Union County SC Criminal History Records

Union County Clerk of Court

The Honorable Stephanie Candler Kitchens serves as the Union County Clerk of Court and Register of Deeds. This is a combined elected position in Union County. The office maintains all court records for the 16th Judicial Circuit and also handles the county's Register of Deeds functions for property records.

The Clerk's office maintains General Sessions criminal cases covering felonies and serious misdemeanors, Common Pleas civil cases, Family Court records, juvenile records (restricted access), adoption records (sealed), judgment rolls, and grand jury records. Standard copies are $0.25 per page. Certified copies cost $5.00 for the first four pages plus $0.25 per additional page. Cash, check, and money order are accepted. Most requests are fulfilled within 24 hours.

To access Union County criminal records at the Clerk's office, visit in person with a valid photo ID. Provide the case number or the full name of the person you need information about. The Clerk's office does not conduct research on your behalf. Use the Union County Public Index online before visiting to locate case numbers if you do not have them. The Union County courthouse directory lists all court contacts in the county.

Note: The combined Clerk and Register of Deeds office means the same location handles both court records and land records for Union County.

The Union County courthouse directory on the SC Courts website lists contact information for the Clerk of Court and all other court locations serving the 16th Judicial Circuit in Union County.

The Union County Clerk of Court at 322 East Main Street maintains General Sessions criminal case files along with civil and family court records, serving as the official records repository for the county.

Union County Criminal Records and Court Levels

Criminal records in Union County span circuit court and magistrate court levels. General Sessions court handles felony-level criminal history. The Union County Magistrate Court serves residents through two locations. The main Magistrate and Bond Court are both accessible at 210 West Main Street, Union, at (864) 429-1648, with a fax at (864) 429-1685. The Bond Court operates out of the detention center at 1657 Jonesville Highway.

Magistrate Court handles traffic violations, misdemeanors punishable up to $500 fines or 30 days imprisonment, bond hearings, preliminary hearings for felony cases, emergency protective orders, and small claims up to $7,500. Chief Magistrate Hon. David K. Morrow leads the Union County Magistrate system, assisted by Associate Chief Magistrate Hon. Toney L. Farr, Sr., and Associate Magistrates Hon. Joseph F. Hart, Hon. Robert M. Hope, Jr., and Hon. Harold W. Smith.

Union County also has municipal courts. The Jonesville Municipal Court is at 131 North Main Street, Jonesville, (864) 674-5746, with Chief Judge Hon. Robert M. Hines. The Union Municipal Court is at 215 Thompson Boulevard, Union, (864) 429-1713. Each municipal court handles local ordinance violations and traffic cases within their respective city limits.

Union County Public Index Online Search

The Union County Public Index is a free online court records tool from the SC Judicial Branch. It lets you search General Sessions and Common Pleas case records by defendant or plaintiff name, by case number, by date range, or by case type. Results include the case number and filing date, defendant or plaintiff name, charges for criminal cases, court dates, case status, and judge assignments.

The Public Index does not include actual court documents. For certified copies, you must visit the Clerk's office at 322 East Main Street. Juvenile records are never included. Expunged and sealed records are excluded from the display. The system is updated daily but may not reflect activity from the most recent 24 hours. Use the Public Index to identify case numbers and confirm case status before visiting the Clerk's office in person.

Union County Sheriff's Office and Arrest Records

The Union County Sheriff's Office is at 210 W. Main Street, Union, SC 29379. The main and non-emergency phone number is (864) 429-1612. Office hours for the Records Division are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Records Division handles incident report requests, accident reports, arrest records, warrant information, and background check referrals to SLED.

To request an arrest record or incident report, visit the Records Division in person during business hours. Bring a valid photo ID and provide the date, location, and names of the parties involved. Staff will advise you on fees and processing time. Allow time for staff to compile reports; not all requests are filled same-day.

The Union County Detention Center is at 1657 Jonesville Highway, Union, SC 29379, reachable at (864) 429-1648. An online inmate roster is available upon request. For state prison inmates, use the SC DOC Inmate Search. For individuals on probation or parole in the state, visit the SC Probation, Parole and Pardon Services website.

SLED Criminal History Search for Union County

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division maintains the most comprehensive criminal history database in the state. A SLED name-based search through the CATCH system covers all 46 counties, including Union County, in one transaction. The fee is $25 per search plus a $1 online convenience fee, payable by credit or debit card with immediate results. This is especially valuable when a person has lived in multiple South Carolina counties and you want a complete view of their criminal background.

Because the search is name-based, similar names may return results for multiple individuals. Confirm identity before drawing conclusions from any result. The SLED Public Dissemination Unit is available 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. The free SORT sex offender registry covers all registrants in Union County.

Under SC Code Section 23-3-115, SLED is authorized to disseminate public criminal history records. South Carolina's FOIA statute at SC Code Section 30-4-30 covers records held by Union County agencies. Written FOIA requests for Sheriff's Office records go to 210 W. Main Street. For court records, direct requests to the Clerk of Court at PO Box 703, Union, SC 29379. Agencies have 10 business days to respond for recent records and 20 business days for older ones.

Expungement in Union County

South Carolina's expungement statute at SC Code Section 17-1-40 governs the process for removing a criminal record from public view. When a Union County circuit court signs an expungement order, the Clerk of Court removes the case from the Public Index and notifies SLED to purge it from the statewide criminal history database. Once complete, the record is no longer accessible through any public search.

Cases eligible for expungement include not-guilty verdicts, dismissed charges, nolle prossed cases, and certain first-offense convictions after waiting periods set by statute. The Solicitor's Office for the 16th Judicial Circuit reviews each petition before it goes to a judge. Contact the Clerk of Court at (864) 429-1630 for local forms and procedural guidance. The 16th Circuit covers both Union and York counties, and they share the same solicitor for review purposes. Processing time from filing to completion is typically several months. An attorney familiar with 16th Circuit practice can advise on eligibility and help prepare the petition correctly.

Cities in Union County

Union and Jonesville are the main municipalities in Union County, each with their own municipal courts for local matters.

Nearby Counties

Union County is bordered by York, Chester, Fairfield, Newberry, Laurens, and Spartanburg counties. Each has its own court system and criminal records process.

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