Hilton Head Island Felony Records
Hilton Head Island felony records are maintained by the Beaufort County Clerk of Court through the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit General Sessions Court. Hilton Head Island is a major resort destination in Beaufort County on the South Carolina coast. All felony cases for Hilton Head residents and visitors are processed through General Sessions Court at 102 Ribaut Road in Beaufort. The Hilton Head Island Municipal Court was dissolved on January 17, 2019, and all court matters now go through the Beaufort County Magistrate Court. The Beaufort County Public Index provides free online felony case access.
Hilton Head Island Quick Facts
Hilton Head Island Court and Magistrate Court
The Hilton Head Island Municipal Court was dissolved as of January 17, 2019. All matters previously handled by that court now go through Beaufort County Magistrate Court. Payments for any outstanding Hilton Head Municipal Court matters are now made at the Bluffton Magistrate Court at 4819 Bluffton Parkway, Bluffton SC 29910, phone (843) 255-5610.
The Beaufort County Magistrate Court serving Hilton Head Island is located at 539 William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head Island SC 29928, phone (843) 255-5950. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with the office closed from noon to 1:00 PM for lunch. This court handles traffic and criminal misdemeanor matters for Hilton Head Island as well as preliminary hearings for felony matters before they are bound over to General Sessions Court. The Town of Hilton Head Island government is at 1 Town Center Court, phone (843) 341-4700, hours Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
The Town of Hilton Head Island official website at hiltonheadislandsc.gov provides information on town government, local law enforcement contacts, court resources, and guidance for Hilton Head residents and visitors navigating court matters now handled through Beaufort County Magistrate Court following the dissolution of the municipal court in 2019.
The Town of Hilton Head Island website at hiltonheadislandsc.gov provides a gateway to town government information, contacts for Town Manager Marc A. Orlando and Town Clerk Kimberly Gammon, and links to Beaufort County court resources that now handle all court matters for Hilton Head Island following the January 2019 dissolution of the town's own Municipal Court.
The Hilton Head Island FOIA public portal at hiltonheadislandsc.justfoia.com allows residents and the public to submit and track Freedom of Information Act requests to the Town of Hilton Head Island for police incident reports and other town records relating to criminal and civil matters.
The Hilton Head Island FOIA portal at hiltonheadislandsc.justfoia.com provides a convenient way to submit public records requests for town-held information, including police incident reports from the Hilton Head Island area, which represent the earliest public documentation of criminal matters before they proceed through the Beaufort County court system.
| Municipal Court | Dissolved January 17, 2019 Payments now at Bluffton Magistrate 4819 Bluffton Parkway, Bluffton (843) 255-5610 |
|---|---|
| HHI Magistrate Court | 539 William Hilton Parkway Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 (843) 255-5950 |
| Town Hall | 1 Town Center Court Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 (843) 341-4700 |
Beaufort County Clerk of Court and Hilton Head Felony Records
All Hilton Head Island felony cases are filed with the Beaufort County Clerk of Court at 102 Ribaut Road, Suite 208, Beaufort SC 29902, phone (843) 255-5050. The Clerk maintains all General Sessions criminal case records for Beaufort County including those originating on Hilton Head Island. The Fourteenth Circuit Solicitor's Office prosecutes all felony cases for Beaufort and Allendale counties.
When a felony arrest occurs on Hilton Head Island, the case proceeds through the Hilton Head Magistrate Court for preliminary matters, then to the Beaufort County Grand Jury for indictment, and finally to trial or plea at the Beaufort County Courthouse in Beaufort. The Beaufort County Probate Court maintains a satellite office at 539 William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head Island, phone (843) 255-5866, hours Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM with the office closing to the public at 4:30 PM.
| Clerk of Court | 102 Ribaut Road, Suite 208 Beaufort, SC 29902 (843) 255-5050 |
|---|---|
| Public Index | publicindex.sccourts.org/beaufort |
How to Search Hilton Head Felony Records
The Beaufort County Public Index at publicindex.sccourts.org/beaufort provides free online access to General Sessions Court records for the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit. Felony records from 1990 forward are searchable by party name or case number. The system shows case status, charges, hearing dates, and disposition for Hilton Head Island felony cases. Accept the disclaimer before beginning your search.
In-person access to Hilton Head Island felony records is available at the Beaufort County Clerk of Court at 102 Ribaut Road in Beaufort. For statewide criminal history, use SLED CATCH at catch.sled.sc.gov. The fee is $25 plus $1 online and covers all 46 South Carolina counties.
Hilton Head Island felony records are public under S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-10. The Clerk must respond to FOIA requests within 10 business days. 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.
Hilton Head Felony Classes and General Sessions Court
The Beaufort County General Sessions Court handles all felony charges for Hilton Head Island 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 Hilton Head Island felony record shows the charge, statute citation, felony class, and sentence imposed.
For current inmate information for individuals serving state sentences, use the SCDC inmate search at doc.sc.gov. The sex offender registry for Beaufort County is searchable at scor.sled.sc.gov. The Beaufort County Sheriff maintains sex offender registration under S.C. Code Ann. § 23-3-430.
Beaufort County Felony Records
All felony cases originating on Hilton Head Island are processed through Beaufort County General Sessions Court. Access the county-level resource for complete felony case information.