How to Search York County Court Records
York County trial-court cases are searched through the South Carolina Judicial Branch Case Records Search, which routes you to the county's Public Index. You can go straight to the York County Public Index instead. The system covers Circuit Court, Family Court, Magistrate, and Master-in-Equity records, and some municipal cases. Your browser must allow cookies and JavaScript, and a pop-up exception is sometimes needed to open case detail.
Before you start, gather what you know. A case number returns the cleanest result. A party name works too, but common names can produce many hits. The official guide warns that results must match every field you enter, so over-filtering is a frequent reason a real case looks missing.
The York County Clerk of Court page links the Public Index, the Common Pleas docket, and marriage and estate information. The screenshot below shows the Clerk's quick links.
That page is a good launch point, but the search itself happens on the Public Index. Follow these steps.
- Open the York County Public Index and read the county disclaimer, then click Accept.
- Enter the security code and click Validate. Pressing Enter does not work here.
- Type a case number, or a last name and first name, to start a search.
- Narrow results with court type, case type, or a filing date range if needed.
- Click a case number, open the Actions tab for docket entries, and click document icons where images exist.
If a document icon does not show, the York County FAQ says to open Associated Cases, click the linked case number, and return to Actions. A docket entry can be visible even when the scanned file is not.
The Public Index is the front door for most York County Court records, and it is free to use.
The York County Judicial System
York County sits in the 16th Judicial Circuit, which it shares with Union County. The Circuit Court is the main trial court for serious cases. It splits into two parts. General Sessions hears criminal matters such as felonies and indictable charges. Common Pleas hears civil matters, including lawsuits, foreclosures, and money judgments. Above the trial courts are the South Carolina Court of Appeals and, at the top, the Supreme Court of South Carolina.
Other courts handle specific work. Family Court covers divorce, custody, child support, and orders of protection. Probate Court manages estates, wills, marriage licenses, and guardianships. Magistrate Courts are local lower courts with countywide reach over small claims, traffic, bond hearings, and warrants. The Master in Equity hears non-jury civil cases and runs judicial sales of real estate.
The York County Courts overview describes how these offices fit together, from Bond Court to the Solicitor.
Case flow: Magistrate or Municipal Court › Circuit Court (General Sessions or Common Pleas) › Court of Appeals › Supreme Court of South Carolina
| Court | Jurisdiction | Case Types |
|---|---|---|
| Circuit Court (General Sessions) | General, criminal | Felonies, indictments, serious misdemeanors |
| Circuit Court (Common Pleas) | General, civil | Lawsuits, foreclosures, judgments, lis pendens |
| Family Court | Domestic | Divorce, custody, support, protection orders |
| Probate Court | Estates and licenses | Wills, estates, marriage, guardianships |
| Magistrate Court | Countywide lower court | Small claims, traffic, bond, warrants |
York County Courthouses
Most circuit-level court business runs through Moss Justice Center on York Highway in York. That campus holds the Clerk of Court, General Sessions, Common Pleas, Bond Court, the Public Defender, the Solicitor, and the Detention Center. Probate Court is also there for now, on the second floor, because the Historical Courthouse on South Congress Street is closed for renovations.
Family Court is not on the York Highway campus. It operates from Rock Hill. The Register of Deeds keeps a separate office at the Government Center on South Congress Street in York. So "York County Court records" can mean several buildings, depending on the case type.
Clerk of Court
Moss Justice Center
1675-1G York Highway
York, SC 29745
803-628-3036
Register of Deeds
Government Center
6 South Congress Street
York, SC 29745
803-684-8510
Types of Court Records Available in York County
York County Court records span every division of the local courts. Each court produces its own files, and each kind of record answers a different question. Knowing the type you need points you to the right search tool and the right office.
The magistrate system is large here, with township courts plus centralized courts for DUI and fraudulent checks. The county Magistrates page lists each location and judge.
- Criminal records - General Sessions and magistrate files with charges, bonds, and dispositions.
- Civil records - Common Pleas lawsuits, judgments, foreclosures, and lis pendens.
- Family records - divorce, custody, support, and protection orders, with sensitive material limited.
- Probate records - estates, wills, guardianships, and marriage licenses.
- Traffic records - citations, court dates, fines, and DUI cases.
What York County Court Records Show
A York County Court record is built from data fields. The Public Index displays many of them, though sealed and confidential items stay hidden. Once you open a case, the Actions tab logs each filing and order in date order. The table below lists common fields and what each one tells you.
| Field | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Case Number | The court's unique ID for the case; the cleanest way to search. |
| Filing Date | When the case opened; usable as a date filter. |
| Parties | Plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, or respondent, with a toggle for multiple parties. |
| Charges / Cause | The criminal charge or the civil reason for the suit. |
| Disposition | The outcome, such as dismissed, guilty plea, or judgment. |
| Financials | Fines, fees, and payments where that tab is enabled. |
As of January 1, 2026, home address information no longer shows on the Public Index for new or existing cases.
Public Access Laws for York County Court Records
Access in South Carolina comes from a few overlapping rules. County and sheriff administrative files fall under the Freedom of Information Act. Court files follow court rules and the Public Index. Sensitive case types have their own confidentiality statutes. The result is simple to state: most dockets are searchable, but public access is not the same as unrestricted bulk data.
Key Statutes:
S.C. Code § 30-4-10 - the Freedom of Information Act, the basic right to request non-exempt county records.
