Anderson City Criminal Records and Court Filings

Anderson criminal records come from the Anderson Police Department, Anderson County courts, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. The city of Anderson serves as the county seat of Anderson County in the 10th Judicial Circuit, meaning felony criminal cases charged in Anderson are prosecuted in Anderson County General Sessions Court. This guide covers the Records Division of the Anderson Police Department, the Anderson County Clerk of Court, FOIA procedures, and the online tools available for searching criminal history and court case records tied to the city of Anderson, South Carolina.

Anderson Police Department Records Division

The Anderson Police Department is located at 401 South Main Street, Anderson, SC 29624. The department operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Records Division and Chief's Office maintain standard business hours of 8:30am to 5:00pm, Monday through Friday. For non-emergency matters, the department can be reached at (864) 260-4444.

The Records Division is described by the department as "the repository of all Department generated records," with a primary focus on ensuring the integrity of those records. The division is supervised by Captain Robert Rivas and staffed by four employees. Services provided include incident reports, accident reports, arrest records, criminal history checks, taxi driver permits, and data processing support.

A criminal history check through the Anderson Police Department costs $5.00 and covers only arrests made by Anderson PD. Requesters must provide a signed consent form or present a valid photo ID. This local check does not reflect arrests made by other agencies in Anderson County or elsewhere in South Carolina.

The image below is sourced from andersonpd.com and depicts the Anderson Police Department Records Division, which handles criminal history checks and incident report requests.

The Records Division processes requests for both victims and members of the public, with differing fee schedules depending on the requester's relationship to the incident.

Anderson Police Records Fees and FOIA

The Anderson Police Department publishes a clear fee schedule for record requests. Incident reports are provided free of charge to victims. Other requesters pay $8.50 per incident report. Accident reports are free for parties directly involved and $8.50 for all others. Criminal record checks cost $5.00 per search. Fingerprint cards are $10.00 each.

FOIA requests submitted to the Anderson Police Department carry an hourly rate of $15.00, with a minimum charge of $20.00. Requests estimated at $19.99 or less are provided at no cost. For requests estimated to exceed $20.00, an advance deposit by cashier's check or money order is required before work begins.

South Carolina FOIA rights are established under S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-10. Agencies must respond within 10 business days per § 30-4-30. Certain records may be withheld under the exemptions listed in § 30-4-40, including active investigation materials, records where disclosure would harm an ongoing proceeding, or information protected by personal privacy provisions.

For larger or more complex records requests related to Anderson criminal cases, submitting a written request by mail or in person to the Records Division at 401 South Main Street ensures a clear paper trail and proper acknowledgment under state law.

Note: The $5.00 criminal history check through Anderson PD reflects only the department's own arrest records and does not substitute for a statewide SLED CATCH search.

Anderson County Court Records

The Anderson County Clerk of Court is located at 100 South Main Street, Anderson, SC 29624, and is open Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 5:00pm. Clerk C. Reena Thomason, who was appointed in December 2022, oversees an office that serves as the official record custodian for all criminal, civil, and family court proceedings in Anderson County.

The Clerk's Office collects all fees, fines, and costs imposed by Circuit Court, summons and manages jurors, and oversees the Grand Jury process. Criminal case records on file with the Clerk include felony indictments, plea agreements, sentencing documents, and orders issued by the General Sessions Court. These records are available for public inspection subject to applicable rules and statutes.

The image below is sourced from andersoncountysc.org and shows the Anderson County Clerk of Court office, the official custodian of Anderson County criminal court records.

In-person visits to the Anderson County Clerk of Court allow researchers to view case files, request certified copies, and confirm current case status for Anderson criminal matters.

The free online access point for Anderson County criminal case records is the SC Public Index for Anderson County, operated through the SC Judicial Branch. Searches can be run by defendant name, case number, or date range. Results show charge descriptions, filing dates, case status, and scheduled court dates.

Anderson County is in the 10th Judicial Circuit. Cases originating within Anderson city limits that rise to the felony level are transferred from local magistrate or municipal court to the General Sessions Court, where they become part of the permanent Circuit Court record maintained by the Clerk of Court.

Anderson Police Mission and Crime Stoppers

Chief Jim Stewart leads the Anderson Police Department. The department's stated mission is "to serve the public, protect the innocent, and enforce the law," with priorities including protecting life, liberty, and property, preserving the peace, and preventing crime.

The department operates a Crime Stoppers line in coordination with a regional program. Callers can report information about criminal activity and may receive a cash reward of up to $2,000 for tips that lead to an arrest. Tips can be submitted by calling 1-888-Crime-SC. Crime Stoppers tips are handled separately from official records requests and are not subject to the same public disclosure rules as police reports.

The image below is sourced from andersonpd.com and represents the Anderson Police Department's public-facing online presence, which includes records access and community safety resources.

The department's online presence at andersonpd.com provides information on report requests, records services, and community programs in addition to the Crime Stoppers information.

Statewide Criminal History for Anderson Residents

A statewide criminal history search for Anderson residents or individuals with Anderson-area arrests can be conducted through the SLED CATCH system, maintained by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. The CATCH search costs $25 per individual under S.C. Code Ann. § 23-3-115 and reflects arrests and dispositions from agencies across South Carolina, including the Anderson Police Department and Anderson County Sheriff's Office.

The SLED main portal also links to the SC Sex Offender Registry at sled.sc.gov/SORT, which lists individuals currently registered in Anderson County and across the state. For inmates currently held in South Carolina state correctional facilities, the SC Department of Corrections inmate search provides name-based lookups by facility.

Criminal records that have been expunged under S.C. Code Ann. § 17-22-910 are removed from SLED's CATCH database and will not appear in search results after the expungement order takes effect. Juvenile records are sealed under § 63-19-2010 and are not accessible through public searches regardless of the avenue used.

• Anderson Police Department Records Division: (864) 260-4444, 401 S. Main Street, Anderson
• Anderson County Clerk of Court: 100 S. Main Street, Anderson, Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm
• SC Public Index - Anderson County: publicindex.sccourts.org/anderson/
• SLED CATCH statewide criminal history: sled.sc.gov/CATCH/ ($25 fee)
• SC Sex Offender Registry: sled.sc.gov/SORT/
• SCDC inmate search: scdc.state.sc.us