Lee County Criminal Records Search
Lee County criminal records are maintained by the Clerk of Court in Bishopville and accessible through both local and state channels. Searching these records allows residents, researchers, attorneys, and other interested parties to review criminal case histories filed within this South Carolina county. The Lee County Clerk of Court serves as the official custodian for General Sessions criminal cases, while the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division provides statewide criminal history searches for anyone needing to look beyond the county's own filings.
Lee County Quick Facts
Lee County Criminal Records at the Clerk of Court
The Lee County Clerk of Court is the primary keeper of criminal court records for the county. Teresa A. Brown serves as Clerk of Court and has held that office since January 2, 2017, following her election on November 8, 2016. The physical office is located at 123 S Main St, Bishopville SC 29010. The mailing address is PO Box 387, Bishopville SC 29010-0387. The office can be reached at (803) 484-5341 ext. 3168, or by fax at (803) 484-1632. Standard office hours are 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday.
The Clerk's office maintains records for both Circuit Court and Family Court proceedings. All felony criminal charges processed in Lee County pass through General Sessions, which is part of Circuit Court. The Clerk's office receives criminal warrants, transmits case files to the Solicitor's office, manages bonds, and handles jury administration. These responsibilities make the Clerk's records a central resource for anyone researching criminal case histories tied to Lee County.
Online access to Lee County criminal court records is available through the South Carolina Public Index at publicindex.sccourts.org/lee. This free online resource allows searches by defendant name or case number and reflects the current status of cases in the system. The Public Index is the most convenient starting point before contacting the Clerk's office directly for additional case documentation.
South Carolina's Freedom of Information Act, codified at S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-10 et seq., gives the public the right to inspect and copy most criminal court records held by the Clerk of Court. Under S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-30(B), agencies must respond to requests within ten business days and either provide the records or explain the reason for any denial. Requesters visiting the Lee County Clerk's office in person can review records during normal business hours. Written requests sent by mail are also accepted.
Teresa A. Brown is a graduate of Central Carolina Community College and has been a member of the Lee County Lions Club since 2016. Her office also provides child support services, which are administered through the Family Court division.
Lee County Sheriff and Arrest Records
The Lee County Sheriff's Office, led by Sheriff Daniel Simon, handles law enforcement throughout the county and generates the arrest records that feed into the criminal court system. The Sheriff's Office is located at PO Box 89, Bishopville SC 29010, with a main phone number of (803) 484-5353. The Detention Center is managed through the Sheriff's Office and holds individuals awaiting trial or serving short sentences within the county. You can follow the Sheriff's Office on Facebook for public safety announcements and recent activity.
When deputies make an arrest, a record is created that includes the individual's name, charges, arresting agency, and date of arrest. These records are later incorporated into the Clerk of Court's General Sessions files once formal charges are filed. Arrest records document that a person was taken into custody and charged but do not indicate a finding of guilt. It is important to review the full case outcome through the Public Index to understand whether charges resulted in a conviction, dismissal, or another disposition.
Under S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-40, certain law enforcement records are exempt from public disclosure when their release could compromise an ongoing investigation or endanger a confidential source. This means some arrest records may not be immediately accessible through a public records request to the Sheriff's Office, though finalized case records at the Clerk of Court remain open.
SLED CATCH: Statewide Criminal History for Lee County
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division operates the CATCH portal — Comprehensive ATM Criminal History — at catch.sled.sc.gov. This statewide database consolidates criminal history information reported by all law enforcement agencies across South Carolina, including arrests, charges, and dispositions originating in Lee County. CATCH is the most thorough tool available for reviewing an individual's full criminal history in the state rather than records limited to one county.
Under S.C. Code Ann. § 23-3-120, all law enforcement agencies in South Carolina are required to report criminal data to SLED. This mandate ensures that the CATCH database remains comprehensive and current. The fee for a SLED criminal background search is $25.00, as established by S.C. Code Ann. § 23-3-115, with an additional $1.00 processing fee for online requests submitted through the CATCH portal.
