Orangeburg County Criminal Records Access
Orangeburg County criminal records are maintained by the Clerk of Court and accessible through county offices and state-level online portals. Residents, attorneys, journalists, and other interested parties can search these records to review criminal case histories filed within this South Carolina county. The Orangeburg County Clerk of Court is responsible for maintaining records of cases heard in the Court of Common Pleas and Court of General Sessions, while the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division provides statewide criminal history searches for anyone needing a broader picture of an individual's record.
Orangeburg County Quick Facts
Orangeburg County Criminal Records at the Clerk of Court
The Hon. Winnifa B. Clark serves as Clerk of Court for Orangeburg County and was first elected to the office in November 2008. The Clerk of Court office is responsible for maintaining records of cases heard in the Court of Common Pleas and Court of General Sessions, which involve civil and criminal matters respectively. The mailing address is PO Box 9000, Orangeburg SC 29115-9000, and the physical office is located at 151 Docket Street, Orangeburg SC 29115. The office can be reached at (803) 533-6243 or (803) 533-6260, with a fax at (803) 534-3848.
Winnifa B. Clark's office provides access to the Public Records Index and Summary Dockets online. These tools allow researchers to locate Orangeburg County cases by defendant name or docket number without needing to visit the courthouse. The Orangeburg County Public Index is accessible at publicindex.sccourts.org/orangeburg and reflects the current status of all cases in the system. The Public Index is the most efficient starting point before contacting the Clerk's office for full documentation.
General Sessions handles all felony criminal matters in Orangeburg County. The Common Pleas division addresses civil cases. Every felony charge processed in the county passes through the Clerk's office, which receives criminal warrants, transmits case files to the Solicitor, manages bonds, and administers jury functions. These responsibilities make the Clerk's office the core repository for Orangeburg County felony criminal records.
Under S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-10 et seq., the public has a legal right to inspect and copy most criminal court records held by the Clerk of Court. The office must respond to written public records requests within ten business days under S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-30(B). The FOIA text is available at scstatehouse.gov/code/t30c004.php.
Orangeburg County Sheriff and Criminal Records
The Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office is located at 1520 Ellis Avenue, Orangeburg SC 29115, and can be reached at (803) 533-5804. The Sheriff's Office maintains the County Jail, provides security for the County Courts, and serves various legal papers throughout the county. The office operates with a mission centered on community-based law enforcement, excellence through education and partnership, preserving the peace, protecting rights, and maintaining legal, ethical, and humanitarian practices. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, with 24-hour patrol coverage. The Sheriff's website is at orangeburgcounty.org/sheriff.
When deputies make an arrest, a record is created that captures the individual's name, the charges, the arresting agency, and the date. These records flow into the Clerk of Court's General Sessions files once formal charges are filed. Arrest records reflect that a person was taken into custody and charged, not that a finding of guilt was made. Researchers should verify case outcomes through the Public Index to understand how each Orangeburg County criminal case was ultimately resolved.
The following image is sourced from the Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office.
The Sheriff's Office is the originating source for arrest data that later appears in Orangeburg County's criminal court record system.
Orangeburg-Calhoun Regional Detention Center
The Orangeburg-Calhoun Regional Detention Center is located at 1520 Ellis Avenue Extension N.E., Orangeburg SC 29115. The facility can be reached at (803) 531-4658 or (803) 539-2091. The Regional Detention Center holds individuals arrested and awaiting trial in Orangeburg County as well as those serving shorter sentences following conviction. Families of individuals held at the center should contact the facility directly for information on inmate status and visitation procedures.
SLED CATCH and Statewide Criminal History for Orangeburg County
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division's CATCH portal at catch.sled.sc.gov aggregates criminal history data reported by all South Carolina law enforcement agencies, including Orangeburg County. CATCH is the most comprehensive resource for a full statewide criminal record review rather than records from one county alone. Under S.C. Code Ann. § 23-3-120, all agencies must report criminal data to SLED. The search fee is $25.00 under S.C. Code Ann. § 23-3-115, with a $1.00 online charge.
SLED also maintains the South Carolina Sex Offender Registry as a free public resource. The SCDC inmate search is available for individuals currently or previously incarcerated in state correctional facilities. The SLED main website provides additional background on statewide criminal records law and access procedures.
What Orangeburg County Criminal Records Contain
Criminal records from Orangeburg County courts include the defendant's full name, date of birth, case number, charges filed, and the court division. General Sessions addresses felony charges. Common Pleas handles civil actions. Magistrate Court covers misdemeanors and minor traffic matters. Each case file reflects current status, including pending, disposed, or appealed designations.
Documented case outcomes include guilty pleas, jury verdicts, sentences, fines, probation terms, and dismissals. Cases dismissed or resolved in acquittal may qualify for record destruction under S.C. Code Ann. § 17-1-40. Juvenile records are confidential under S.C. Code Ann. § 63-19-2010 and not available through public records searches. Access is limited to the juvenile, parents, legal counsel, and the courts. These protections exist to support rehabilitation by shielding young people from the long-term effects of early involvement in the justice system.
Note: Some older Orangeburg County records not yet available online may require an in-person visit to the Clerk of Court.
Expungement of Orangeburg County Criminal Records
South Carolina's expungement statute at S.C. Code Ann. § 17-22-910 allows eligible individuals to have qualifying criminal records removed from public access. When a court grants an expungement, the Orangeburg County Clerk of Court, the Sheriff's Office, SLED, and other relevant agencies are directed to seal or destroy the designated records. Following expungement, those records no longer appear in the Public Index, the CATCH portal, or other public searches. Eligibility depends on the charge type, the case outcome, and the elapsed time. The process begins at the Clerk's office and requires review by the 1st Circuit Solicitor before a judge makes a final determination. Statute details are at scstatehouse.gov/code/t17c022.php. Additional Title 23 provisions are at scstatehouse.gov/code/t23c003.php.
Orangeburg County Criminal Records and Public Records Law
South Carolina's FOIA 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 Orangeburg County Clerk of Court. Exemptions under S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-40 cover active investigation files, confidential informant information, and materials sealed by court order. When only a portion of a document falls under an exemption, the non-exempt sections must still be disclosed. Additional resources are available through the SC Courts case records search portal.
Nearby Counties
Looking for criminal records in neighboring counties? The following counties border or are near Orangeburg County.