Richland County Dissolution Of Marriage
Richland County dissolution of marriage records are filed with and kept by the Clerk of Court at the Richland County Family Court in Columbia, South Carolina. Richland County is the second most populous county in the state with over 416,000 residents and serves as home to the state capital. The Family Court handles all dissolution of marriage cases for county residents as part of the 5th Judicial Circuit. This page covers how to search Richland County dissolution records, contact court offices, and access the support services available in Columbia.
Richland County Quick Facts
Richland County Family Court
The Richland County Family Court handles legal matters involving families in Columbia and across the county. Cases include dissolution of marriage, child custody, child support, adoption, and juvenile issues. All dissolution of marriage filings for Richland County residents go through this court. The Family Court is located on the first floor of the courthouse at 1701 Main Street in Columbia.
The official Richland County Family Court page at richlandcountysc.gov/Courts-Safety/Family-Court has detailed information about the court's services, forms, and what to expect when you visit. Review this page before coming to the courthouse in Columbia.
The Richland County Family Court page details services for dissolution of marriage and other family law matters handled at 1701 Main Street in Columbia.
| Family Court |
Richland County Family Court 1701 Main St., 1st Floor West Wing Columbia, SC 29201 Mailing: P.O. Box 192, Columbia, SC 29202 Phone: (803) 576-3320 Fax: (803) 576-3347 |
|---|---|
| Clerk of Court |
The Hon. Jeanette W. McBride Richland County Clerk of Court PO Box 2766, Columbia, SC 29202-2766 Office: (803) 576-1950 Fax: (803) 576-1785 |
| Register of Deeds |
The Hon. John Hopkins PO Box 192, Columbia, SC 29202-0192 Office: (803) 576-1910 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM |
Richland County Clerk of Court Records
The Richland County Clerk of Court, The Hon. Jeanette W. McBride, manages all court records for civil, criminal, and family court matters in Columbia. The Clerk's office is the place to go for certified copies of dissolution of marriage decrees, case status checks, and formal document requests. The Clerk handles all records that flow through the Richland County courthouse.
The Richland County Clerk of Court page covers how the office manages dissolution of marriage records, civil cases, and criminal court records for all Richland County proceedings.
The Clerk of Court office is separate from the Family Court front desk. For dissolution of marriage records and certified copies, contact the Clerk directly at (803) 576-1950 or write to PO Box 2766, Columbia, SC 29202-2766. For questions about a pending case, the Family Court office at (803) 576-3320 is the right contact in Richland County.
What Richland County Family Court Does and Does Not Provide
The Richland County Family Court does not have generic forms for dissolution of marriage, separate maintenance, child custody, or adoptions. This is a key point that surprises many first-time filers in Columbia. You must either seek legal counsel or go to the USC Law Library to research what documents are required for your type of case.
The court also does not offer legal advice. If you have questions about your dissolution of marriage case, the staff will direct you to an attorney. They may offer limited help with some specific situations, such as a question about a visitation schedule or the enforcement of an existing child support order. But they cannot guide you through the full dissolution process or tell you what to file in your Richland County case.
Limited assistance packets for simple, uncontested dissolution of marriage cases are available through the South Carolina Courts website. You can find the self-represented litigant packets at sccourts.org/resources. These are designed for cases with no major disputes over property, children, or support in South Carolina.
Note: The filing fee to start any case in the Richland County Family Court is $150, payable at the time of filing.
Protection From Harm in Richland County
If you need protection due to domestic abuse while going through a dissolution of marriage in Richland County, help is available at the courthouse. Come to the Family Court office at 1701 Main Street and ask for Domestic Abuse paperwork. A judge may issue a restraining order against the offending party. You do not need to wait for your dissolution case to be resolved to seek this protection.
Sistercare has an office in the Richland County Family Court building. They provide services to survivors of domestic violence in the Columbia area, including safety planning, legal advocacy, and support throughout a dissolution of marriage or protection hearing. Their presence at the courthouse makes it easier to get help in the same visit.
Protection from Harm orders are separate from the dissolution of marriage case itself, but they are handled through the same Family Court in Richland County. Contact the Family Court at (803) 576-3320 to find out what steps to take when you arrive.
Searching Richland County Dissolution Of Marriage Cases
The FCCMS portal at portal.fccms.dss.sc.gov is the primary online search tool for Richland County dissolution of marriage cases. Search by party name or case number. The portal provides case status, filing dates, and related information for family court cases in Columbia and across South Carolina. No login is required for basic public searches.
