Greenwood County Public Records /Greenwood County Criminal Records

Greenwood County Criminal Records

What Is Greenwood County Criminal Records

Criminal records in Greenwood County, South Carolina, are official government documents that chronicle an individual's interactions with the criminal justice system, from initial law enforcement contact through final court disposition. These records are maintained by multiple agencies operating at the county, state, and federal levels and serve as the authoritative source of information for background checks, legal proceedings, and public safety purposes.

Members of the public should understand the key distinctions among the types of records that may appear in a criminal history:

Arrest records vs. conviction records: An arrest record documents that an individual was taken into custody by law enforcement. An arrest does not constitute a conviction; a conviction record reflects a formal finding of guilt by a court of law.
Felony vs. misdemeanor: Felonies are serious offenses punishable by more than one year of incarceration in a state correctional facility. Misdemeanors are less severe offenses typically resulting in fines, probation, or confinement in a county detention center.
Adult vs. juvenile records: Adult criminal records are generally accessible to the public under applicable state law. Juvenile records are routinely sealed pursuant to § 63-19-2050 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, which restricts disclosure to protect the privacy of minors involved in the family court system.
Active warrants vs. historical records: Active warrants reflect outstanding judicial orders for an individual's arrest and are maintained by law enforcement agencies. Historical records document past arrests, charges, and dispositions that have been adjudicated.

The principal agencies responsible for maintaining criminal records in Greenwood County include:

Greenwood County Sheriff's Office — maintains arrest records, booking information, and jail records
Greenwood County Circuit Court — maintains case filings, pleas, trial records, and sentencing dispositions
South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) — maintains statewide criminal history records
Greenwood County Clerk of Court — maintains official court documents and case indexes

Criminal records may encompass charges filed, arraignment proceedings, pleas entered, trial outcomes, sentencing orders, and conditions of probation or parole supervision.

Greenwood County Sheriff's Office 528 Edgefield Street, Greenwood, SC 29646 Phone: (864) 942-8600 Sheriff's Office – Greenwood County, SC

Are Criminal Records Public In Greenwood County

Criminal records in Greenwood County are presumptively public under South Carolina's Freedom of Information Act, codified at § 30-4-10 et seq. of the South Carolina Code of Laws. This statute establishes that all citizens are entitled to inspect or copy public records of public bodies in the state, subject to enumerated exemptions.

Under current law, the following categories of criminal records are generally accessible to members of the public:

Adult conviction records, including charges, pleas, verdicts, and sentencing information
Court proceedings and case dockets maintained by the Clerk of Court
Booking and arrest logs maintained by the Sheriff's Office and Detention Center
Sex offender registry information maintained by SLED

The following categories are restricted from public disclosure under applicable state and federal law:

Records pertaining to ongoing criminal investigations, the release of which could compromise law enforcement operations
Juvenile records, which are sealed pursuant to § 63-19-2050 of the South Carolina Code of Laws
Expunged records, which have been ordered removed from public access by a court
Victim identifying information in certain sensitive case types, including domestic violence and sexual assault matters

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division administers the state's criminal history repository and governs the dissemination of criminal history information to authorized requestors statewide.

How To Look Up Criminal Records In Greenwood County in 2026

Members of the public seeking criminal records in Greenwood County may obtain them through several official channels. The process varies depending on the type of record sought and the agency that maintains it.

Step 1 — Identify the appropriate agency. Determine whether the record sought is an arrest record (Sheriff's Office or Detention Center), a court case record (Clerk of Court or Circuit Court), or a statewide criminal history (SLED).

Step 2 — Submit a request to the Greenwood County Clerk of Court. Members of the public may appear in person at the Clerk of Court's office during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., to inspect court records. Requests may also be submitted in writing. The Clerk of Court maintains indexes for General Sessions (criminal) and Family Court cases.

Step 3 — Request arrest or booking records from the Sheriff's Office. Arrest records and booking information are maintained by the Greenwood County Sheriff's Office. Written public records requests may be submitted to the agency at 528 Edgefield Street, Greenwood, SC 29646, during regular business hours.

Step 4 — Obtain a statewide criminal history through SLED. For a comprehensive criminal background check covering all South Carolina jurisdictions, members of the public may submit a request through the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. SLED processes both name-based and fingerprint-based criminal history requests. Fingerprint-based searches are considered more accurate and are required for certain employment and licensing purposes.

Step 5 — Use the CATCH portal for name-based searches. The Citizens Access to Criminal Histories (CATCH) system allows members of the public to conduct name-based searches of South Carolina criminal records online. A fee applies per search.

Greenwood County Clerk of Court 528 Monument Street, Greenwood, SC 29646 Phone: (864) 942-8624 Clerk of Court – Greenwood County, SC

How To Find Criminal Records in Greenwood County Online

Several official online portals currently provide access to criminal and court-related records for Greenwood County. Each portal contains distinct categories of information and is subject to its own access requirements.

