records, sentence sheets, and judgment rolls.

Requests for specific records must be made in person. The office does not provide research services, so you need to know what you are looking for before you arrive. Staff can locate files by case number or by party name, but they will not conduct a search on your behalf. Standard copy fees apply at $0.25 per page, and certified copies cost $5.00 for the first four pages and $0.25 for each page after that. Most requests are filled within 24 hours when the file is on site.

The Clerk's office does not give legal advice. If a file has been sealed or expunged, it will not appear in office records and staff cannot confirm it ever existed.

The Abbeville County Clerk of Court official website lists staff contacts, copy fee schedules, and child support payment instructions. The deputy clerk handling General Sessions matters is Andrea Gross, reachable at extension 2201.

The page at the Abbeville County Clerk of Court office shows the office's services and how to request records.

Visiting the Clerk's site before your in-person visit can save time by confirming the documents you need and the correct fees.

Note: Real estate records are kept at a separate location, the Abbeville County Administrative Complex at 903 West Greenwood Street, Suite 2400, not at the courthouse.

Criminal History Records in Abbeville County

Criminal history in Abbeville County flows through two main court levels. The General Sessions Court handles felony charges and serious misdemeanors. The Magistrate Court handles lower-level misdemeanors, traffic violations, and preliminary hearings for felonies. Both sets of records are maintained by or accessible through the Clerk of Court office.

A General Sessions criminal record typically includes the original warrant or indictment, all filed motions, plea and trial dispositions, the sentence sheet, and any appeals. Case numbers follow a standard South Carolina format: year, court code, and sequential number. You can search by name or case number at the Public Index portal. For a legally certified copy, you must visit the courthouse in person.

Under South Carolina Code Section 23-3-115, SLED is authorized to maintain a statewide criminal records repository. County court records feed into the SLED database over time, but there can be a lag. If you need current or comprehensive records, always check both the county Public Index and SLED directly.

Arrest records that did not lead to charges, and records that have been expunged, are not visible in public searches. Under Section 17-1-40, a successful expungement removes the record from public view entirely.

Abbeville County Public Index

The Abbeville County Public Index is the fastest free tool for checking court records online. It is hosted by the South Carolina Judicial Branch and is available 24 hours a day. You can search by defendant last name and first name, by case number, or by filing date range. Results cover General Sessions (criminal), Common Pleas (civil), and Family Court cases.

Each result shows the case number, filing date, charge description, court dates, case status, assigned judge, and attorney names. This is enough information to confirm whether a case exists and what its current status is. Actual court documents are not available online. You must visit the Clerk's office to get copies of filings, orders, or sentence sheets.

The online system does not show juvenile records, sealed cases, or expunged matters. It also does not reflect real-time updates, so a recent arrest may not appear for several days.

The Public Index for Abbeville County allows name-based and case number searches from any device.

The search interface is straightforward and requires no login or account creation.

Note: Court rosters showing upcoming hearing schedules are available at publicindex.sccourts.org/abbeville/courtrosters/ and update more frequently than individual case records.

Abbeville County Sheriff's Office Arrest Records

The Abbeville County Sheriff's Office is located at 21 Old Calhoun Falls Road, Abbeville, SC 29620. The main line is (864) 446-6000. The Detention Center operates at the same address and can be reached at (864) 446-6200. Sheriff's records include arrest reports, incident reports, accident reports, and booking information for people held at the county jail.

To request records from the Sheriff, you need to visit the office in person during business hours. Bring valid photo ID and as many details about the incident as possible, including names, dates, and locations. You will fill out a records request form and pay the applicable copy fee. Processing time varies depending on the age and complexity of the request. The Sheriff's Office does not conduct official background checks. For that, you are directed to contact SLED's CATCH system.

Active warrant information is available in limited form. The office will confirm whether a warrant exists for a named individual but will not provide full warrant details over the phone.

