Lexington Criminal Court Records
Lexington criminal court records are kept by both the Lexington Municipal Court and the Lexington County Court of General Sessions. Lexington is the county seat of Lexington County, one of the fastest-growing counties in South Carolina. The town sits in the 11th Judicial Circuit. Criminal records from both courts are accessible to the public, and this guide walks you through the main ways to search them, including the free online Public Index and in-person options at the courthouse.
Lexington Quick Facts
Criminal Court Records for Lexington Residents
As the county seat, Lexington is home to the Lexington County Courthouse, which houses the Court of General Sessions and the Clerk of Court office. This makes access to Lexington criminal court records more straightforward than in smaller towns where the nearest courthouse may be a long drive away. Residents can walk in during business hours to review files or speak directly with Clerk of Court staff.
The Lexington County Clerk of Court is the official keeper of all General Sessions records for the county. The Clerk maintains case files for every felony prosecution that moves through the 11th Circuit. These files are public record under state law, and you can search basic case data online through the SC Public Index for Lexington County. The Public Index is free, available around the clock, and requires no login to use.
Misdemeanor and traffic matters that occur in Lexington town limits go through the Lexington Municipal Court. Those records are kept by the Municipal Court rather than the county Clerk. If you are unsure which court handled a particular case, the Public Index is a good starting point since it covers the county-level cases and may show how a case started before it reached General Sessions.
Note: The 11th Circuit covers both Lexington and Fairfield counties. Cases from Lexington town go through the Lexington County courts, not Fairfield County.
How to Search Lexington Criminal Court Records
The fastest and easiest way to search Lexington criminal court records is online. Visit sccourts.org and go to the Public Index. Pick Lexington County from the dropdown and type in the name you want to search. The results show case numbers, charge descriptions, filing dates, and case status for all criminal matters in the county.
For the full text of court documents, contact the Lexington County Clerk of Court. You can visit in person at the Lexington County Courthouse during business hours. Staff can locate cases by name or case number and provide copies of any documents in the file. Plain copies cost less than certified copies. Certified copies carry the court seal and are needed for most official or legal uses outside the courthouse. Call ahead to confirm current fees before visiting.
The South Carolina Judicial Branch is the central portal for online access to Lexington criminal court records through the Public Index and other state court resources.
From the SC Judicial Branch homepage, Lexington residents can reach the Public Index, download court forms, and find contact information for all South Carolina courts in one place.
Lexington Municipal Court
The Lexington Municipal Court handles misdemeanor offenses, traffic violations, and town ordinance violations within Lexington town limits. The court also handles bond hearings and preliminary hearings when someone is arrested locally. These preliminary proceedings create records that document the early stages of a case, including bond amounts and conditions of release.
Traffic ticket payments can be made online or in person at the Lexington Municipal Court. Court records from Municipal Court proceedings are available for public inspection. If a case moved from the Municipal Court level to the Lexington County Court of General Sessions, records from both courts may be relevant. The Municipal Court keeps files for the proceedings it conducted, while the county Clerk of Court holds all records once the case is transferred to General Sessions.
Lexington Police Department Records
The Lexington Police Department maintains arrest records, incident reports, and investigation files for activity within Lexington town limits. These law enforcement records are created at the time of an arrest or incident and are separate from the court records generated later. Police records document what happened and why an arrest was made. Court records document what happened after the case was filed.
Records requests go to the Lexington Police Department's records section. Common requests include incident reports, arrest records, and accident reports. Some records may be withheld if the investigation is still open. The department works with the Lexington Municipal Court and the Lexington County courts as cases escalate. For a comprehensive criminal history that pulls together arrest and conviction data from across the state, use SLED's certified system rather than requesting individual agency records.
SLED maintains a statewide criminal history database that consolidates arrest data from the Lexington Police Department and conviction data from Lexington County courts in one searchable record.
Certified criminal history requests through sled.sc.gov/CriminalRecords are the most reliable way to get a complete record of all known South Carolina arrests and convictions for any individual, including those from Lexington.
What Lexington Criminal Court Records Contain
Lexington criminal court records document every official action in a case from the first court appearance through final resolution. The exact contents of a file depend on the charge, how the defendant pleaded, and whether the case went to trial. Most General Sessions files share a common set of core documents.
A typical Lexington criminal court file contains:
- Arrest warrant and affidavit from the arresting officer
- Bond order or detention order from first appearance
- Indictment or information from the solicitor
- Attorney appearance notices and substitutions
- Pre-trial motions, hearings, and rulings
- Plea agreement or jury verdict
- Sentencing order and conditions of probation
Felony cases in Lexington are prosecuted by the 11th Circuit Solicitor's Office. The Solicitor handles all felony charges for Lexington County, including cases that originate in Lexington town. Victim services through the Solicitor's office are available for those who have been harmed by crime in the area. These services include case updates, support during court proceedings, and referrals to other assistance programs.
Public Records Access in Lexington
South Carolina's Freedom of Information Act gives the public broad rights to access government records. Criminal court records are covered by this law. You do not need to be a Lexington resident to request them, and you generally do not need to state your reason. Exceptions cover sealed cases, juvenile files, and records restricted by a specific court order.
For online searching, use the Public Index at publicindex.sccourts.org/lexington/. For certified background checks, use sled.sc.gov/CriminalRecords. For certified copies of specific documents, contact the Lexington County Clerk of Court in person or by phone. Court forms for records requests, expungement petitions, and other proceedings are at sccourts.org/forms. For crime victims seeking records-related resources, the SC Attorney General's Office has a dedicated victim services section.
South Carolina Code Title 17 defines how criminal court records are created and made available for public access in Lexington and throughout the state.
A working knowledge of Title 17 helps Lexington residents understand which stage of a case created which type of record and what their rights are when requesting access to those files.
Expungement Options for Lexington Residents
Lexington residents may qualify for expungement of certain records under South Carolina law. Cases that ended in dismissal, not-guilty verdicts, or that meet the criteria for first-offense misdemeanor expungement may be eligible. Once a judge grants the expungement, the record is removed from public view in the Online Public Index and cleared from SLED's criminal history database.
Start by reviewing eligibility at sccourts.org/courts/expungement.cfm. Get the petition form from sccourts.org/forms and file it with the Lexington County Clerk of Court. Because Lexington is the county seat, the Clerk's office is local and easy to reach. The 11th Circuit Solicitor's office reviews the petition and may object if the case does not qualify. A circuit court judge issues the final order. Once entered, the record is removed from the index and from SLED files.
Note: Having a record expunged does not automatically restore firearm rights or clear records held by federal agencies. Talk to an attorney about the full effect of a South Carolina expungement.
Lexington County Criminal Court Records
Lexington town is the county seat of Lexington County. All felony cases originating in Lexington go through the Lexington County Court of General Sessions. Visit the Lexington County page for full court contact details, the Clerk of Court's address, and a broader view of county-level criminal records resources.
Nearby South Carolina Cities
Residents of neighboring cities access criminal court records through their own county systems. Pick a city below to find court records information for that location.