Crime Numbers
Statewide crime data for South Carolina is compiled annually by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and the South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS). In 2018 Orangeburg County reported 597 violent crimes and 3,875 property crimes for a total of 4,472 index crimes. Incidences of violent crimes include 6 murders, 37 sexual assaults, 98 robberies, and 456 aggravated assaults. Reports of property crimes include 1,115 cases of breaking and entering, 2,379 larcenies, 365 motor vehicle thefts, and 16 arsons.
Compared with the 2014 crime data for Orangeburg County, there was a slight 0.45% jump in total index crimes for 2018. Violent crimes in the county increased by 23.6% while property crimes fell by 2.4% in this period. The five-year crime trend for the county shows rising sexual assault (+19.4%), robbery (69%), aggravated assault (+18.4%), and larceny (+3.5%) rates. On the other hand,murder (-33.3%), breaking and entering (-3.3%), motor vehicle theft (-27%), and arson (-5.9%) rates fell between 2014 and 2018.
Criminal Records
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) retains all criminal history information in South Carolina and allows members of the public to access in-state criminal histories. To make these records easier to access, SLED accepts requests for criminal history information online and by mail.
The SLED Citizens Access to Criminal Histories (CATCH) is an online repository where members of the public can perform name-based criminal history checks on themselves or other individuals for a fee. The fee for a CATCH search is $25 and there is an additional $1 convenience fee. All major credit and debit cards are acceptable. CATCH enables requesters to locate, view, and print records for criminal history information from South Carolina only.
To carry out a CATCH check, the requester must provide the subject’s surname, first initial, and date of birth. A social security number can also be provided if available. CATCH searches through the names provided by the participating law enforcement agencies. Therefore, if an alias was provided, searches may return false positive or false negative results. CATCH is a name-based search only and SLED will only conduct fingerprint-based searches when mandated by state or federal statute.
A mail request for criminal history information costs $25 per request. Accepted payment options include certified checks, cashier’s checks, business checks, and money orders made payable to SLED. Cash and personal checks are not accepted. To submit a request by mail, complete the Criminal Record Check form, include the proper payment, and a self-addressed stamped envelope, and send it to:
South Carolina Law Enforcement Division
Records Department
P.O. Box 21398
Columbia, SC 29221-1398
Indicate in the request if the results should be notarized or certified.
Charitable organizations, that meet the requirements established by statutes, are charged $8 for record checks while record checks by local school districts for prospective teachers are free.
Request for copies of traffic collision reports for Orangeburg County from the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV). Each copy of a collision report costs $6 and requests can be made online, by mail, or in person.
Obtain copies online by submitting requests on the SCDMV Collision Report web portal. Reports available here begin from March 22, 2012. To obtain copies of reports by mail, complete the SCDMV form FR-50 and send two copies along with a check or money order for the fee (made payable to the SCDMV) to:
South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles
Titles Mail-In Unit FR-50
P.O. Box 1498
Blythewood, SC 29016-0050
Make in-person requests for copies of reports by submitting the form to the Orangeburg County regional office located at 1720 Charleston Highway, Orangeburg, SC 29115. The contact phone number is (803) 531-6866. Cash is accepted for requests made in person.
To obtain an incident report from the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office, use the online incident report request form available on the Sheriff’s Office website. Victims and complainants may obtain their incident reports for free but will be required to provide a valid picture ID to establish this. All other persons submitting requests are required to file an FOIA request form and pay a $5 fee to obtain report copies. The Sheriff’s Office takes up to 14 days to process requests and requesters are required to pick up their requests from the Sheriff’s Office located at 1520 Ellis Avenue, Orangeburg, SC 29118. Proper ID must be presented and all fees paid before the report can be obtained.
Municipal Departments of Public Safety (DPS) provide the public with copies of police incident reports and traffic accident reports for their municipality upon request. Contact the Records Division of the appropriate municipal DPS for such requests.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) manages the South Carolina sex offender registry and provides public access to the registry through an online management application called SORT. Information about sex offenders registered in Orangeburg County can be obtained using the search options provided.
The Orangeburg-Calhoun Regional Detention Center is managed and operated by the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office and is located at 1520 Ellis Avenue, Orangeburg, SC 29118. The contact number is (803) 531-4647.
Fund an inmate’s commissary account by sending a Postal or Western Union money order in the inmate’s name by mail to the Detention Center. Inmate commissary accounts can also be funded by using the kiosks located in the lobby of the Detention Center. Cash, credit, and debit cards are accepted and there will be a service charge for each transaction.