E-Filing Rule 10 - gives public access to case status and party-filed documents, with sealed matters excluded.
Appellate Court Rule 610 - limits bulk distribution of compiled court records for commercial use.
Records That Are Restricted or Confidential
Not every York County Court record is open. Several categories are closed by statute or court order. Juvenile records are confidential under S.C. Code § 63-19-2010. Adoption files are sealed. Mental-health and involuntary-commitment records are protected under S.C. Code § 44-22-100. Sealed cases do not appear on the Public Index at all. Expunged charges are removed from public criminal systems.
To view a sealed record, a person usually must ask the court that holds it and show good cause. The judge decides. There is a real split worth remembering: a sealed record still exists but is closed, while an expunged record is destroyed or removed from public access under S.C. Code § 17-1-40.
Specialty Courts in York County
York County runs two centralized magistrate courts that stand out. The Centralized DUI Magistrate in Rock Hill handles every first-offense DUI and DUAC ticket, plus companion charges, from the Highway Patrol, the Sheriff's Department, Fort Mill Police, and the multi-jurisdictional checkpoint. The Centralized Fraudulent Check Magistrate handles dishonored-check cases countywide.
Bond Court is the other key specialty function. It sits inside the Detention Center at Moss Justice Center and runs 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, with a judge always on duty. New arrestees often see a magistrate there for a bond decision before release or continued custody. Traffic cases also feed the statewide Traffic Ticket Search, shown below.
Bond Court connects the jail roster, the bond amount, and the first court date, which is why arrest and inmate searches so often start there.
York County Sheriff and Jail
The York County Sheriff's Office runs the Detention Center, part of the Moss Justice Center complex. The jail has a rated capacity of 565 and held a 12-month average daily population of 467 in its 2020 audit. It houses men and women at minimum, medium, and maximum security, along with pretrial detainees and holds for the U.S. Marshals, ICE, and city agencies. The current inmate roster is public and updates as bookings and releases happen.
The live roster shows booking photos, charges, and bond. The image below is the current-inmates search.
For the full roster walkthrough, see York County inmate records. For arrest history and bookings, see arrest records, and for active-case warrant entries, see warrant records.
Marriage, Divorce, and Probate Records
Marriage licenses and estate files run through York County Probate Court, while divorce is a Family Court matter handled by the Clerk of Court. Probate estate records from 1975 to current are online and update nightly. See marriage and divorce records and probate records for the full process and fees. The Probate Court page below shows the online estate search notice.
Probate cases use their own vocabulary. A few terms help.
- Testator
- A person who makes a will.
- Executor
- The person named to carry out a will, also called a personal representative.
- Conservator
- Someone appointed to manage the money or property of a minor or an adult who cannot.
York County Court Records Fees
Searching the Public Index is free. Copies and filings are not. Fees depend on the office and the document. The Clerk and the courts charge set amounts for filings, while the Register of Deeds and Probate Court charge for certified copies. The table lists common charges drawn from official fee pages.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Circuit Court new case filing | $150 |
| E-filing technology fee (summons and complaint) | $25 |
| Register of Deeds certified copy | $10 per document |
| Certified marriage license copy | $5 per copy |
| Probate document printing | $2 per document |
Filing-fee detail is on the South Carolina Circuit Court fee schedule.
How to Interpret York County Court Records
Reading a docket takes a little care. An entry under Actions is a single filing or event, not the whole story. A charge is not a conviction, and a filed motion is only a request until a judge rules. Watch the disposition line for the real outcome: dismissed, nolle prosequi, guilty plea, or judgment.
Keep "case record" and "criminal history" apart. The Public Index shows court cases by name or number. A full statewide background check runs through SLED, not a single county name search. Treat a Public Index search as case-specific court access, not a complete record of a person.
Accuracy and Record Limitations
Online court data can lag behind the courthouse. A new filing may not post right away, and a document image may never be scanned. If a recent action is missing, call the office that holds the case before you assume it does not exist.
Note: Confirm any case detail, bond amount, or court date with the Clerk of Court or the originating office before you rely on it for a legal decision.
History of York County Courts
York County was established in 1785, and its seat is the town of York, once known as York Court House for its courthouse-centered role. The Historical Courthouse on South Congress Street remains a landmark, though it is closed for renovations for now. Modern court work has shifted to Moss Justice Center on York Highway, a 149,000-square-foot detention and justice complex built in 1995. Probate records reaching back to 1975 are now online, a sign of how far local access has moved from paper to portal.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I search York County court records online?
Use the South Carolina Judicial Branch Case Records Search and pick York County, or open the York County Public Index directly. Enter a case number, a party name, or a tax map number, then click a case in the results. Open the Actions tab in the middle of the case page to see docket entries and document icons. If icons are missing, check Associated Cases, click the linked case number, and return to Actions.
Are York County court records free to search?
Yes. The Public Index is free to search. Document images are not always available, and the official guide says they may be missing in some cases. Probate estate records can be viewed for free the day after filing, but printing costs $2 per document. Certified copies and official filings carry separate fees at each office.
Which court holds my York County case?
It depends on the matter. Criminal and civil cases sit in Circuit Court at Moss Justice Center. Divorce, custody, and support are Family Court matters in Rock Hill. Estates and marriage licenses go through Probate Court. Small claims, traffic, and bond run through the magistrate courts. The Clerk of Court ties Circuit and Family Court records together.
More on the York County Court Records FAQ page.