Find Criminal Court Records in Horry County
Horry County criminal court records are maintained by the Clerk of Court at the Horry County courthouse in Conway, South Carolina. The county is part of the 15th Judicial Circuit and has one of the most active court systems in South Carolina due to its large and growing population along the Grand Strand coast. You can search Horry County criminal court records online through the South Carolina Public Index at publicindex.sccourts.org/horry/ or visit the Clerk of Court at 1301 2nd Avenue in Conway. Records cover felony cases, serious misdemeanors, and all matters heard in the Court of General Sessions.
Horry County Quick Facts
Horry County Clerk of Court Records
The Horry County Clerk of Court is the official custodian of all criminal court records for the county. The office manages filings for both the Court of General Sessions and the Court of Common Pleas. The main courthouse is at 1301 2nd Avenue in Conway, with additional facilities serving the Myrtle Beach area. Staff at the Clerk's office handle case filings, store court documents, and process payments for court fines, fees, and restitution orders.
Criminal court records maintained by the Horry County Clerk include all felony cases, serious misdemeanors, and appeals from lower courts within the county. The office provides public access to these records during regular business hours. Certified copies of court documents are available upon request. The Clerk's office also manages jury services for trials held throughout Horry County, coordinating with judges and attorneys to keep the docket moving.
Horry County handles a high volume of criminal cases each year. The combination of a large resident population, a major tourist destination along the Grand Strand, and multiple municipal jurisdictions means the court system processes thousands of cases annually. The Horry County Clerk of Court website provides current information on office hours, services, and online payment options.
| Office |
Horry County Clerk of Court 1301 2nd Avenue Conway, SC 29526 |
|---|---|
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Website | horrycounty.org |
How to Search Horry County Criminal Records
The South Carolina Public Index is the fastest way to search Horry County criminal court records online. The system is free to access and does not require registration. You can search by defendant name, case number, or attorney name. Results display charge information, court dates, case status, and document images for many cases. Go to publicindex.sccourts.org/horry/ to start your search of Horry County criminal records.
The Public Index system for Horry County is updated regularly by Clerk of Court staff. Case information appears shortly after it is entered into the court's database. Document images may be available for some cases, allowing you to view actual court filings without visiting the courthouse. For older cases or historical records that predate the digital system, an in-person visit to the Clerk of Court in Conway is required. Staff can locate paper files and docket books for older Horry County criminal court records.
Horry County's online services portal at horrycounty.org/OnlineServices/ also provides a gateway to court record access and online fine payment. Online payments for court fines post within 24 to 48 hours and the system accepts major credit and debit cards. Convenience fees apply to cover processing costs. Email receipts are provided for all online transactions.
When visiting the Clerk of Court in person, bring the full name of the person you are searching and an approximate date range for the case. Case number searches are the most precise method. If you only have a name, staff will narrow results by date and charge type. The main office in Conway handles all public record requests for Horry County criminal court records.
Note: Basic case information from the Public Index is available at no cost. Certified copies of documents carry a per-page fee payable to the Horry County Clerk of Court.
What Horry County Criminal Court Records Contain
Every Horry County criminal court record contains a core set of information tied to the case. The defendant's name, date of birth, and address at the time of filing appear in the case header. The specific charges, South Carolina criminal statute references, and charge classifications are listed along with the filing date. Case numbers allow you to track the file through every stage of the process from arraignment to final disposition.
Beyond the basic case header, Horry County criminal court records include the full procedural history of a case. This means all scheduled hearings appear on the docket along with their outcomes. Continuances are noted with the reason and new date. Motions filed by the defense or prosecution are logged along with the court's rulings. Guilty pleas, trial verdicts, and sentencing details all become permanent parts of the record. For cases that result in incarceration, the sentence length and any conditions of release are documented in the court file.
Bond information is another key component. Horry County criminal court records show the initial bond set at the first appearance, any modifications made by the court, and bond forfeiture information if a defendant failed to appear. Arrest warrant details and probable cause affidavits may also be part of the file in cases that originated from a warrant-based arrest.
Records are governed in part by South Carolina Code Title 17, which covers criminal procedures statewide. Documents generated under these procedures are public records open to inspection by any member of the public unless specifically sealed by court order.
Horry County Court of General Sessions
The Court of General Sessions is the circuit-level criminal court for Horry County. It handles all felony charges filed in the county and serious misdemeanor matters elevated from lower courts. The 15th Judicial Circuit, which covers only Horry County, keeps a full-time court schedule to manage one of the busiest criminal dockets in South Carolina. Circuit court judges preside over arraignments, pretrial hearings, bench trials, and jury trials throughout the year.
Grand jury proceedings in Horry County take place at the courthouse in Conway. The grand jury reviews evidence presented by the solicitor's office and determines whether probable cause exists to indict a defendant on felony charges. A true bill of indictment moves the case forward into the full trial process. A no bill results in dismissal of the charges at that stage. Grand jury records are sealed, but the indictment itself becomes part of the public court file once filed with the Clerk of Court.