Court Records
The Trial Court system of South Carolina is made up of Circuit Courts, Family Courts, Probate Courts, Magistrate Courts, and Municipal Courts. Circuit Courts have general jurisdiction over all civil and criminal matters but will generally only deal with cases that are beyond the jurisdiction of the lower courts. Circuit Court is subdivided into Court of Common Pleas division which deals with civil cases and the General Sessions division which handles criminal cases. Circuit Courts also share jurisdiction with Magistrate Courts for civil claims under $7,500 and Probate Courts for several types of cases including settlement claims for less than $10,000. The Circuit Court in Orangeburg Court is located at:
Orangeburg County Circuit Court
151 Docket Street
P.O. Box 9000
Orangeburg, SC 29116
Phone: (803) 533-6260
Fax: (803) 534-3848
Family Courts have jurisdiction over most domestic relations cases, most juvenile cases, some mental health cases, and most domestic violence abuse protection cases. Family Courts share jurisdiction with Circuit Courts and Probate Courts over certain types of cases. The Family Court in Orangeburg County is located at:
Orangeburg County Family Court
151 Docket Street
P.O. Box 9000
Orangeburg, SC 29116
Phone: (803) 533-6260
Fax: (803) 534-3848
Probate Courts handle most probate matters which include trusts, wills, estates, conservatorships, legal guardianships, and involuntary commitments. Probate Courts also share jurisdiction with Circuit Courts and Family Courts over certain types of cases. The Probate Court in Orangeburg County is located at:
Orangeburg County Probate Court
190 Gibson Street
P.O. Box 9000
Orangeburg, SC 29116
Phone: (803) 533-6284
Fax: (803) 533-6279
Magistrate Courts (or Summary Courts) have jurisdiction over certain civil and criminal cases which include preliminary hearings of most criminal cases, traffic violations, larceny under $1000, cases where punishment does not exceed $100 or 30 days incarceration, and some civil claims below $7,500. Magistrate Court also shares jurisdiction with Family Court over certain cases involving juveniles. There are three Magistrate Courts in Orangeburg County and these are:
Orangeburg County Magistrate Court - Central Region
1540 Ellis Avenue
P.O. Box 9000
Orangeburg, SC 29116
Phone: (803) 533-5879 (Main)
Fax: (803) 516-4011 (Main)
Central Traffic Court, Central Criminal Domestic Violence Court, Jury Trial Court, and Preliminary Hearing Court are all held at the Central Region Magistrate Office.
Orangeburg County Magistrate Court - Eastern Region
8423 Old State Road
P.O. Box 154
Holly Hill, SC 29059
Phone: (803) 496-9533
Fax: (803) 496-5661
Orangeburg County Magistrate Court - Western Region
6357 Savannah Highway
P.O. Box 387
Neeses, SC 29107
Phone: (803) 247-2011
Fax: (803) 247-2058
Municipal Courts (also referred to Summary Courts) are created in municipalities by the local councils and have limited jurisdiction over certain criminal offenses including traffic and other municipal ordinance violations. They share jurisdiction with Family Courts over certain juvenile violations. Some municipalities have chosen to have these cases heard in the Magistrate Court. Municipal Court has no jurisdiction over civil cases. There are 11 Municipal Courts located in Orangeburg County and these are:
Bowman Municipal Court
421 Moss Street
P.O. Box 37
Bowman, SC 29018
Phone: (803) 829-2666
Fax: (803) 829-3159
Branchville Municipal Court
Town Hall
7644 Freedom Road
P.O. Box 85
Branchville, SC 29432
Phone: (803) 274-8000
Fax: (803) 274-8760
Elloree Municipal Court
2719 Cleveland Street
P.O. Box 28
Elloree, SC 29047
Phone: (803) 897-2821
Fax: (803) 897-3315
Eutawville Municipal Court
220 Porcher Avenue
P.O. Box 372
Eutawville, SC 29048
Phone: (803) 492-7064
Fax: (803) 492-9443
Contact information is for the Court Office in town hall. Court sessions are held in the community building at 419 Porcher Avenue, Eutawville, SC.