SLED also administers the South Carolina Sex Offender Registry, which is a free public resource listing individuals required to register under state law. The image below comes from the SLED Sex Offender Registry website, which is one of several resources maintained by SLED for public access to criminal history data in South Carolina.
The following image is sourced from the South Carolina Sex Offender Registry.
This state registry is a key companion resource when researching Lee County criminal records and public safety information.
For individuals who are or have been incarcerated in a state facility, the South Carolina Department of Corrections offers a free inmate search at public.doc.state.sc.us/scdc-public. This search covers current and former SCDC inmates and is separate from Lee County's local detention records.
What Lee County Criminal Records Contain
Criminal records from Lee County courts generally include the defendant's full name, date of birth, the case number, the charges filed, and the court division handling the matter. General Sessions records address felony charges. Magistrate Court records handle misdemeanors and certain traffic matters. Each case file reflects the current status of proceedings, whether pending, disposed, sentenced, or appealed.
Case outcomes documented in Lee County criminal records include guilty pleas, verdicts from jury trials, sentences imposed, fines levied, probation terms, and outright dismissals. When a case results in a dismissal or acquittal, the records may be subject to destruction under S.C. Code Ann. § 17-1-40. This statute governs the handling of records tied to non-convictions and provides a mechanism for protecting individuals from the lasting impact of charges that did not result in a finding of guilt.
Juvenile records in Lee County are treated separately from adult criminal court records. Under S.C. Code Ann. § 63-19-2010, records of juvenile proceedings are confidential and not available to the general public. Access is limited to the juvenile, parents, legal counsel, and the courts. This confidentiality is designed to support rehabilitation by preventing early mistakes from defining a young person's public record.
Expungement of Lee County Criminal Records
Expungement in South Carolina allows eligible individuals to have qualifying criminal records removed from public view. The process is governed by S.C. Code Ann. § 17-22-910. If an expungement order is granted, the Clerk of Court, the Sheriff's Office, SLED, and any other relevant agency are directed to seal or destroy the specified records. Once expunged, those records no longer appear in standard public searches, including the Public Index and the SLED CATCH portal.
Eligibility for expungement in Lee County depends on the nature of the charge, the outcome of the case, and how much time has elapsed since the case was resolved. First-offense misdemeanors that ended in dismissal or a not-guilty verdict are often eligible. Certain first-time nonviolent felony convictions may qualify after the individual has completed all sentence requirements and satisfied the statutory waiting period. Charges dismissed through conditional discharge programs are also potentially eligible for expungement.
The expungement process in Lee County begins at the Clerk of Court's office. An application is submitted, and the Clerk's office coordinates with the Solicitor's office and the Sheriff's Office. The 3rd Circuit Solicitor reviews the application and may approve or object. A Circuit Court judge makes the final determination. More information about South Carolina's expungement law is available at the SC State House Title 17 Chapter 22 page.
Lee County Criminal Records and Public Records Law
South Carolina's Freedom of Information Act at S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-10 establishes the public's right to access government-held records, including most criminal court records held by the Lee County Clerk of Court. The full text of the FOIA statute is available at scstatehouse.gov/code/t30c004.php. Additional provisions covering law enforcement and court records appear throughout Title 23 at scstatehouse.gov/code/t23c003.php.
Certain records are exempt from public disclosure under S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-40. These exemptions cover records that could compromise ongoing investigations, reveal confidential informant identities, or expose security procedures. Records sealed by court order are also withheld. Requesters should expect that the Clerk's office will provide partial disclosures when some portions of a document are exempt but others are not.
Lee County government information, including contact details and a directory of county offices, is available at leecountysc.org. The Lee County Government's main line is (803) 484-5341, with a mailing address of PO Box 309, Bishopville SC 29010. Additional statewide resources are available through SLED and the SC Courts case records search portal.
Nearby Counties
Looking for criminal records in neighboring counties? The following counties border or are near Lee County.