The SC Courts public index at sccourts.org is a second option. Both tools are useful for finding whether a dissolution of marriage case exists and checking its current status. For copies of actual documents, contact the Clerk of Court in Richland County or visit the courthouse on Main Street in Columbia.
The SC Courts courthouse directory for Richland County provides verified contact details, clerk information, and office addresses for searching dissolution of marriage records in Columbia.
When searching in person, bring valid photo ID. Have the full name of at least one party and an approximate year of filing. Staff at the Clerk of Court office can search both by name and case number. For older Richland County dissolution records, allow extra time as files may need to be retrieved from storage.
Dissolution Of Marriage Law for Richland County
South Carolina dissolution of marriage law applies to every case filed in Richland County. The grounds for divorce under S.C. Code Ann. § 20-3-10 are: no-fault based on one year of continuous separation, adultery, physical cruelty, habitual drunkenness or narcotics use, and desertion for one year. Most cases filed in Richland County use the no-fault ground.
Residency rules under § 20-3-30 require that at least one spouse have lived in South Carolina for one year before filing. If both spouses currently live in South Carolina, only three months of prior residency is required. Columbia residents file at the Richland County Family Court at 1701 Main Street.
Property division follows equitable distribution rules under § 20-3-620. Courts look at many factors when deciding how to divide marital assets and debts. The outcome is based on what the court considers fair, not necessarily a 50/50 split. All property, support, and parenting issues are addressed in the same Richland County dissolution of marriage case.
Divorce Certificates and Decrees in Richland County
Two types of records confirm a dissolution of marriage in Richland County. The full divorce decree is the court order issued by the Richland County Family Court. It includes all terms of the dissolution, such as property division, support, and any parenting agreement. The Clerk of Court issues certified copies of the decree. The Clerk's office at (803) 576-1950 can tell you the current per-page copy fee.
Divorce certificates are shorter summaries issued by the South Carolina Department of Public Health. The fee is $12 per copy. Mail requests to the Division of Vital Records, 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29201. The DPH has records of divorces in Richland County and across South Carolina from July 1962 through December 2023. More information is at dph.sc.gov.
For most legal purposes, including property transfers, name changes with banks, and passport applications, a certified copy of the full Richland County divorce decree is what you will need.
Related Records in Richland County
Other offices in Richland County keep records that often connect to dissolution of marriage cases. The Register of Deeds, The Hon. John Hopkins, handles property records in Columbia. After a dissolution, deeds may change. The Register of Deeds office can be reached at (803) 576-1910. Real estate transferred as part of a Richland County dissolution of marriage will show up in Register of Deeds records.
The Richland County Probate Court handles marriage licenses and estate matters. You may need a certified copy of the original marriage license before filing for dissolution of marriage. Marriage records are held by the Probate Court, not the Family Court, in Richland County.
For child support matters, contact the South Carolina Department of Social Services at dss.sc.gov or by phone at 1-800-768-5858. DSS helps with establishing, enforcing, and modifying child support orders in Richland County. Payments go through the State Disbursement Unit at PO Box 100302, Columbia SC 29202.
South Carolina Legal Services at sclegal.org serves Richland County residents who need free legal assistance with dissolution of marriage and other family law matters. The SC Bar's lawyer referral line at (803) 799-6653 can connect you with a private attorney in Columbia.
Public Access to Richland County Dissolution Records
Dissolution of marriage records in Richland County are generally available to the public under the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-30. Any member of the public can request to view or copy court records from the Richland County Clerk of Court. You do not need to be a party to the case to make a request.
Portions of the file involving minor children or sealed financial data may be withheld or redacted. The complaint, the answer, the settlement agreement, and the final decree are generally accessible to the public. Submit your request in writing to the Clerk of Court at PO Box 2766, Columbia, SC 29202-2766, or visit the courthouse at 1701 Main Street in person.
The Women's Law website at womenslaw.org offers plain-English guidance on what information appears in a South Carolina dissolution of marriage record and how to access it.
Cities in Richland County
Richland County includes the city of Columbia, the state capital, and several other communities. All dissolution of marriage cases for Richland County residents are filed at the Family Court in Columbia at 1701 Main Street.
Columbia is the county seat of Richland County and home to the Richland County Family Court at 1701 Main Street. Residents of Columbia file all dissolution of marriage cases at this location.
Nearby Counties
Richland County borders five other South Carolina counties. File your dissolution of marriage case in the county where you live. If you recently moved to Columbia or elsewhere in Richland County, confirm your residency start date when filing, as it affects which court has jurisdiction.