Williamsburg County Criminal History Records

Williamsburg County Clerk of Court

The Honorable Deitra McKnight Johnson serves as the Williamsburg County Clerk of Court and Register of Deeds. Clerk Johnson earned her undergraduate degree in elementary education from South Carolina State University and holds two master's degrees, one in Clinical Counseling from Webster University and the other in Educational Leadership from the Citadel, with additional studies at Clemson University. She was elected Clerk of Court and Register of Deeds on June 11, 2024, and began serving on January 8, 2025.

The Clerk's office maintains General Sessions criminal case files, Common Pleas civil cases, Family Court records, juvenile records (restricted by law), adoption records (sealed), judgment rolls, and grand jury records for the Williamsburg County portion of the 3rd Judicial Circuit. 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. Turnaround time is typically 24 hours for most requests.

Bring a valid photo ID and your case number or the name of the person you are researching when you visit. The Clerk's office does not provide research services. The combined Clerk and Register of Deeds position means the same office also handles Williamsburg County land records and property documents.

The Williamsburg County courthouse directory on the SC Courts website lists contact information for the Clerk of Court and all other court locations serving the county in the 3rd Judicial Circuit.

The Williamsburg County Clerk of Court at 125 W. Main Street in Kingstree is where General Sessions criminal case files and all other court records are maintained for the county.

Williamsburg County Criminal Records and Court Structure

Criminal history records in Williamsburg County flow through several court levels. General Sessions court handles all felony cases for the 3rd Judicial Circuit. The magistrate courts in Kingstree handle traffic violations, misdemeanor cases 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.

The Kingstree Magistrate Court is at 209 Short Street, Kingstree, (843) 355-9565. The Bond Court operates at 126 South Jackson Street, Kingstree, also at (843) 355-9565. Chief Magistrate Hon. Randy B. Foxworth leads the system with Associate Chief Magistrate Hon. Glen A. Kennedy and Associate Magistrates Hon. Martin I. Easler, Hon. Brian M. McKnight, and Hon. Jacob D. Wilson, Jr.

Municipal courts serve Greeleyville, Hemingway, Kingstree, and Lane. The Kingstree Municipal Court is at 401 North Longstreet, Kingstree, (843) 355-7484, with Chief Judge Hon. Martin I. Easler. The Hemingway Municipal Court is at 110 South Main Street, Hemingway, (843) 558-2424, with Chief Judge Hon. John R. Kirven. The Williamsburg County courthouse directory lists all court contacts.

Williamsburg County Public Index Court Search

The Williamsburg County Public Index provides free online access to General Sessions and Common Pleas case records. Search by defendant or plaintiff name, by case number, by date range, or by case type. Results show the case number, filing date, party names, charges for criminal cases, court dates, case status, and judge assignment.

The Public Index is updated daily. Juvenile records and expunged records are excluded. Actual court documents are not available online. For certified copies, contact the Clerk of Court at 125 W. Main Street, Kingstree. The online system is especially useful in Williamsburg County because of the county's rural location; checking the Public Index before making a trip to the courthouse can confirm whether the records you need are available and what the case number is.

Note: The Public Index is a docket-level index only, and it should not be treated as a substitute for a certified copy of a court record or a formal criminal background check.

Williamsburg County Sheriff's Office Arrest Records

The Williamsburg County Sheriff's Office is at 1403 S. Longstreet Street, Kingstree, SC 29556. The main and non-emergency phone number is (843) 355-6371. 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 records from the Williamsburg County Sheriff's Office, visit in person during business hours. Bring a valid photo ID and provide specific details about the incident including the date, location, and names of the parties involved. Staff will advise on applicable fees and processing time. Warrant information is limited for officer safety reasons, but general inquiries can be directed to the front desk.

For state prison inmates, use the SC DOC Inmate Search. For offenders on state supervision, visit the SC Probation, Parole and Pardon Services website.

SLED Background Check for Williamsburg County

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division at sled.sc.gov maintains the statewide criminal history database. A SLED CATCH search covers all 46 South Carolina counties, including Williamsburg, in a single transaction. Use the CATCH system at catch.sled.sc.gov for a name-based search. The fee is $25 per search plus a $1 online convenience fee, payable by credit or debit card with immediate results. This is the most thorough way to search Williamsburg County criminal history alongside records from across the state.

Under SC Code Section 23-3-115, SLED is authorized to release public criminal history records through the CATCH system. Because the search is name-based, review results carefully and confirm identity before drawing conclusions. The SLED Public Dissemination Unit answers questions at 803.896.1443, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. SLED does not accept in-person visits and has not done so since December 15, 2008. The free SLED Sex Offender Registry (SORT) covers all registrants in Williamsburg County and across the state.

Williamsburg County FOIA and Public Records Process

Williamsburg County has a well-defined FOIA process governed by SC Code Section 30-4-30. The county's FOIA Coordinator is Tammi Epps-McClary, Clerk to Council. Submit written requests by mail to: Tammi Epps-McClary, Clerk to Council, Public Service Administration Building, PO Box 330, Kingstree, SC 29556. Requests can also be sent by email to FOIA-Request@wc.sc.gov or submitted in person at the Public Service Administration Building. More information is available on the Williamsburg County FOIA page.

Your written request should describe the records sought with enough detail to allow staff to locate them. Include your name, address, and contact information. Specify whether you want paper copies or electronic delivery. The county must respond within 10 business days for records less than 24 months old and within 20 business days for older records. Documents must be produced within 30 calendar days of the initial notification (35 days for older records) after any required fee is received. Electronic records that already exist in digital form are provided at no charge. Standard copy fees are $0.25 per page.

Note: Under Section 30-2-50 of SC law, using public records for commercial solicitation is a misdemeanor punishable by fines up to $500 or imprisonment up to one year. Open investigation records, juvenile records, and sealed court records are exempt from FOIA disclosure.

Expungement of Williamsburg County Criminal Records

Expungement in South Carolina is controlled by SC Code Section 17-1-40. When a Williamsburg 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. After completion, the record is not visible in any public search tool.

Eligible cases include not-guilty verdicts, dismissed charges, nolle prossed cases, and certain first-offense misdemeanor convictions after the statutory waiting period. The Solicitor's Office for the 3rd Judicial Circuit, which covers Williamsburg, Sumter, and Lee counties, reviews each petition before a judge signs the order. The Clerk of Court at (843) 355-9321 can provide local forms and procedural guidance. Budget several months from filing to completion. Consulting a local attorney familiar with 3rd Circuit courts can help you assess eligibility and navigate the process efficiently.

Cities in Williamsburg County

Kingstree is the county seat and main city in Williamsburg County. Hemingway and Greeleyville are smaller communities with their own municipal courts.

Nearby Counties

Williamsburg County borders several South Carolina counties in the Pee Dee and Lowcountry regions. Each has its own criminal records system.

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