Dissolution Of Marriage in Greenwood County
Greenwood County dissolution of marriage records are held by the Clerk of Court at the Greenwood County Courthouse in the city of Greenwood. The Family Court handles all domestic relations cases for this county of about 72,000 residents in the 8th Judicial Circuit. All dissolution of marriage filings, case records, and decrees are available through the Clerk's office. Many cases can be found through the statewide FCCMS portal online. For certified copies and in-person research, visit the courthouse at 528 Monument Street in Greenwood.
Greenwood County Quick Facts
Greenwood County Family Court Location and Hours
The Greenwood County Family Court is located inside the Greenwood County Courthouse at 528 Monument Street, Room 114, Greenwood, SC 29646. This is the only location in the county where dissolution of marriage cases are filed and where the Clerk of Court maintains all family court records. The Family Court and the Clerk of Court are housed in the same building, which makes it convenient to file new cases and request copies of existing records in one visit.
Family Court hours are 7:45 AM to 5:30 PM, Monday through Friday. The Clerk of Court office keeps slightly different hours: 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. If you are arriving to pick up copies of a dissolution of marriage decree, plan your visit within Clerk of Court hours to make sure staff are available to process your request. Visit greenwoodcounty-sc.gov/family-court for court details.
The Greenwood County Family Court page at greenwoodcounty-sc.gov has office hours, contact details, and general information about dissolution of marriage cases in Greenwood County.
The Family Court page at greenwoodcounty-sc.gov is the best starting point for questions about filing a dissolution of marriage in Greenwood County or locating an existing case.
| Family Court |
Greenwood County Courthouse 528 Monument Street, Room 114 Greenwood, SC 29646 |
|---|---|
| Family Court Hours | Monday through Friday, 7:45 AM to 5:30 PM |
| Clerk of Court Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Website | greenwoodcounty-sc.gov/clerk-of-court |
Greenwood County Clerk of Court Records
The Greenwood County Clerk of Court page provides direct access to office information, hours, and procedures for requesting copies of dissolution of marriage records in Greenwood County.
The Clerk of Court is the official keeper of all dissolution of marriage case files in Greenwood County and the office to contact for certified copies of decrees and filings.
The Greenwood County Clerk of Court is responsible for maintaining all court records, accepting new case filings, and providing copies of records upon request. For dissolution of marriage cases, the Clerk's office holds the complaint, the answer, any settlement agreement, and the final decree. These documents make up the official record of the dissolution in Greenwood County.
South Carolina law under S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-10 gives the public the right to access most dissolution of marriage records. You do not have to be a party to the case to request copies. The Clerk of Court can search by party name or case number. Bring your ID when visiting the courthouse in Greenwood.
Search Greenwood Dissolution Of Marriage Cases Online
The statewide Family Court Case Management System, known as FCCMS, is the primary online tool for finding dissolution of marriage cases in Greenwood County. The public portal is fully functional and allows you to search for parties, filings, and hearing times for all South Carolina family court cases, including those filed in Greenwood County. The system updates in real time, so results are current as of the day you search.
Access the public portal at portal.fccms.dss.sc.gov. You can search by case number to locate a specific dissolution of marriage case filed in Greenwood County. The portal also provides public family court dockets for each county, including Greenwood. This is the fastest way to check the status of a pending dissolution case without calling or visiting the courthouse.
Keep in mind that confidential cases do not appear in the FCCMS portal. Adoptions, abuse and neglect proceedings, and other sealed cases are excluded from public search results. For those records, you must contact the Greenwood County Family Court directly, and the court will not be able to provide information about confidential matters under any circumstances.
Note: The public dockets in the FCCMS system cover all South Carolina counties, so you can use one search to check whether a dissolution of marriage case involving a particular party exists in Greenwood or any neighboring county.
Filing a Dissolution Of Marriage in Greenwood County
To file for dissolution of marriage in Greenwood County, you start at the Clerk of Court's office in Room 114 of the Greenwood County Courthouse on Monument Street. The standard filing fee is approximately $150 for a complaint for dissolution of marriage. The Clerk will assign a case number and the case becomes part of the official Greenwood County record from that point forward.
South Carolina law sets clear requirements for filing. Under S.C. Code Ann. § 20-3-30, at least one spouse must have lived in South Carolina for at least one year before filing. If both spouses are South Carolina residents, only three months of residency is required. Greenwood County residents file here, at 528 Monument Street. Once you file, you must serve the other spouse with the divorce papers. Proof of service becomes part of the court record.
