Charleston County Criminal History and Court Records

Charleston County is the third most populous county in South Carolina, with over 365,000 residents. Criminal history records here are spread across multiple agencies including the Clerk of Court, the Charleston County Sheriff's Office, the Charleston Police Department, and North Charleston Police. This guide covers the main ways to find and access Charleston County criminal history records through official sources, from the online Public Index to the statewide SLED system.

Charleston County Clerk of Court Records

The Charleston County Clerk of Court is Hon. Julie J. Armstrong, who has served in this role since 1992. The office is at 100 Broad Street, Suite 106, Charleston, SC 29401. You can reach the office at (843) 958-5000 or by email at clerkofcourt@charlestoncounty.org. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.

The Clerk processes all civil and criminal cases in Charleston County. Records include criminal warrants, indictments, sentencing documents, civil filings, and judgment records. Public access terminals are available inside the office for in-person research. Certified copies can be ordered in person or by mail to 100 Broad St Ste 106, Charleston, SC 29401-2210.

Copy fees range from $0.25 to $1.00 per page depending on the document type. Certified copies carry additional fees. The office accepts cash, check, money order, and credit card for in-person payments.

Note: The Clerk's office schedules civil jury and non-jury trials and maintains the court calendar, so it is also a source for upcoming hearing dates in criminal matters.

Charleston County Public Index Online Search

The Charleston County Public Index is one of the most detailed county court record systems in South Carolina. It is free and available around the clock. Searches can be done by case number, party name, or attorney name. Date range filtering and case type selection are also available.

Case numbers in General Sessions follow the format YYYY-GS-10-XXXX. The Public Index shows charges, hearing dates, case status, judge assignments, and docket entries. Actual documents cannot be downloaded from the system. Visit the Clerk's office to obtain physical copies or certified documents.

The system reflects real-time docket updates and covers criminal, civil, and family court cases. Very recent filings may take a short time to appear. Juvenile records are excluded from public searches.

Note: A name search may return many results in a county as large as Charleston, so narrowing by date of birth or case year significantly speeds up the process.

Charleston County Sheriff's Office

The Charleston County Sheriff's Office is located at 3694 Leeds Avenue, North Charleston, SC 29405. The main line is (843) 202-1700. Sheriff Carl Ritchie was elected in November 2024. The agency is internationally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.

The Sheriff's Office maintains a Records Division that processes FOIA requests and provides incident reports. Accident reports and some warrant information are also available. Criminal history checks for individuals are handled through SLED, not the Sheriff's Office.

The Al Cannon Detention Center is the county jail and is operated by the Sheriff's Office. An online inmate search is available through the Charleston County website. The detention center is accredited by the American Corrections Association and the National Commission on Correctional Health Care.

Note: The Sheriff's jurisdiction covers unincorporated areas of the county. Municipal police departments within Charleston, North Charleston, and Mount Pleasant handle calls within their city limits separately.

Charleston Police Department Records

The Charleston Police Department is headquartered at 180 Lockwood Boulevard, Charleston, SC 29403, and can be reached at (843) 577-7434. The department handles law enforcement within the City of Charleston and maintains its own incident reports and arrest records separate from the county Sheriff's Office.

To request records from the Charleston Police Department, you can submit a FOIA request through the City of Charleston FOIA portal. The city publishes a fee schedule for record requests. Staff review time, redaction services, and copy fees are charged according to published rates. Black and white copies are $0.10 per page and color copies are $0.20 per page.

Note: FOIA requests to the City of Charleston for records under two years old must receive a response within 10 business days. Older records have a 20-business-day window.

North Charleston Police Department Records

North Charleston is a separate city with its own police department at 2500 City Hall Lane, North Charleston, SC 29406. The main number is (843) 740-2500. North Charleston Police maintains arrest records and incident reports for activities within the city limits.

Records requests to the North Charleston Police Department can be submitted through the North Charleston FOIA portal. This online system allows you to submit requests, track their status, and receive responsive documents. Processing fees vary based on the type and volume of records.

North Charleston Municipal Court handles violations occurring within the city. The court is located at 2500 City Hall Lane and can be reached at (843) 740-2587. Magistrate courts serving the county have separate contact numbers for different areas of Charleston County.

Note: North Charleston and the City of Charleston are separate municipalities. Records from one will not automatically appear in the other's system.

SLED Criminal History for Charleston County

SLED maintains the statewide criminal history database at sled.sc.gov. A search through SLED covers all South Carolina counties including Charleston. The SLED CATCH system provides name-based checks for $25 per search.

Fingerprint-based checks are more precise. Mail requests go to SLED Records, PO Box 21398, Columbia SC 29221. Call 803.896.1443 for more information. Fingerprint results are not affected by name variations or spelling differences and are the most reliable method for identity-based record checks.

Note: SLED checks are limited to South Carolina. A person with records in other states will not show those on a SLED search.

Charleston County Magistrate Courts

Charleston County has magistrate court locations spread across the county to serve its large geographic area. Each handles traffic violations, misdemeanors, bond hearings, and civil claims under $7,500.

• Charleston City Magistrate: (843) 724-6720
• North Charleston Magistrate: (843) 202-6650
• Mount Pleasant Magistrate: (843) 856-1205
• James Island Magistrate: (843) 795-1140
• West Ashley Magistrate: (843) 766-6531
• Johns Island Magistrate: (843) 559-1218
• Ravenel Magistrate: (843) 889-8332

Magistrate court records for Charleston County may be accessible through the Public Index depending on how they were entered. Contact the appropriate magistrate court if you cannot locate a specific case online.

Note: Magistrate courts handle high volumes of minor matters and records may sometimes lag behind in the Public Index system.

SC DOC Inmate Search and Sex Offender Registry

People sentenced to state prison in South Carolina can be searched through the SC Department of Corrections inmate search. This tool shows current incarceration status, sentences, and release information at no cost. It is useful for confirming whether someone is or was in state custody.

The South Carolina Sex Offender Registry at scor.sled.sc.gov is searchable by address, name, and county. Registered offenders in Charleston County are listed with their current address and offense details. The registry is free and updated regularly by SLED.

The SC Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services at dppps.sc.gov handles pardon applications and community supervision. Expungement of eligible records falls under Section 17-1-40 of the South Carolina Code.

Note: Inmate search results reflect current SCDC records and may not show recent releases within the past few days.

Nearby Counties and Related Resources

Charleston County borders Berkeley, Dorchester, Colleton, and Georgetown counties. People with ties to multiple counties in the region may have records in more than one court system. The SC Judicial Branch case records page at sccourts.org links to all 46 county Public Index systems.

• Berkeley County Criminal History
• Dorchester County Criminal History
• Colleton County Criminal History

Note: Charleston County shares the 9th Judicial Circuit with Berkeley County, and some circuit-level court proceedings may involve administrative offices that serve both counties.