Lancaster County Criminal Records and Courthouse Access
Lancaster County criminal records are accessible through the Clerk of Court, the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office, and SLED's statewide databases. The county operates within the 6th Judicial Circuit, with General Sessions handling all felony criminal prosecutions. Sheriff Barry S. Faile leads an accredited Sheriff's Office that maintains a full Records Department and an online inmate search on the agency website. Clerk of Court Mike Watkins oversees the courthouse records division, where General Sessions criminal case files are maintained and available for public inspection under South Carolina's Freedom of Information Act.
Lancaster County Quick Facts
Lancaster County Clerk of Court and Criminal Case Records
Mike Watkins serves as the Lancaster County Clerk of Court. The office is located at 104 North Main Street, Lancaster SC 29720, with a mailing address of PO Box 1809, Lancaster SC 29720. Contact is available by email at mwatkins@lancastercountysc.gov, by phone at (803) 285-1581, or by fax at (877) 220-4138. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. The Family Court division can be reached at (803) 285-6961. Public terminals are available at the courthouse for reviewing records on site.
The Clerk's office maintains General Sessions criminal records for all felony cases prosecuted in Lancaster County. Each case file in General Sessions documents the charges, court appearances, motions, verdicts, and sentencing. Court rosters showing upcoming hearing schedules are available online and through the Public Index system. Under S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-10 et seq., these records are public documents that any member of the public may inspect and copy. Under S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-30, the Clerk must respond to written records requests within ten business days.
Online access to Lancaster County criminal records is available through the Lancaster County Public Index, which is Circuit 6, County 29. The Public Index is free and allows searches by party name, case number, or filing date. It provides case summaries, hearing dates, and basic filing information for both active and disposed cases across the court divisions serviced by the Clerk's office.
Lancaster County Sheriff's Office: Records and Law Enforcement
Sheriff Barry S. Faile welcomes visitors to the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office (LACOSO) with a commitment to serving the citizens of Lancaster County with honor. The office is located at 1941 Pageland Highway, Lancaster SC 29720, with a mailing address of PO Box 908, Lancaster SC 29720. The main phone is (803) 283-4136 and fax is 877-636-7980. The Detention Center within the facility can be reached at (803) 283-2084. The Sheriff's website is at lacoso.net.
LACOSO achieved CALEA accreditation in 2013, becoming the 11th sheriff's office in South Carolina to earn this recognition. CALEA, the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, is an internationally recognized accreditation body that sets professional standards for law enforcement. This accreditation reflects the organization's commitment to best practices in records management, transparency, and public service.
The image below is from the SLED CATCH portal, the statewide criminal history search system that consolidates records from LACOSO and all other South Carolina agencies.
The Lancaster County Sheriff's Office reports arrest and disposition data to SLED, making CATCH the most complete single-source search for Lancaster County criminal history.
The Records Department at LACOSO is staffed by five full-time records clerks who manage public records requests and maintain agency files. The department is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Incident reports are available in person at the Sheriff's Office. Background checks for individuals are processed through the SLED CATCH system, which the Sheriff's Office can direct requesters to use for official background check purposes. Undersheriff Major Matt Shaw can be reached at jshaw@lacoso.net or (803) 313-2156 for administrative inquiries.
Lancaster County Detention Center and Inmate Records
The Lancaster County Detention Center is housed at the same address as the Sheriff's Office at 1941 Pageland Highway. An online inmate search is available through the Sheriff's website at lacoso.net, allowing the public to search for individuals currently in custody. Inmate records are public documents under South Carolina's Freedom of Information Act, and the Sheriff's Office makes them accessible through the online portal and by phone inquiry during business hours.
Arrest records generated by the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office document the individual's name, charges, arresting officer, booking details, and bond information if applicable. These records reflect custody and charging decisions and do not establish guilt. Many arrests result in charges that are later dismissed, reduced, or resolved through negotiation before trial. Researchers should always verify case outcomes through the Lancaster County Public Index or the Clerk of Court for a complete picture of any case.
Under S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-40, certain arrest records may be withheld by the Sheriff's Office when disclosure could endanger an active investigation or reveal a confidential informant. Requesters who believe a disclosure has been improperly withheld may seek judicial review of the agency's decision under the provisions of South Carolina's Freedom of Information Act, found at scstatehouse.gov/code/t30c004.php.
SLED CATCH and Lancaster County Criminal History
The SLED CATCH portal at catch.sled.sc.gov provides statewide criminal history searches that include records originating from Lancaster County. A name-based CATCH search returns arrests, charges, and dispositions reported by all South Carolina law enforcement agencies, including LACOSO. The fee is $25.00 plus a $1.00 online processing fee under S.C. Code Ann. § 23-3-115. Reporting to SLED by local agencies is mandatory under S.C. Code Ann. § 23-3-120, ensuring that Lancaster County records are reflected in the statewide database.
SLED maintains the free South Carolina Sex Offender Registry, searchable by name, county, or ZIP code. The SCDC inmate search covers individuals in South Carolina state prisons. The SLED main website provides a directory of all available records services. The SC Courts case records search portal offers a statewide court records gateway including Lancaster County data. Title 23 of the South Carolina Code governing SLED is at scstatehouse.gov/code/t23c003.php.
Lancaster County Criminal Records: Expungement and Confidentiality
South Carolina's expungement statute at S.C. Code Ann. § 17-22-910 provides a path for eligible individuals to have Lancaster County criminal records removed from public access. A successful expungement order directs the Clerk of Court, the Sheriff's Office, SLED, and all other relevant agencies to destroy or seal the designated records. After expungement is carried out, the record no longer appears in the Lancaster County Public Index or in SLED CATCH results for that individual.
Eligibility for expungement depends on the charge type, case outcome, and time elapsed since the case ended. First-time misdemeanor dismissals and acquittals are frequently eligible. Conditional discharge outcomes may qualify once all conditions have been met. Some first-time nonviolent felony convictions may be eligible for expungement after the full sentence is completed and the required waiting period has passed. The process begins with the Clerk of Court in Lancaster County and proceeds through the 6th Circuit Solicitor's Office for review before a judge issues the final ruling.
When Lancaster County criminal cases end in dismissal or acquittal, records may be subject to destruction under S.C. Code Ann. § 17-1-40. Juvenile criminal records in Lancaster County are confidential under S.C. Code Ann. § 63-19-2010, restricting public access. The expungement statute is available at scstatehouse.gov/code/t17c022.php. Individuals considering expungement are encouraged to consult with an attorney who practices in Lancaster County courts.
Nearby Counties
Looking for criminal records in neighboring counties? The following counties border or are near Lancaster County.