Spartanburg County Criminal Records Access

Spartanburg County criminal records are generated by courts, law enforcement agencies, and related government offices operating throughout one of South Carolina's most populated Upstate counties. Searching Spartanburg County criminal records gives you access to arrest documentation, court filings, charging information, and case dispositions. The county seat is the city of Spartanburg, and criminal cases in the county are handled through the 7th Judicial Circuit. This page explains the agencies, online tools, and official request procedures available for locating criminal records in Spartanburg County.

Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office

The Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office provides professional law enforcement services to the citizens of Spartanburg County, operating out of its facility at 8045 Howard Street, Spartanburg, SC 29303. The main phone number is (864) 503-4500. The department's mission centers on a deep commitment to serving and protecting residents, upholding law with transparency, professionalism, and accountability. The Sheriff's Office operates several specialized units, including ongoing cold case investigations, a Mounted Patrol Unit, and Respect for Law programs conducted in partnership with local Optimist Clubs.

Mugshots related to arrests made in Spartanburg County are available through the Sheriff's Office. Arrest records maintained by the Sheriff's Office document incidents that occur in unincorporated areas of the county and cases where the Sheriff's Office served as the arresting agency. The department coordinates with the Clerk of Court and other agencies to ensure that criminal records generated by its activities are properly filed and accessible to the public through appropriate channels.

The SLED CATCH portal is the statewide resource for Spartanburg County criminal history, consolidating records from all contributing agencies including the Sheriff's Office.

Spartanburg County Clerk of Court

The Honorable Amy W. Cox serves as Clerk of Court for Spartanburg County. The Clerk's office is located on the 2nd Floor, Suite 2100, at 180 Magnolia Street, Spartanburg, SC 29306, with a mailing address of PO Box 3483, Spartanburg, SC 29304. The phone number is (864) 596-2591, and regular office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Clerk Cox was born and raised in Spartanburg County and was appointed by Governor Henry McMaster on January 22, 2019. She also serves as Register of Deeds, an office that records nearly 60,000 documents annually, with land records stretching back to the 1700s. The Clerk also operates a Passport Acceptance Facility that processes over 14,000 applications annually, and the office employs more than 65 people across five locations.

Criminal records maintained by the Spartanburg County Clerk of Court include the full range of documentation produced by criminal proceedings in the 7th Judicial Circuit. These records show defendant information, the charges filed, the hearings timeline, arrest dates, physical descriptions, attorney assignments, and the name of the presiding judge. Copy fees for court records are $0.20 per page, and document certification costs $10 per document. These fees apply when requesting printed copies from the Clerk of Court office in Spartanburg County.

Under S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-30, the Clerk of Court must respond to properly submitted public records requests within ten business days. Requests should include the full name of the defendant, the approximate timeframe of any relevant proceedings, and the specific types of records sought. Certain records are exempt from release under S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-40, including materials related to active investigations or records protected by court order.

Spartanburg County Criminal Records Online

The South Carolina Judicial Branch Public Index for Spartanburg County is available at publicindex.sccourts.org/spartanburg/. This free tool allows searches by defendant name or case number and returns case filings, charge information, hearing dates, and dispositions for criminal matters filed in Spartanburg County courts. The Public Index is the most accessible starting point for locating Spartanburg County criminal records without visiting the courthouse in person.

The SC Courts case records search provides a statewide interface that includes Spartanburg County along with all other South Carolina jurisdictions. This is useful when a person may have cases in multiple counties and a broader search is needed. Both tools are maintained by the South Carolina Judicial Branch and are updated regularly as new case information is filed.

The SC Courts case records search provides statewide access that includes Spartanburg County criminal case filings and dispositions.

SLED Background Checks and Spartanburg County Records

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) compiles criminal history information reported by agencies across all 46 counties, including Spartanburg County. Under S.C. Code Ann. § 23-3-120, law enforcement agencies and courts are required to report criminal history data to SLED. This makes SLED's statewide database one of the most comprehensive sources for Spartanburg County criminal records when viewed in a broader context.

The SLED CATCH system at catch.sled.sc.gov provides online criminal background checks for a $25 fee per search as set out under S.C. Code Ann. § 23-3-115. These checks are used across a wide variety of situations requiring verification of criminal history. The SLED main website at sled.sc.gov also provides additional information about record-keeping practices and statewide criminal history services.

The South Carolina Sex Offender Registry, available at scor.sled.sc.gov, allows name and geographic searches for registered sex offenders in Spartanburg County and statewide. This registry is free to search and is maintained in accordance with state reporting requirements.

Expungement of Spartanburg County Criminal Records

Individuals with qualifying criminal records in Spartanburg County may petition for expungement under S.C. Code Ann. § 17-22-910. Expungement removes eligible records from public view, meaning they will not appear in standard public records searches or in the Public Index. Records successfully expunged through the courts are no longer accessible to the general public and are destroyed under the procedures set out in S.C. Code Ann. § 17-1-40.

The Spartanburg County Clerk of Court handles expungement petitions. Eligibility depends on the type of offense, the outcome of the case, and the amount of time that has passed since the conviction or dismissal. First-time offenders who completed diversion programs, individuals with dismissed charges, and those who have satisfied waiting periods may qualify for expungement under South Carolina law. Consulting with an attorney familiar with the 7th Judicial Circuit can help determine whether a specific Spartanburg County criminal record qualifies for expungement.

Juvenile records in Spartanburg County are handled separately and are generally sealed under S.C. Code Ann. § 63-19-2010, making them unavailable through standard public records searches.

Nearby Counties with Criminal Records

Spartanburg County is situated in the Upstate region of South Carolina and shares borders with several other counties. Individuals with ties to the broader region may have criminal records in multiple jurisdictions. Searching adjacent counties may be necessary for a thorough review.

Counties bordering Spartanburg County include Cherokee County, Greenville County, Union County, and York County. Each has its own Clerk of Court and Sheriff's Office, and each maintains a Public Index through the South Carolina Judicial Branch. For a statewide search covering all these jurisdictions at once, the SLED CATCH system provides the most comprehensive option available.