Holly Hill Municipal Court
8423 Old State Road
Suite 1
Holly Hill, SC 29059
Phone: (803) 496-3330
Fax: (803) 496-5211
North Municipal Court
9305 North Road
P.O. Box 399
North, SC 29112
Phone: (803) 247-2101
Fax: (803) 247-3045
Norway Municipal Court
8438 Savannah Highway
P.O. Box 127
Norway, SC 29113
Phone: (803) 263-4300
Fax: (803) 263-4114
Orangeburg Municipal Court
1320 Middleton Street
Orangeburg, SC 29115
Phone: (803) 533-5921
Fax: (803) 533-6216
Rowesville Municipal Court
129 Rowes Pump Drive
P.O. Box 95
Rowesville, SC 29133
Phone: (803) 534-2745
Fax: (803) 534-2745
Santee Municipal Court
194 Brooks Blvd
P.O. Box 757
Santee, SC 29142
Phone: (803) 854-2438
Fax: (803) 854-4100
Springfield Municipal Court
Municipal Complex
1505 Georgia Street
P.O. Box 31
Springfield, SC 29146
Phone: (803) 258-3152
Fax: (803) 258-3526
Court records can be obtained from the Office of the Clerk of the Court where the required records were filed. Contact the appropriate Clerk of Court by mail or in person to make a record request. The South Carolina Judicial Branch website provides an online Case Search portal where members of the public can search for court records and case files. Select Orangeburg County to access the public search index for the county.
Land and property records for Orangeburg County are retained by the County Register of Deeds. To obtain information about land and property records for the county contact the:
Register of Deeds
Orangeburg County
190 Gibson Street
Room 108
Orangeburg, SC 29116
Phone: (803) 533-6237
Fax: (803) 533-2354
Land and property record information are also available on the Orangeburg County Register of Deeds website.
Vital Records
Certified copies of vital records for Orangeburg County are restricted to eligible applicants. All other applicants may only obtain Statements of Records. In South Carolina, death certificates become public records after 50 years, at which point any member of the public can request and receive an uncertified copy of a death certificate.
Divorce decrees for Orangeburg County are filed with the Orangeburg County Clerk of Court. Persons eligible to receive divorce records in Orangeburg County are the persons named on the records, their adult children, and authorized legal representatives. Obtain copies of divorce decrees by submitting a request to:
Clerk of Court
Orangeburg County
151 Docket Street
Orangeburg, SC 29115
Phone: (803) 533-6260
Fax: (803) 534-3848
The Clerk of Court charges a fee of 50 cents per page for copies of records. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. during weekdays (except for county holidays).
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) issues certified copies of Reports of Divorce for divorces finalized between July 1962 and December 2016 for a fee of $12 each. To obtain this record, contact the state or regional office of the SCDHEC.
Orangeburg County marriage records are retained by the County Probate Court. Persons eligible to receive certified copies of marriage certificates are the couple named on the record, their adult children, and authorized legal representatives. To obtain a copy of an Orangeburg County marriage certificate, complete the Request For Certified Copy Of Marriage License form and return it to the Probate Court in person or by mail. The Probate Court charges $5 for each copy of a marriage certificate. Requests can be paid for by check or money order made payable to the Probate Court (all requests) or by cash (in-person requests only). Submit requests for copies of Orangeburg County marriage certificates to:
Honorable Pandora Jones-Glover
Judge Of Probate
Marriage License Division
P.O. Box 9000
Orangeburg, SC 29116
(803) 533-6281
Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. during weekdays (except for county holidays).
The SCDHEC issues certified copies of marriage certificates for marriages that occurred between July 1950 and December 2017 for a $12 fee for each copy. To obtain this record, contact the state or regional office of the SCDHEC.
Public records available from Probate Court can also be searched online on the South Carolina Probate Court Search web portal. For Orangeburg County records, select Orangeburg County and search by case number or name.
Birth and death records for Orangeburg County are available from the Vital Records Office of the SCDHEC. Persons eligible to receive certified copies of these records are the persons named on the records (for birth certificates), their immediate family members, and authorized legal representatives. Certified copies of death certificates are also available to persons who can establish their personal or property rights to the records. Certified copies of birth and death certificates cost $12 each and additional copies ordered at the same time cost $3 each. Complete the birth or death record application form and return it with the complete payment and a copy of a valid ID to:
Office of Vital Records
South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control
2600 Bull Street
Columbia, SC 29201
All birth certificates and death certificates issued since 2005 can also be obtained from the Orangeburg County regional office of the SCDHEC at:
1550 Carolina Avenue
Orangeburg, SC 29116
(803) 533-7236
