Conway Criminal Court Records
Conway criminal court records are maintained by the Conway Municipal Court and the Horry County court system. Conway is the county seat of Horry County and home to about 25,000 residents. The city serves as a commercial and educational hub for the region and is the location of the Horry County Judicial Center. Criminal matters in Conway range from city ordinance violations handled by the Municipal Court to felony cases processed through the Horry County Circuit Court. Searching Conway criminal court records can be done online through the SC Public Index or by contacting the courts directly.
Conway Quick Facts
Criminal Court Records for Conway Residents
Conway criminal court records come from two distinct court levels. The Conway Municipal Court handles misdemeanors, traffic offenses, and city ordinance violations within city limits. Felony cases and more serious criminal matters are processed by the Horry County Circuit Court. Both levels produce records that are part of the public file under South Carolina law.
Because Conway is the county seat, the Horry County Clerk of Court is located in the city. That makes in-person access to circuit court records straightforward for Conway residents. The Horry County Clerk of Court is the official custodian of all circuit-level criminal case files, including indictments, bond orders, sentencing records, and every document filed from first appearance through final disposition.
The Horry County Judicial Center, where circuit court hearings take place, is also located in Conway. As the county seat, Conway is the geographic center of the Horry County court system. Residents of Conway and surrounding unincorporated areas have their felony cases heard here, and those records are all part of the public court file.
Note: Conway residents whose cases involve only city ordinance violations may have records solely in the Municipal Court system, which is not always included in the online Public Index.
How to Search Conway Criminal Court Records
The most accessible way to search Conway criminal court records is through the SC Judicial Branch Public Index for Horry County. This free, online tool allows searches by name or case number and returns case status, charge information, and filing dates. The Public Index covers circuit court and general sessions records and is available at any time.
For records from the Conway Municipal Court, contact the Conway Municipal Court directly. Municipal records are often not included in the Public Index, and a direct inquiry to the court is necessary for those matters. The court maintains records of all cases heard, including traffic matters and lower-level misdemeanors resolved quickly at initial appearance.
For a statewide criminal history search, the SLED criminal records portal is the appropriate tool. It draws from a statewide database and can surface records from across South Carolina, not just Horry County. Official reports from SLED carry a fee. The South Carolina Judicial Branch website provides links to all county Public Index portals and general guidance for those new to court record searches.
Conway Municipal Court
The Conway Municipal Court handles misdemeanor offenses, traffic violations, and violations of city ordinances committed within Conway city limits. The court also conducts bond hearings and preliminary hearings for felony cases before those matters are transferred to the Horry County Circuit Court. All of these proceedings generate records that become part of the official court file.
Traffic ticket payments can be made online or in person at the court office. Cases involving minor infractions are often resolved by payment before the scheduled hearing date. Court records from the Municipal Court are public and available for inspection during regular business hours. Those records document each case heard: the charge, the court date, and the outcome.
The Municipal Court's role in the criminal justice process in Conway is to handle the high volume of lower-level cases that do not require circuit court involvement. By resolving these matters locally, the court keeps the circuit court focused on more serious criminal cases. Any case that escalates beyond municipal court jurisdiction creates records in both systems, providing a clear trail from first appearance through final resolution.
Conway Police Department Records
The Conway Police Department generates the arrest records and incident reports that precede and feed into the criminal court system. When officers arrest someone within Conway city limits, that arrest record begins with the police department. It then follows the defendant into the court process, where it becomes part of the official criminal court record maintained by the clerk.
Records requests can be submitted through the Conway Police Department. South Carolina's Freedom of Information Act requires the department to provide access to incident reports and arrest records that are not part of an active investigation. Response timelines and any applicable fees are governed by state law. The department works alongside the Municipal Court and the Horry County courts as cases move through the system.
The South Carolina Judicial Branch court forms library provides the standardized forms used throughout the Conway criminal court process for filings, motions, and records requests.
Standard court forms used throughout the Conway criminal court process are available through the SC Judicial Branch forms library. Those forms govern how charges are filed, how motions are submitted, and how final orders are entered into the court's record. Both the police department and the courts rely on standardized forms and procedures to maintain consistent records.
What Conway Criminal Court Records Contain
Conway criminal court records contain all documents generated during a case from filing through final disposition. The specific contents vary depending on how the case was charged, what court handled it, and how it was resolved. A simple traffic matter resolved at first appearance has fewer documents than a contested felony case.
Standard documents in a Conway circuit court criminal file include the arrest warrant or summons, the indictment (for felony cases), bond hearing records reflecting the conditions of release, pre-trial motions filed by either side, the plea agreement or trial record, and the final sentencing order. For misdemeanor cases in municipal court, the file may consist of a uniform traffic ticket, a hearing record, and the disposition. All documents are indexed and held by the appropriate clerk's office. Criminal procedure rules governing these records statewide are set out in South Carolina Code Title 17.
Note: Case files that involve sealed proceedings, juvenile defendants, or active investigations may not be fully accessible through standard public records channels.
Public Records Access in Conway
South Carolina law makes most adult criminal court records publicly accessible. The state's Freedom of Information Act creates a presumption of access, and courts must justify any restriction on public records. Conway criminal court records at both the municipal and circuit court level are subject to this default openness.
The Horry County Public Index provides free online access to circuit court records any time of day. For certified copies of court documents, visit or contact the Horry County Clerk of Court. Per-page fees apply for document copies. For statewide criminal history, use the SLED criminal records portal. Victim services for those navigating court records in connection with a crime are available through the South Carolina Attorney General's crime victims office.
Expungement Options for Conway Residents
Conway residents with qualifying criminal court records may be eligible for expungement under South Carolina law. Expungement removes eligible records from public access and from most background check databases. Common qualifying circumstances include charges that were dismissed, not-guilty verdicts at trial, certain first-time misdemeanor convictions, and arrests that never resulted in formal charges being filed.
The SC Judicial Branch expungement page explains eligibility requirements and provides the forms needed to apply. Conway residents file their petitions through the 15th Circuit Solicitor's Office, which covers Horry County. The solicitor reviews the application and either approves or objects before the matter goes to a judge for final review and signature.
Once a judge approves the expungement order, the Horry County Clerk of Court processes the paperwork and notifies SLED. SLED then removes the record from the statewide criminal database. Standard expungement forms are available at sccourts.org/forms. Crime victims who need guidance during post-conviction proceedings can reach the SC Attorney General's victim services for assistance.
Note: Expungement in South Carolina does not automatically restore all rights affected by a criminal conviction. Some collateral consequences may require separate legal proceedings.
Horry County Criminal Court Records
Conway is the county seat of Horry County, and the county court system handles all felony and circuit court criminal records for the city. For a full overview of Horry County courts, search tools, and additional criminal record resources, visit the Horry County criminal court records page.
Nearby South Carolina Cities
Criminal court records for nearby cities may be handled through Conway's court system or through courts in adjacent counties. Select a city below to find criminal court record resources for that area.