Courts and Judicial System

-- NOTICE --

Richland County

Last Updated - 12/04/2020

Supreme Court of South Carolina Order Regarding the Coronavirus & Masks

Supreme Court of South Carolina Order Regarding Circuit Court Jury Trials

Circuit Court - Limited 
The Courthouse is closed to the public due to Covid-19. We have staff available in the office to assist via phone, fax, and email. Filings may be mailed to Richland County Clerk of Court, PO Box 2766, Columbia SC 29202 or dropped off in the lobby. Payments should be in the form of Cashier’s Check or Postal Money Order made payable to Richland County Clerk of Court. Pro se parties may fax or email pleadings(that do not require filing fees) to 803-576-1785 or spires.marci@richlandcountysc.gov.

Probate Court - Limited By Noticed Hearing or Appointment

THE COURTHOUSE REMAINS CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SCHEDULED COURT APPEARANCES AND APPOINTMENTS.  PLEASE EMAIL TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH STAFF AS NEEDED. 

Acceptance of Filings and Payments:
The Courthouse is closed to public but we are receiving filings and payments by drop off box at the front door of the Courthouse under the supervision of the Richland County Sheriff’s Department or by mail: Richland County Probate Court, PO Box 192, Columbia, SC 29202.  All mail is being processed as it is received. We are receiving and returning all emails and phone calls.  All employee emails and phone numbers are available on our website. Please use this link: http://www.richlandcountysc.gov/Government/Courts-and-Judicial-System/Probate-Court/Probate-Contacts.  

Marriage Licenses
Marriage Licenses may be applied for online by clicking Online Marriage Application.

Please continue to monitor our website for updates.  

Bond Court - Normal 
Acceptance of Filings and Payments: Richland County twenty-four hour Bond Court located at 201 John Mark Dial Road, Columbia, SC 29209 will proceed with bond hearings as normally scheduled and a judge is available 24 hours a day to satisfy the on-call requirement.

Magistrate Court - Normal 
Acceptance of Filings and Payments: The Central Magistrate Court, located at 2500 Decker Boulevard, Columbia SC 29206 is available for restraining order filings and scheduled restraining order hearings. Citations also can be paid online at www.rcgov.us/payticket to any Richland County Magistrate Office. The citizens must have ticket number in order to pay online. They are to call (803) 576-2300 regarding the Decker Center cases. The District Offices have a law clerk to answer calls for any question the citizens may have from 8:30 – 5:00 PM. In the District Courts, if citizens wish to file any civil matters,  a clerk is available to accept the filings or the filings can be mailed with a check or money order made payable to the Magistrate District Court. Citizens can visit sccourts.org or the Richland County Magistrate website for filing forms. Telephone calls will be returned with a 24-hour period in all Courts.

Additionally, If you would like to file an eviction or request the status of a pending eviction, the Court will accept applications for ejectment, schedule hearings, issue writs or warrants of ejectment, and proceed in any other manner necessary regarding evictions. 

Domestic Violence cases have commenced via video conferencing at the Decker Center.
 

Municipal Court 
No Details Provided

Clerk of Court
The Clerk of Court's Office is divided into two areas: Circuit Court, which handles civil and criminal cases, and Family Court, which handles juvenile and domestic cases.

Family Court
Family court hears cases that relate to familial and domestic relationships, such as child custody issues.

Magistrate's Court
Magistrate’s Court hears civil cases involving landlord tenant issues and injury or property damage in which the claim is under $7,500. Magistrate Courts also handle traffic and criminal cases where the fine is no more than $2,000 and/or 90 days.

Master-in-Equity
Master-in-Equity Court handles non-jury cases of more than $5,000 and provides a relatively quick and inexpensive means of litigation resolution for civil matters.

Probate Court
Administers estates of decedents; issues marriage licenses; appoints guardians and conservators for minor and incapacitated persons; orders involuntary commitments of mentally ill or chemically dependent persons; and hears and decides trust and estate litigation. 

Public Defender
The S.C. Commission of Indigent Defense is responsible for ensuring all individuals participating in the delivery of indigent defense services in the state provide the highest quality of representation to our clientele.

Solicitor's Office
The Solicitor ensures prosecutions are processed by organizing the flow of cases, assigning cases to attorneys, advising attorneys on cases assigned, monitoring status of pending cases and supervising personnel.