Columbia Municipal Court Docket
Columbia court docket records are maintained by the Columbia Municipal Court and the Richland County Clerk of Court. Columbia is South Carolina's capital city and the seat of Richland County. The Columbia Municipal Court handles traffic citations, city ordinance cases, and misdemeanor criminal matters arising within the city. For circuit court filings, felony cases, and family court matters, residents access records through the Richland County court system. The South Carolina Judicial Branch Public Index provides online access to Columbia court docket information going back to 1988.
Columbia Quick Facts
Columbia Municipal Court Information
The Columbia Municipal Court provides an efficient, equitable, and impartial forum to hear and resolve alleged violations of criminal laws, traffic laws, and city ordinances. The court protects the legal rights of individuals while safeguarding the public interest. It falls under the Fifth Judicial Circuit of South Carolina and serves residents and visitors cited within Columbia city limits.
The court is open for both in-person and virtual hearings depending on the case type. Check your ticket or summons to determine the format for your appearance. Bond court sessions are held at 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. at the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, 201 John Mark Dial Dr., Columbia, SC 29209. Columbia Municipal Court is a court not of record. This means appeals from its decisions are heard de novo in Circuit Court.
| Court | Columbia Municipal Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 811 Washington Street Columbia, SC 29201 |
| Phone | (803) 545-3150 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Website | municipalcourt.columbiasc.gov |
Court sessions run Monday through Thursday. Mondays feature criminal court and jury trials in person, with preliminary hearings held virtually. Tuesdays and Thursdays are traffic court days. Wednesdays include criminal court, domestic violence court, quality of life court, and jury trials. There is no court on Fridays.
How to Search Columbia Court Docket Records
Richland County maintains all records for Columbia Municipal Court cases. Records from 1988 to the present are available through the South Carolina Public Index. To search them, visit the SC Judicial Branch case records search page and select "Columbia Municipal Court" under the "Court Agency" drop-down. You can search by name, case number, or filing date. Case information includes party names, charges, case status, and hearing schedules.
The Columbia Municipal Court also provides a dedicated view case information page directly on their website. This page links to the Public Index and guides you through selecting the correct court agency. Online records may not include all filed documents. Certified copies require an in-person visit or a formal request to the court clerk.
For different types of inquiries, use the following contact numbers. Call (803) 545-3127 for questions about criminal and traffic cases pending in regular court. Call (803) 545-3169 for jury trial cases. Call (803) 545-3140 for fine payment and bond information. Call (803) 545-3166 about arrest and bench warrants. The judicial division can be reached at (803) 545-3128.
Note: Court staff can explain court procedures, provide referrals to legal services, share court schedules, and give general information from your case file. They cannot provide legal advice.
Columbia Court Docket Case Types
The Columbia Municipal Court docket covers a specific range of case types. All of them arise from incidents within Columbia city limits. Cases outside city limits go to Richland County magistrate court or to General Sessions Court instead.
The court handles 30-day misdemeanors and minor traffic offenses. Maximum penalties are fines not exceeding $500 and imprisonment not exceeding 30 days. The court is a court not of record under South Carolina law. Common case types on the Columbia court docket include traffic offenses, assault and battery third degree, domestic violence third degree, shoplifting under $2,000, simple possession of marijuana, first offense DUI and DUAC, trespassing, and public intoxication.
The Columbia court docket also includes quality of life cases, which address city ordinance violations related to nuisances, noise, and other municipal code issues. Domestic violence court runs on Wednesdays and handles domestic violence third degree matters within city limits. For higher-level offenses, cases transfer to the Richland County General Sessions Court and appear on the circuit court docket.
Richland County Circuit Court Docket
Columbia residents who need court docket records for serious criminal cases or civil matters look to the Richland County courts. The Richland County Clerk of Court maintains records for the Fifth Judicial Circuit. The Fifth Circuit includes both Richland and Kershaw counties.
The circuit court handles felony criminal cases in General Sessions, civil cases in Common Pleas, and family law matters in Family Court. These records are all searchable through the South Carolina Public Index at sccourts.org. Other municipal courts in Richland County include those for Arcadia Lakes, Blythewood, Eastover, and Forest Acres. Each city maintains its own docket for cases within its limits.
The City of Columbia website provides links to court resources, city ordinances, and public services for residents. For court questions related to pending cases, always contact the court directly using the contact numbers provided by the Columbia Municipal Court.
Richland County Court Docket
Columbia is located in Richland County. Felony criminal cases, civil actions, and family court filings go through the Richland County court system. For the full range of court docket records for the county, including circuit court cases and clerk of court information, visit the Richland County court docket page.
Nearby South Carolina Cities
Residents of nearby cities have their own municipal courts and county court systems. Select a city to find court docket information for that area.