Criminal History in Orangeburg County, SC
Orangeburg County is located in the central-south part of South Carolina with Orangeburg as its county seat. The county has a population of approximately 87,000 and is served by the 1st Judicial Circuit. Looking up Orangeburg County criminal history involves working with the Clerk of Court, the Sheriff's Office, and statewide databases maintained by SLED. This guide covers each resource so you can run an effective criminal records search for anyone with ties to Orangeburg County.
Orangeburg County Quick Facts
Orangeburg County Clerk of Court Records
The Honorable Winnifa Brown-Clark serves as the Orangeburg County Clerk of Court. Her office is located at 1406 Amelia Street, Orangeburg, SC 29115. The mailing address is PO Box 9000, Orangeburg, SC 29115-9000. The main phone number is (803) 533-6243 and the fax is (803) 534-3848. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The Clerk of Court maintains all court records for the 1st Judicial Circuit, which includes both Orangeburg and Calhoun counties. General Sessions criminal case files, Common Pleas civil files, and Family Court records are all held here. The office handles document copying, certified copy preparation, fine collection, and jury management. Standard copies cost $0.25 per page, and certified copies are $5.00 plus $0.25 per additional page. Cash, check, and money order are accepted forms of payment.
When you visit the Clerk's office to search Orangeburg County criminal records, bring a valid photo ID and either the case number or the full name of the person you are researching. Staff will locate the file, but they do not perform research on your behalf. If you know only a general time frame and a name, the Public Index online system may be easier to use before your in-person visit.
Note: Juvenile records and sealed adoption records are not available to the public regardless of how a request is submitted.
The Orangeburg County courthouse directory on the SC Courts website lists contact information for the Clerk of Court and all other court locations serving the 1st Judicial Circuit.
The Orangeburg County courthouse at 1406 Amelia Street is where the Clerk of Court maintains criminal case files for the county, including General Sessions records and all related court documents.
Orangeburg County Criminal Records Overview
Criminal records in Orangeburg County are spread across several agencies depending on the stage of the case and the level of court involved. The Sheriff's Office creates the initial arrest record. The Clerk of Court maintains the case file once charges are filed in circuit court. Magistrate courts handle lower-level cases such as misdemeanors, traffic infractions, and bond hearings, and those records are held at the specific magistrate court location.
Orangeburg County has an extensive magistrate court system with courts in the central, eastern, and western regions of the county. The Central Region Magistrate and Bond Court are located at the Law Enforcement Complex at 1540 Ellis Avenue, Orangeburg. The Eastern Region is in Holly Hill, and the Western Region is in Neeses. Each magistrate location maintains its own docket. Contact the Clerk of Court for referrals to the appropriate magistrate court if you are not sure where a particular case was heard.
The 1st Judicial Circuit also includes a dedicated Domestic Violence Court located at 1540 Ellis Avenue. Hon. Meree D. Williamson serves as the Chief Magistrate for Orangeburg County's magistrate system. For cases heard in Orangeburg's various municipal courts, each city maintains its own records separate from the county court system.
Public Index and Online Access for Orangeburg
The Orangeburg County Public Index is a free, searchable online database of circuit court case records. You can search by defendant name or by case number. The system returns case details including charges, statute citations, court dates, attorney names, judge assignments, and the final disposition of the case.
The Public Index is updated daily. Keep in mind that it does not include actual court documents and cannot be used to obtain certified copies. For those, you must contact the Clerk's office directly. Expunged records do not appear in the Public Index. The SC Courts courthouse directory for Orangeburg provides contact information for all court locations in the county including magistrate and municipal courts.
Orangeburg Sheriff and Arrest Record Requests
The Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office is located at 1520 Ellis Avenue, Orangeburg, SC 29115. The main phone number is (803) 534-3550. The Sheriff's Office maintains arrest records, incident reports, accident reports, booking information, and warrant information. The detention center is co-located at the same address.
To request an arrest record or incident report, visit the Records Division in person during business hours. Present valid photo identification and provide specific details about the incident or arrest, including the date, location, and the name of the person involved. Processing time and copy fees apply. Active warrant information is limited to protect officer safety, but general warrant inquiries can be directed to the front desk.
For inmate information, the Orangeburg County Detention Center houses individuals awaiting trial and those serving short sentences. Check the Sheriff's Office website or call the detention center directly for current inmate status. The SC Department of Corrections inmate search covers individuals housed in state prison facilities, which is separate from the county detention center.
SLED Criminal History Search for Orangeburg County
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division maintains the statewide criminal history repository. A SLED background check pulls criminal history data from all 46 counties, including Orangeburg. This is a better option than county-level searches when you need a comprehensive view of someone's criminal background across the entire state.
The SLED CATCH online system charges $25 per name-based search plus a $1 online convenience fee. Pay by credit or debit card and results are returned immediately. Because the search is name-based, you may see results for people with similar names. Review each result carefully to confirm the correct identity before drawing conclusions. SLED also maintains the Sex Offender Registry (SORT), which is free to search and covers all registered offenders in South Carolina including those in Orangeburg County.
Under SC Code Section 23-3-115, SLED is authorized to release criminal history information to the public. This statute also defines what records qualify for public dissemination and sets limits on the use of that information. SLED's Public Dissemination Unit can be reached by phone at 803.896.1443, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. SLED has been closed to in-person visits since December 15, 2008.
FOIA and Public Records Access in Orangeburg County
South Carolina's Freedom of Information Act at SC Code Section 30-4-30 gives residents the right to request records held by public agencies. For Orangeburg County criminal records held by the Sheriff's Office, submit a written FOIA request to the Sheriff's Office Records Division at 1520 Ellis Avenue. For court records, contact the Clerk of Court at 1406 Amelia Street.
Agencies must respond to FOIA requests within 10 business days for records less than 24 months old and 20 business days for older records. Documents must be produced within 30 calendar days of the agency's final determination. Copy fees are $0.25 per page for standard copies. Search and retrieval costs are billed at the actual hourly rate of the lowest-paid employee capable of performing the search. Electronic records that already exist in electronic format are provided at no charge.
Records related to open criminal investigations are exempt from FOIA disclosure. Sealed court records, expunged records, and juvenile records are also not available through a FOIA request. All other finalized criminal history records held by Orangeburg County agencies are subject to inspection under state law.
Expungement of Orangeburg County Criminal Records
South Carolina's expungement statute is at SC Code Section 17-1-40. When a court orders an expungement, the Orangeburg County Clerk of Court removes the case from the Public Index and notifies SLED to purge the record from the state criminal history database. After that process is complete, the expunged record no longer appears in public searches.
Cases eligible for expungement in Orangeburg County include charges that resulted in a not-guilty verdict, charges that were dismissed or nolle prossed, and certain first-offense convictions after the applicable waiting period. The Solicitor's Office for the 1st Judicial Circuit reviews expungement petitions before they are submitted to a judge. The Orangeburg County Clerk's office at (803) 533-6243 can direct you to the correct forms and explain the local procedure. Processing time from filing to completion typically takes several months.
Note: Once a record is expunged, it is not accessible through any public channel including the Public Index or a SLED CATCH search.
Cities in Orangeburg County
Orangeburg County includes the city of Orangeburg and several smaller municipalities. Browse the full cities directory for local court and record information.
Nearby Counties
Orangeburg County is bordered by several South Carolina counties. Each has its own Clerk of Court and public records process.