Horry County Magistrate Courts serve an important function before cases reach General Sessions. Under South Carolina law, magistrate courts conduct bond hearings within 24 hours of arrest for all detainees in the county. The magistrate courts operate multiple offices serving different parts of Horry County, including Conway, Myrtle Beach, and North Myrtle Beach. Magistrates also conduct preliminary hearings on felony charges, where defendants can challenge probable cause before the case proceeds to circuit court. Information about magistrate court functions is available through horrycounty.org/Departments/Magistrates.
The South Carolina Judicial Branch maintains court schedule information, judicial assignments, and case management data for Horry County and all other circuits statewide.
The South Carolina Judicial Branch at sccourts.org maintains court schedule information, judicial assignments, and case management data for Horry County and all other circuits.
Note: Appeals from magistrate court in Horry County must be filed within 30 days to the Circuit Court, which creates an additional layer of criminal court records at the General Sessions level.
Horry County Sheriff and Arrest Records
The Horry County Sheriff's Office is the primary county law enforcement agency, maintaining comprehensive arrest records for the area. The Sheriff's Office operates the J. Reuben Long Detention Center, which is the county's primary correctional facility housing over 1,000 inmates. Booking procedures at J. Reuben Long include digital fingerprinting, photographing, medical screening, and classification assessment. These procedures generate booking records that feed into the broader system of Horry County criminal court records when charges are formally filed.
An online inmate search is available through the Sheriff's Office to look up current custody status, charges, bond amounts, and scheduled court dates. The facility is accredited by the American Correctional Association and meets national standards for jail operations. Medical services at the detention center include 24-hour nursing, physician care, dental services, and mental health support. Reentry planning connects inmates with housing, employment, and treatment resources before release.
Records requests can be submitted through the Records Division of the Horry County Sheriff's Office. For arrest records, incident reports, and other law enforcement documents related to your case, contact the Sheriff's Office directly. Visit horrycounty.org/sheriff for contact information and records request procedures. You can also access inmate search functions from the same site.
The South Carolina Code Title 17 governs arrest, detention, and record-keeping procedures that apply to all criminal cases throughout Horry County.
South Carolina's criminal procedure statutes at scstatehouse.gov/code/title17.php govern arrest, detention, and record-keeping procedures that apply throughout Horry County.
15th Circuit Solicitor and Horry County Criminal Cases
The 15th Circuit Solicitor's Office prosecutes all criminal cases in Horry County. As the only county in the 15th Circuit, Horry County has dedicated prosecutorial resources focused entirely on cases arising within its borders. The solicitor's office reviews arrests made by the Sheriff's Office, Myrtle Beach Police Department, Conway Police Department, and all other law enforcement agencies operating in the county.
The solicitor decides which cases to bring before the grand jury for indictment and which to resolve through plea agreements or diversionary programs. Pre-trial intervention is available for eligible first-time offenders in Horry County. Successful completion of such a program can result in dismissal of charges, which would be reflected in the Horry County criminal court records. Victim services are also a core function of the 15th Circuit Solicitor's office, providing support to crime victims throughout the prosecution process.
Visit scsolicitor15.org for information about the 15th Circuit Solicitor's services, victim assistance programs, and pre-trial intervention eligibility in Horry County. Victim resources are also available through the South Carolina Attorney General's office.
Expungement of Horry County Criminal Records
Certain Horry County criminal court records may be eligible for expungement under South Carolina law. Qualifying cases include first-offense convictions for specific charges, dismissed cases, acquittals, and cases that were resolved through pre-trial intervention or conditional discharge programs. Once a record is expunged, it is removed from public access through the Public Index and the Clerk of Court's public files.
Expungement petitions in Horry County are filed with the Clerk of Court. The 15th Circuit Solicitor's office reviews the petition and the judge makes the final ruling. South Carolina provides standard forms for expungement applications, available at sccourts.org/forms/. The South Carolina Judicial Branch also provides an overview of the expungement process at sccourts.org/courts/expungement.cfm.
For a statewide criminal history check, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division maintains the official criminal records database. A certified background check through SLED's criminal records system returns official history for individuals with records in Horry County and across South Carolina.
The South Carolina Attorney General's victim services page offers support resources for crime victims involved in Horry County criminal court proceedings.
The South Carolina Attorney General's victim services page offers support resources for crime victims involved in Horry County criminal court proceedings.
Cities in Horry County
Horry County includes several major cities and communities along the Grand Strand and inland areas. Criminal court records for all residents of Horry County are maintained by the Horry County Clerk of Court in Conway.
Myrtle Beach is the largest city in Horry County and a major tourist destination. Conway serves as the county seat and hosts the main courthouse where Horry County criminal court records are filed and maintained.
Nearby Counties
Horry County borders several other South Carolina counties along the northeastern coast and inland Pee Dee region. Each county maintains its own criminal court records.