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South Carolina Court Records

South Carolina Court Records

1671 - 1790's: Court of Chancery handled land and inheritance matters for the entire colony. Chancery court records were later known as equity records.

1703 - Present: Court of Common Pleas was a statewide court until 1790 when each district established a separate court with jurisdiction over guardianship and civil matters.

1769 - Present: Circuit courts have had district or countywide jurisdiction in criminal cases and some civil cases.

1769 - 1776: Court of General Sessions was a statewide court until 1790, when each district established a separate court. These courts had jurisdiction over criminal cases.

1785 - 1798: County courts had jurisdiction over minor civil and criminal matters. (The records of the county courts temporarily established in 1683 no longer exist).

1791 - 1900: Courts of equity had countywide jurisdiction over property matters.

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