Greenwood County Clerk of Court – Family Court Public Portal: The Clerk of Court currently makes Family Court records available through a public online portal. No registration is required for basic public access. Attorney portal access requires verified credentials.
Greenwood County Document Search: The Greenwood County Document Search portal, maintained by the Clerk of Court, provides online access to recorded documents including deeds, mortgages, and plats. Users may search by name, document type, or date range without registration.
Greenwood County Detention Center – Inmate Search: The Detention Center provides an online inmate search tool that displays individuals currently held at the county jail. The roster includes booking information and current custody status.
SLED CATCH Portal: The CATCH system provides name-based access to South Carolina criminal history records statewide. A fee is assessed per search; no account registration is required for individual searches.
South Carolina Department of Corrections – Inmate Search: The SC Department of Corrections inmate search displays photographs and public information on individuals currently sentenced to and incarcerated in state correctional facilities.
SC Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services – Offender Search: The offender search portal allows members of the public to search the SCDPPPS database for individuals currently under community supervision.

Records pertaining to active investigations maintained by the Investigations Division of the Sheriff's Office are not available through public online portals and must be requested through formal written channels.

Can You Search Greenwood County Criminal Records for Free

State law currently mandates that members of the public have the right to inspect public records at no charge. Pursuant to § 30-4-30 of the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, public bodies must make records available for inspection during regular office hours. Fees may be assessed only for the actual cost of copying or for extensive staff time required to fulfill a request.

The following resources are currently available at no cost to members of the public:

In-person inspection at the Clerk of Court: Members of the public may inspect General Sessions and Family Court case records at no charge during regular business hours at the Greenwood County Courthouse.
Greenwood County Detention Center inmate roster: The online inmate search tool is freely accessible without registration or fees.
Greenwood County Document Search portal: Basic document searches through the Greenwood County Document Search system are available at no cost.
SC Department of Corrections inmate search: The South Carolina Department of Corrections inmate search is available to the public at no charge.
SC Probation, Parole and Pardon Services offender search: The offender search database is freely accessible online.

Fees are assessed for the following services: certified copies of court documents, fingerprint-based criminal history searches through SLED, and name-based searches through the CATCH portal. The S.C. Department of Public Safety may also assess fees for certain driving and criminal history records.

What's Included in a Greenwood County Criminal Record

A complete criminal record maintained in Greenwood County may contain several distinct categories of information, depending on the stage of the criminal justice process reached by the subject of the record.

Identifying Information

Full legal name and known aliases
Date of birth and physical description (height, weight, eye color, hair color)
Photograph (mugshot) taken at the time of booking
Last known address
State Identification Number (SID) assigned by SLED
FBI number, where applicable

Arrest Information

Date, time, and location of arrest
Arresting agency (e.g., Greenwood County Sheriff's Office)
Booking number and date of booking at the Greenwood County Detention Center
Charges filed at the time of arrest
Bail or bond amount set and conditions of release
Name of the detention facility

Court Case Information

Case number and court of jurisdiction (Circuit Court or Magistrate Court)
Filing date and assigned judge
Charges and applicable statutes, including felony or misdemeanor classification
Plea entered (guilty, not guilty, nolo contendere)
Attorney of record for the defense and prosecution

Disposition Information

Verdict (guilty, not guilty, dismissed, nolle prosequi)
Conviction date, where applicable
Sentencing details, including type and length of sentence, fines, restitution ordered, and special conditions
Appeals filed and outcomes
Probation or parole supervision status

Additional Record Elements

Outstanding warrants
Protective or restraining orders
Sex offender registration status
DUI or DWI convictions
Traffic violations adjudicated in criminal court
Pending charges not yet adjudicated

How Long Does Greenwood County Keep Criminal Records

Greenwood County agencies retain criminal records in accordance with the South Carolina Department of Archives and History records retention schedules, which establish mandatory minimum retention periods for public records maintained by county government entities.

The following retention periods apply under current state guidelines:

Arrest records and booking logs: Retained permanently or for a minimum of five years following the date of arrest, depending on the disposition of the case
General Sessions (felony) court records: Retained permanently as courts of record; the Greenwood County Circuit Court maintains all proceedings as permanent records
Magistrate and municipal court records: Retained for a minimum of five years following final disposition
Juvenile records: Retained until the subject reaches age 18 or for five years following the date of the offense, whichever is longer, after which records may be destroyed or sealed pursuant to § 63-19-2050
Expunged records: Destroyed or returned to the petitioner following a court order of expungement; law enforcement agencies are required to purge expunged records from their systems
Detention center records: Booking and incarceration records are retained for a minimum of three years following release

State-level criminal history records maintained by SLED are retained indefinitely unless a court order of expungement is received. The South Carolina Department of Corrections retains inmate records permanently for individuals who have served sentences in state correctional facilities.