The Magistrate Court at the same address, (864) 446-6500, handles bond court twice daily at 9:00 AM and 4:30 PM. Chief Magistrate Tiffani Mitchum oversees the court, which has jurisdiction over misdemeanor offenses with fines up to $500 or up to 30 days in jail.

The Abbeville County Magistrate Court website shows jurisdiction, fees, and how to pay fines online.

Online fine payment for magistrate cases is available at publicindex.sccourts.org/abbeville/onlinepayments.

Searching Criminal History in Abbeville County Through SLED

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division runs the statewide criminal records system. The SLED CATCH portal lets individuals and organizations submit a name-based criminal history request for $25 per search. Results reflect the SLED statewide repository, which draws from all South Carolina courts, including Abbeville County's General Sessions records.

A SLED CATCH result is a name-based search, not a fingerprint-based one. That means it is possible for a record to be missed if the name was entered differently at booking, or for a false match to appear if two people share the same name. For the most reliable background check, especially for legal or official purposes, a fingerprint-based search through SLED is recommended. Contact the SLED Public Dissemination Unit at 803.896.1443 for information about fingerprint-based checks.

The sex offender registry for Abbeville County is available through the SLED Sex Offender Registry. Current and former Abbeville County residents appear in this searchable statewide database. Searches can be filtered by county, city, or zip code.

For inmates currently in state custody, the South Carolina Department of Corrections inmate search shows location, sentence details, and projected release dates. The Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services at dppps.sc.gov tracks individuals on supervision in the community.

Note: A SLED CATCH result is not the same as a court record. It reflects what has been reported to the state repository and may not include every local charge.

Criminal Records Laws in Abbeville County

South Carolina's Freedom of Information Act, found at Title 30, Chapter 4, gives the public the right to inspect and copy public records, including most court records. Requests must be made in writing. Abbeville County has 10 business days to respond for records less than 24 months old and 20 business days for older records. Fees are based on actual staff time using the prorated hourly rate of the lowest-paid employee with the required skills. Copies typically run $0.25 to $1.00 per page.

FOIA requests for county government records should be submitted in writing to the County Director at 903 W. Greenwood Street, Suite 2800, Abbeville, SC 29620. Include "Freedom of Information Act Request" in the subject line and describe the specific records you need. Court records housed at the Clerk of Court office are requested directly from that office rather than through the county FOIA coordinator.

Abbeville County is in the 8th Judicial Circuit. The Solicitor's Office for the 8th Circuit prepares all General Sessions dockets and handles felony prosecutions. Under Section 23-3-120, the Clerk of Court is required to report disposition data to SLED within set timeframes so the statewide repository stays current.

Expungement in Abbeville County

An expungement erases a criminal record from public access. Once complete, the arrest and charge cannot be disclosed in most background checks. South Carolina Code Section 17-1-40 governs expungements across the state, and Abbeville County follows those procedures.

Eligibility depends on the type of offense, the outcome of the case, and how much time has passed. Common situations where expungement may be available include cases where charges were dismissed or the person was found not guilty, certain first-offense convictions after a waiting period, and charges that did not result in a conviction due to a diversion program. Drug charges and violent offenses have stricter rules.

To start the process in Abbeville County, contact the Solicitor's Office for the 8th Circuit, which reviews and approves petitions before they go to a judge. The Clerk of Court handles the filing and record destruction side once a judge grants the petition. The process can take several months from start to finish. Legal help is advisable, though not required. The SC Attorney General's office publishes opinions on expungement eligibility questions that can help clarify gray areas.

Once expunged, the record is removed from the Public Index, from SLED's repository, and from Abbeville County court files. The Clerk's office will confirm only that no record is found, not that a record ever existed.

Note: Certain convictions, including most violent felonies, cannot be expunged under current South Carolina law regardless of time elapsed.

Cities in Abbeville County

You can also search criminal history records for cities within Abbeville County using the links below.

Nearby Counties

Abbeville County borders several other South Carolina counties. Use the links below to find criminal history resources in neighboring areas.

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