Columbia Felony Records
Columbia felony records are maintained by the Richland County Clerk of Court through the Fifth Judicial Circuit General Sessions Court. Columbia is the capital of South Carolina and the county seat of Richland County. All felony cases for Columbia residents are processed through General Sessions Court at 1701 Main Street. The Columbia Municipal Court handles city-level misdemeanor and traffic matters. Free online case access is available through the Richland County Public Index, and SLED CATCH provides statewide criminal history covering all 46 South Carolina counties.
Columbia Quick Facts
Columbia Municipal Court
The Columbia Municipal Court is located at 811 Washington Street, Columbia SC 29201. Main phone is (803) 545-3150. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM. The court handles misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, and city ordinance violations with maximum penalties of $500 fine or 30 days imprisonment. The court can also hear transferred General Sessions cases with penalties up to $5,000 and one year imprisonment.
Court sessions follow a set weekly schedule. Criminal court and jury trials are held on Mondays in person, with preliminary hearings held virtually. Traffic court and jury trials meet Tuesdays in person. Wednesdays feature criminal court, domestic violence court, quality of life court, and jury trials, all in person. Thursday sessions cover traffic court and jury trials. No court is held on Fridays. Bond court is held at 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, 201 John Mark Dial Drive, Columbia SC 29209.
The Columbia Municipal Court page at municipalcourt.columbiasc.gov provides court schedules, payment options, case lookup access, and detailed procedures for responding to citations, requesting continuances, and filing appeals for Columbia misdemeanor and traffic cases.
The Columbia Municipal Court website at municipalcourt.columbiasc.gov provides complete information on the court's multiple divisions including administrative, violations, and judicial divisions, along with contact numbers for each function and online payment access for outstanding citations.
The Columbia Municipal Court case information portal at municipalcourt.columbiasc.gov allows users to search for pending cases by name or citation number, providing case status and upcoming court date information for Columbia misdemeanor and traffic matters.
The Columbia Municipal Court case information portal at municipalcourt.columbiasc.gov gives defendants and the public access to pending case data, helping individuals verify court dates, check case status, and confirm whether citations are resolved before their scheduled appearance.
Multiple phone lines serve different Columbia Municipal Court functions. For general administrative information call (803) 545-3150. Criminal and traffic cases pending in regular court: (803) 545-3127. Cases pending in jury trials: (803) 545-3169. Fine payments and bonds: (803) 545-3140. Arrest and bench warrants: (803) 545-3166. Judicial information: (803) 545-3128.
| Address | 811 Washington Street Columbia, SC 29201 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (803) 545-3150 |
| Hours | Monday-Friday, 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Bond Court | 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM daily at Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center 201 John Mark Dial Drive, Columbia SC 29209 |
Richland County Clerk of Court and Columbia Felony Records
All Columbia felony cases are filed with the Richland County Clerk of Court at 1701 Main Street, Room 205, Columbia SC 29201. Clerk of Court Jeanette McBride oversees General Sessions criminal cases, Common Pleas civil cases, and Family Court records. Phone is (803) 576-1950, fax (803) 576-1785. Criminal records are maintained on the 4th floor. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Electronic filing is available through the SC e-filing system.
The Fifth Judicial Circuit Solicitor's Office prosecutes all felony cases in General Sessions Court for both Richland and Kershaw counties. When a felony arrest is made in Columbia, the case proceeds through bond hearing at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, then through grand jury indictment, and finally to trial or plea at the Richland County Courthouse on Main Street. The Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center at 201 John Mark Dial Drive handles pre-trial detention for approximately 920 inmates and processes around 18,400 bookings per year.
FOIA requests for Richland County records have modified fee terms. The first 20 pages are provided free of charge. Copies beyond 20 pages are billed at $1.00 per page. The Clerk must respond to FOIA requests within 10 business days under S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-10. For police records, FOIA requests go to the City of Columbia FOIA Office at PO Box 667, Columbia SC 29202, email FOIA@columbiasc.net.
| Address | 1701 Main Street, Room 205 Columbia, SC 29201 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (803) 576-1950 |
| Hours | Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Clerk of Court | Jeanette McBride |
| Detention Center | Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center 201 John Mark Dial Drive Columbia, SC 29209 (803) 576-3000 |
| Public Index | publicindex.sccourts.org/richland |
How to Search Columbia Felony Records
The Richland County Public Index at publicindex.sccourts.org/richland provides free online access to General Sessions Court records. Felony records from 1990 forward are searchable by party name or case number. The system shows case status, charges, hearing dates, and disposition for Columbia felony cases. Accept the disclaimer before beginning your search.
In-person access to Columbia felony records is available at the Richland County Clerk of Court, 1701 Main Street. Bring valid photo ID. For statewide criminal history covering all 46 South Carolina counties, use SLED CATCH at catch.sled.sc.gov. The fee is $25 plus $1 online. For Columbia Police Department incident reports, victims receive reports free within 14 days. All others pay $3.00 for reports within 14 days, or submit a FOIA request for older reports.
Columbia felony records are public under S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-10. Records of dismissed charges are removed per § 17-1-40. Eligible first-offense convictions may be expunged after five years under § 22-5-910. Note: As of January 1, 2026, home address information is no longer displayed on the public index for all South Carolina counties.
Columbia General Sessions Court and Felony Classes
The Richland County General Sessions Court handles all felony charges under South Carolina's six-class system defined in Title 16 of the South Carolina Code of Laws. Class A felonies carry up to 30 years and include murder, kidnapping, first-degree criminal sexual conduct, and armed robbery. Class B felonies carry up to 25 years. Class C felonies carry up to 20 years. Class D felonies carry up to 15 years. Class E felonies carry up to 10 years. Class F felonies carry up to 5 years. Every Columbia felony record shows the charge, statute citation, felony class, and sentence imposed.
For current inmate information for Columbia residents serving state sentences, use the SCDC inmate search at doc.sc.gov. For pre-trial detention status at Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, call (803) 576-3000. The sex offender registry for Richland County is searchable at scor.sled.sc.gov. The Richland County Sheriff maintains sex offender registration under S.C. Code Ann. § 23-3-430.
Richland County Felony Records
All felony cases originating in the City of Columbia are processed through Richland County General Sessions Court. Access the county-level resource for complete felony case information.