Richland County Felony Records
Richland County felony records are maintained by the Clerk of Court at 1701 Main Street, Room 205 in Columbia. All felony cases in Richland County go through the General Sessions Court, part of the Fifth Judicial Circuit. Jeanette McBride serves as Clerk of Court. The Criminal Records department is located on the 4th floor of the courthouse. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. E-filing is available for attorneys through the SCEF system. Richland County is home to Columbia, the state capital and largest city in South Carolina, making it one of the state's most active General Sessions Court jurisdictions. Felony records from 1990 forward are searchable through the South Carolina Public Index.
Richland County Quick Facts
Richland County Clerk of Court
Jeanette McBride serves as the Richland County Clerk of Court at 1701 Main Street, Room 205 in Columbia (mailing address PO Box 2766, Columbia SC 29202). The office phone is (803) 576-1950 and fax is (803) 576-1785. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. The Criminal Records department is located on the 4th floor of the courthouse and maintains General Sessions felony case records. Common Pleas civil records and Family Court records are also maintained. E-filing is available for attorneys through the SCEF system, allowing electronic submission of court documents.
The Richland County Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center at 201 John Mark Dial Drive in Columbia, phone (803) 576-3000, provides an online inmate search by name, SPN, or date of birth. The facility is a 565-bed direct supervision jail with an average daily population of 920 inmates, processing approximately 18,400 bookings annually. FOIA requests for Richland County records are handled online, with the first 20 pages provided free and $1 per page thereafter, with a 10 business day response time.
The Richland County Clerk of Court page at richlandcountysc.gov provides information on court services for General Sessions felony cases, Common Pleas civil cases, and Family Court, with access to case records, e-filing information for attorneys, and guidance on accessing Richland County felony records through the Public Index and in-person requests at the courthouse.
The Richland County Clerk of Court page at richlandcountysc.gov provides contact information for the courthouse on Main Street in Columbia, details on the Criminal Records department on the 4th floor, e-filing procedures for attorneys through SCEF, and guidance for members of the public seeking Richland County felony records through the Public Index or direct in-person requests.
| Clerk of Court | Jeanette McBride |
|---|---|
| Address | 1701 Main Street, Room 205 Columbia, SC 29201 |
| Mailing | PO Box 2766, Columbia, SC 29202 |
| Phone | (803) 576-1950 |
| Fax | (803) 576-1785 |
| Hours | Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM |
| FOIA Fees | First 20 pages free; $1.00 per page thereafter |
| Detention Center | Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center 201 John Mark Dial Drive, Columbia, SC 29209 (803) 576-3000 |
| Public Index | publicindex.sccourts.org/richland |
Fifth Circuit and Richland County Felony Prosecution
Richland County is part of the Fifth Judicial Circuit of South Carolina along with Kershaw County. The Fifth Circuit Solicitor's Office at scsolicitor5.org prosecutes all felony cases in General Sessions Court for both Richland and Kershaw counties. Richland County is by far the more populous of the two Fifth Circuit counties and accounts for the majority of the circuit's General Sessions Court caseload. The Solicitor's Office provides victim assistance programs and a Worthless Check Program for financial crime victims in Richland County.
When a felony arrest is made in Richland County, the case proceeds through bond hearing at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, grand jury indictment, and trial or plea in General Sessions Court at the Richland County Courthouse. Each step generates documents filed with the Clerk of Court. The Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center processes approximately 18,400 bookings annually, reflecting the volume of felony and other criminal cases that move through Richland County's justice system each year.
How to Search Richland County Felony Records
The Richland County Public Index at publicindex.sccourts.org/richland provides free online access to Circuit 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 Richland County felony cases. Accept the disclaimer before beginning your search.
In-person access to Richland County felony records is available at the Criminal Records department on the 4th floor of the courthouse at 1701 Main Street in Columbia. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. For statewide criminal history including Richland County felony records, use SLED CATCH at catch.sled.sc.gov. The fee is $25 plus $1 online and covers all 46 South Carolina counties.
Richland County felony records are public under S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-10. FOIA requests are processed with the first 20 pages provided free and $1 per page thereafter, with a 10 business day response time. 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.
Richland County 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 Richland County felony record shows the charge, statute citation, felony class, and sentence imposed.
For current inmate information for Richland County residents serving state prison sentences, use the SCDC inmate search at doc.sc.gov. For those held pre-trial in Richland County, use the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center online inmate search at (803) 576-3000. The sex offender registry for Richland County is searchable at scor.sled.sc.gov. The Richland County Sheriff is responsible for local sex offender registration under S.C. Code Ann. § 23-3-430.
Cities in Richland County
Richland County includes Columbia, the state capital, among its major communities. All felony cases for Richland County residents are filed at the General Sessions Court in Columbia.
Nearby Counties
Richland County is part of the Fifth Judicial Circuit with Kershaw County. These nearby counties each maintain separate General Sessions Court felony records.