Union County Court Records
How To Find Court Records in Union County in 2026
Members of the public seeking court records in Union County may access publicly available case information through several official channels. UnionSCRecords.us provides a directory of resources and publicly available information related to court records in Union County, South Carolina. Depending on the case type and the court involved, records may include civil filings, criminal case histories, family court matters, probate proceedings, and traffic citations. Access to specific documents may vary based on case status, applicable confidentiality rules, and whether records have been sealed or expunged.
Court records in Union County may be searched through the following methods:
1. Clerk of Court or Court Records Office The Union County Clerk of Court maintains official case files for Circuit Court matters, including civil and criminal proceedings. Members of the public may present a case number, party name, or approximate filing date to request record retrieval. The Clerk's office processes both in-person and written requests.
2. Courthouse Public Access Terminals Public access computer terminals are available at the Union County Courthouse during regular business hours. These terminals allow members of the public to search case indexes and docket entries without charge. Terminal access does not require prior appointment.
3. Online Court Search The South Carolina Judicial Department maintains statewide case search tools accessible through official judicial portals. Case index information, docket entries, and hearing schedules may be available online depending on the court and case type.
4. State-Level Judicial Search Tools The South Carolina Judicial Department Public Index provides name-based searches of publicly available case data across participating courts. As noted on the portal, "nothing contained within this web site is an official record of the County or the elected officials responsible therefore." Users should treat online results as reference data and verify findings with the Clerk of Court.
5. Written or Mail Requests Members of the public may submit written requests to the Clerk of Court specifying the case number, party name, and type of record sought. Fees for copies and certified documents apply. Requests should be directed to:
Union County Clerk of Court
210 W. Main Street
Union, SC 29379
Phone: (864) 429-1630
South Carolina Judicial Department
Are Court Records Public In Union County
Court records in Union County are public under current South Carolina law. Pursuant to § 30-4-20 of the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, public bodies are required to make their records available for inspection and copying by members of the public. The South Carolina Judicial Department further affirms that court records are presumptively open to public inspection unless a specific statutory or judicial exception applies.
Records that are public include:
- Docket entries and case indexes
- Party names and case numbers
- Hearing dates and court orders
- Final judgments and sentencing entries
- Civil complaints, answers, and motions
- Probate filings and estate inventories
Records that may be confidential, sealed, or restricted include:
- Juvenile court records, which are protected under § 63-19-2020 of the South Carolina Children's Code
- Adoption records and related proceedings
- Mental health commitment records
- Sealed filings ordered by a judge
- Expunged criminal records
- Protected personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers and financial account data
A distinction exists between courthouse inspection and online access. While the public may inspect most court records in person at the Clerk of Court's office, not all documents are available through online portals. Electronic access is limited to case index data and docket summaries in many instances, while full document images may require an in-person visit or a formal written request.
What Are Court Records in Union County?
Court records are the official documents, filings, and entries created and maintained by a court in connection with a legal proceeding. In Union County, court records are generated from the moment a case is initiated — through the filing of a complaint, petition, indictment, or citation — and continue to be updated through each stage of litigation, including hearings, motions, orders, and final disposition.
A docket entry is a chronological log of all actions taken in a case, while a full case file contains the actual documents filed by parties and issued by the court. Civil court records document disputes between private parties or between a party and a government entity, while criminal court records document prosecutions brought by the State of South Carolina. Filed pleadings represent the initial and responsive documents submitted by parties, whereas final judgments represent the court's conclusive resolution of the matter.
Public filings are accessible to any member of the public under applicable law, while sealed or restricted filings are withheld from public inspection by court order or statute. Trial court records are maintained at the county level by the Clerk of Court, while appellate records are maintained by the South Carolina Court of Appeals and the South Carolina Supreme Court.
The Clerk of Court is the primary custodian of trial court records in Union County. Records are created at filing, updated with each docket entry, and retained according to the South Carolina Department of Archives and History judicial records retention schedule. Upon final disposition, records may be archived, transferred to state repositories, or, in limited circumstances, destroyed in accordance with applicable retention rules.
What's Included in a Union County Court Record?
A court record in Union County may contain a range of documents and data depending on the case type, the court involved, and applicable public-access rules. The following information may appear within a court record:
- Case number assigned at filing
- Court name and division, such as Circuit Court, Family Court, or Probate Court
- Filing date and case initiation information
- Party names, including plaintiffs, defendants, petitioners, and respondents
- Case type and current status, such as active, disposed, or appealed
- Docket entries reflecting each action taken in the case
- Hearing dates, continuances, and scheduling orders
- Motions, complaints, petitions, answers, orders, judgments, notices, minute entries, decrees, and similar filed documents
- Outcome information, including dismissals, verdicts, guilty pleas, convictions, sentencing entries, custody rulings, probate orders, and appellate decisions
- Administrative and financial information, such as filing fees, assessed court costs, fines, restitution amounts, and bond information where publicly shown
Certain information is excluded or restricted from public court records. Sealed filings, expunged matters, juvenile case files, adoption records, and protected personal data such as Social Security numbers and financial account numbers are not available for public inspection. Some exhibits, particularly those containing sensitive personal information or subject to protective orders, may also be withheld.
