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Why South Carolina Court Records are Available to the Public
In 1974, the South Carolina State Legislature passed a law named the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act. This law was enabled with the last changes in 1987 and aims to ensure disclosure of court records and other public records to the public.
What Court Records Access Means To You?
The law is similar to the South Carolina Open Meeting Law legislates the methods by which public meetings are conducted. The South Carolina Freedom of Information Act intent is to provide the public access to all public records at all government levels and statutes in the state of South Carolina.
Accountability to the Public
When the legislature enacted South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, it expressively declared that access to information concerning the conduct of the people’s business is a fundamental and necessary right of every person in this state, State House Code T30c004. Under the Freedom of Information Act any person, including individuals, corporations, firms, partnerships, associations and other organizations, has the right to request access to public records, including criminal and court records, in South Carolina. By promoting prompt public access to government records, the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act is intended to safeguard the accountability of government to the public.
How the South Carolina Court Process Functions?
Most cases in South Carolina courts begin in one of the 46 superior or trial courts located in each of the state’s 46 counties.
The next level of judicial authority resides with the Court of Appeals. Most cases before the Court of Appeals involves the review of a superior court decision being contested by a party involved in the case.
The Supreme Court serves as the highest court in the state and has the discretion to review decisions of the Court of Appeals in order to settle important questions of law and to resolve conflicts among the Court of Appeals.
Some differences between Civil Court and Small Claims Court below
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