The most common ground for dissolution in South Carolina is no-fault separation under S.C. Code Ann. § 20-3-10, which requires one continuous year of living apart. Fault-based grounds include adultery, physical cruelty, habitual drunkenness or drug use, and desertion for one year. All property division in Greenwood County follows equitable distribution under S.C. Code Ann. § 20-3-620. Property and alimony claims should be addressed in the same case as the dissolution filing.
Self-represented litigants can find forms and filing instructions on the South Carolina Judicial Branch website at sccourts.org. Simple divorce packets are available at no cost to guide you through each step of the process in Greenwood County.
Financial Identity Fraud Protection in Greenwood County
Greenwood County follows the South Carolina Financial Identity Fraud Protection statute when it comes to official records. This rule affects anyone who prepares or files documents in the county's official records, including dissolution of marriage filings.
Under S.C. Code 30-2-330, a person preparing or filing a document for recordation in Greenwood County may not include a social security number, driver's license number, state identification number, passport number, checking account number, savings account number, credit card number, debit card number, personal identification (PIN) code, or password in the document, unless required by law to do so. This applies directly to dissolution of marriage filings and any related documents submitted to the Greenwood County Clerk of Court.
If such numbers have already been included in a document that is publicly available online, any person has the right to request that the Greenwood County Clerk of Court remove that information from the public image. The request must be made in writing and delivered by mail, fax, electronic transmission, or in person. There is no fee charged for this type of redaction request. Contact the Clerk of Court at 528 Monument Street in Greenwood to submit such a request.
Child Support and Greenwood County Dissolution Cases
Child support orders are often part of dissolution of marriage cases in Greenwood County when the couple has children. Once a court order is entered, payments go through the South Carolina State Disbursement Unit, not directly between parties. This central payment system creates a record of all payments made and received.
All child support payments for Greenwood County cases should be directed to the South Carolina State Disbursement Unit at PO Box 100302, Columbia, SC 29202. For questions about payments or account balances, call customer service at 1-800-768-5858. The South Carolina Department of Social Services also provides an online client portal for child support cases. You can check your case status at CLIENTPORTAL.DSS.SC.GOV. The Palmetto Automated Child Support System, known as PACSS, manages automated case tracking for child support orders statewide, including those entered in Greenwood County dissolution of marriage cases.
For more general questions about child support enforcement, visit dss.sc.gov/child-support. The DSS Child Support Division serves all South Carolina counties including Greenwood.
Divorce Certificates and Greenwood County Records
The South Carolina Department of Public Health issues divorce certificates for dissolution of marriage cases filed anywhere in the state, including Greenwood County. A certificate is shorter than the full court decree. It confirms that the dissolution took place and shows the names, date, and county. It does not include property settlement terms or custody agreements.
Certificates cost $12 per certified copy. Records are available for divorces from July 1962 through December 2023. You can order by mail at Division of Vital Records, 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29201 or online at dph.sc.gov. Most legal and financial situations require the full dissolution of marriage decree rather than the certificate. For the full decree, contact the Greenwood County Clerk of Court at the courthouse on Monument Street.
The South Carolina DPH divorce reports page gives you ordering options for certified dissolution of marriage certificates for cases filed in Greenwood County and throughout the state.
A DPH certificate is a quick way to confirm a dissolution of marriage occurred in Greenwood County when you need a short confirmation rather than the full decree.
Legal Help for Greenwood County Dissolution Cases
Several resources are available to help Greenwood County residents with dissolution of marriage cases. Some provide free help to those who qualify. Others charge standard rates but can give you reliable advice on how to proceed in Greenwood County Family Court.
South Carolina Legal Services provides free legal assistance to low-income residents across the state, including Greenwood County. Apply online at sclegal.org to find out if you qualify for help with your dissolution of marriage case. The South Carolina Bar lawyer referral service connects individuals with family law attorneys licensed to practice in South Carolina. Call (803) 799-6653 to request a referral to an attorney who handles dissolution of marriage cases in Greenwood County.
The Women's Law website at womenslaw.org provides plain-language guides to South Carolina divorce and dissolution law. The South Carolina Judicial Branch also maintains a full resource library at sccourts.org with court forms, instructions, and self-help guides for residents filing without an attorney in Greenwood County.
Greenwood County Communities
Greenwood County is a smaller county centered on the city of Greenwood. All dissolution of marriage cases for county residents are filed at the Greenwood County Courthouse, 528 Monument Street, Room 114, regardless of which part of the county you live in.
The county seat of Greenwood serves as the hub for all Family Court activity in Greenwood County. Residents from all parts of the county come to this single location to file and access dissolution of marriage records.
Nearby Counties
Greenwood County is surrounded by several South Carolina counties. Your dissolution of marriage case must be filed in the county where you live. If you are unsure which county applies to your situation, check your home address against the county lines. Filing in the wrong county can delay your case.