Types of Courts in Union County
Union County is served by several courts operating within the South Carolina unified judicial system. The courts and legal services framework administered by the South Carolina Judicial Department governs the structure and jurisdiction of all state courts.
The primary courts serving Union County include:
- Circuit Court (Seventh Judicial Circuit): The court of general jurisdiction for Union County, hearing felony criminal cases, major civil matters, and appeals from lower courts. The Clerk of Court maintains all Circuit Court records.
- Family Court: Handles divorce, child custody, child support, adoption, and juvenile matters. Family court records are subject to additional confidentiality protections.
- Probate Court: Administers estates, guardianships, conservatorships, and involuntary commitment proceedings. The Probate Judge serves as the custodian of probate records.
- Magistrate Court: Handles misdemeanor criminal cases, civil claims up to $7,500, landlord-tenant disputes, and preliminary hearings. Magistrate court records are maintained at the individual magistrate's office.
- Municipal Court: Handles violations of municipal ordinances and certain traffic matters within incorporated municipalities.
What Types of Cases Do Union County Courts Hear
Circuit Court handles felony prosecutions, civil cases exceeding the magistrate jurisdictional threshold, and appeals from magistrate and municipal courts. Family Court exercises exclusive jurisdiction over domestic relations matters and juvenile delinquency proceedings. Probate Court handles the administration of decedents' estates and guardianship matters. Magistrate Court is a court of limited jurisdiction, handling misdemeanor offenses, small claims, and summary civil matters. Municipal courts handle ordinance violations and traffic infractions within city limits.
Union County Probate Court
210 W. Main Street
Union, SC 29379
Phone: (864) 429-1650
South Carolina Judicial Department
How to Search Union County Court Records for Free?
Members of the public may search Union County court records at no cost through several methods. In-person inspection of court records at the Clerk of Court's office is free of charge. Public access terminals located at the courthouse allow users to search case indexes and review docket entries without payment.
The South Carolina Judicial Department Public Index provides free name-based searches of publicly available case data. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division also operates SLED CATCH, which allows members of the public to view and print South Carolina criminal records using a name-based search. CATCH searches are subject to a fee established by SLED.
| Access Method | Cost |
|---|---|
| In-person record inspection | Free |
| Courthouse public terminal search | Free |
| SC Judicial Department Public Index | Free |
| SLED CATCH criminal history search | Fee applies |
| Photocopies of court documents | Per-page fee (set by clerk) |
| Certified copies of court documents | Per-document fee |
| Research by clerk staff | Fee may apply |
Fees for copies and certified documents are established pursuant to § 8-21-310 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, which sets the schedule of fees applicable to clerks of court. Standard copy fees are assessed on a per-page basis, and certified copies carry an additional certification charge.
How Long Does Union County Keep Court Records?
The retention period for court records in Union County is governed by the South Carolina Department of Archives and History judicial records retention schedules, which establish minimum retention periods by record type and court. Retention periods vary depending on the nature of the case and the type of document involved.
Criminal case files for felony convictions are retained for extended periods, with many categories subject to permanent retention. Civil judgment records are retained for a minimum period sufficient to cover the enforceability of the judgment under South Carolina law. Family court records, particularly those involving minor children, are subject to retention schedules that account for the age of the parties. Probate records, including wills and estate inventories, are retained permanently in many jurisdictions as records of title and inheritance.
Docket books and minute records are retained permanently as the official chronological record of court proceedings. Paper case files may be destroyed after imaging or microfilming, provided that the electronic or film copy satisfies archival standards. Destruction of records is permitted only after the applicable retention period has elapsed and proper authorization has been obtained.
Older records may exist in paper files, microfilm, county archives, or the South Carolina Department of Archives and History. Expungement is a distinct legal process from destruction or archival retention. An expunged record is not destroyed but is instead sealed from public access pursuant to court order. As noted by the S.C. Governor's Office on Pardons & Expungements, "in the State of South Carolina, the Governor has no authority to expunge a criminal record," and expungement proceedings are handled through the South Carolina Judicial Department.
How To Find a Court Docket in Union County
A court docket is the official chronological log of all actions, filings, and proceedings in a specific case. It differs from a full case file in that it records what happened and when, rather than containing the actual documents filed. A docket entry may note that a motion was filed, a hearing was held, or an order was issued, but the docket itself does not reproduce the text of those documents.
Court dockets for Union County Circuit Court cases may be accessed through the South Carolina Judicial Department Public Index, which provides name-based and case-number-based searches of publicly available docket data. To locate a docket using the portal, a user may enter the party's name or the assigned case number, select the appropriate county, and review the resulting case summary and docket entries.
Dockets are also available at the courthouse through public access terminals and through direct inquiry at the Clerk of Court's office. Hearing calendars and motion calendars may be separately available through the clerk's office or posted at the courthouse.
A court docket entry may contain:
- Filing date of each document or action
- Description of motions, orders, and hearings
- Continuance entries and rescheduled hearing dates
- Minute entries reflecting in-court proceedings
- Status updates and case disposition entries
A docket does not include full document images, sealed entries, confidential attachments, or exhibits subject to protective orders. Members of the public seeking the full text of filed documents must request copies from the Clerk of Court. Traffic ticket and court payment information for Union County cases may also be accessed through the South Carolina statewide payment portal by entering the relevant case or ticket number.