Two major courts handle criminal cases in Abbeville County – – the Magistrate Court and the Circuit Court. Most criminal cases begin in the Magistrate Court, with some cases being transferred to the higher Circuit Court. Magistrate Court judges issue the majority of arrest warrants for Abbeville County. A judge will listen to sworn testimony or review an affidavit from a police officer to verify that there is probable cause to issue an active warrant. Once the warrant is signed, it becomes an outstanding warrant that any officer within the county may execute. To search for warrants and criminal records, you should contact the Sheriff’s Office and Abbeville County courts.
Abbeville County courts
Records for both the Magistrate Court (also known as the Summary Court) and the Circuit Court are available online through the Public Index for the Eighth Judicial Circuit. This provides a summary of each open and closed case that has been filed in Abbeville County. Upon finding an open case, you can contact the Magistrate’s office handling the case for copies of court records or obtaining more detailed information. If the case originated in the Circuit Court or was transferred to the Circuit Court, you should visit the Clerk of Court’s office for copies or information.
Warrant searches and arrest records for Abbeville County
Once a judge has signed arrest warrants, they are transferred to the Sheriff’s Office for service. A warrant search is not complete unless you check with the Sheriff’s Office for any outstanding warrants that have yet to be served. You can also obtain copies of arrest records and request a criminal background report through the Sheriff’s Office.
Getting information on Abbeville County arrest warrants over the phone.
- Local law enforcement: You can contact Capt. Patrick Thompson of Support Services at (864) 446-6000. In response to your phone call, the officer will guide you on who you should approach for a warrant search and arrest records-related inquiries.
- The Magistrate’s Court: To get in touch with the administrative staff of the Magistrate’s Court, call on (864) 446-6500, ext. 2435. You have to talk to Tonya Quarles, who is the traffic/criminal court clerk.
- The Clerk of Circuit Court: For details about matters being handled by the Circuit Court, get in touch with Shandal Boggs at (864) 366-5312, ext. 55.
Speaking with judicial and law enforcement officers reveals details about active warrants, even when complete information can’t be provided over the phone.
What other details about warrants and arrest records can you get over the phone (updated in 2021)?
- About a criminal case: If you are a victim of crime, you can get in touch with Capt. Matthew Graham of the Investigations & Narcotics Division of the Sheriff’s Office. You can reach the officer at (864) 446-6000. Although you may get some information about the progress of your case over the phone, don’t expect a full report unless you visit the agency office in person.
- About recent arrests: If you are looking for details about a person currently held in Abbeville County jail, you can call on (864) 446-6200.
- For victim-specific information and help: Finally, as a victim of a crime, you can also get help from the Victim Advocate of the Sheriff’s Office, Monique Bell. You can get in touch with her at (864) 446-6061.
Note: All contact details, including phone numbers, updated in March 2021.
Abbeville County, SC crime rates
Between 2018 and 2019, the crime rates of Abbeville County plunged by almost 50% across most categories. While 4 homicide cases were registered in both years, there was a drop of over 60% in matters related to sexual battery, breaking and entering, and larceny. Also, the number of motor vehicle thefts went down from 45 incidents to a mere 10 incidents.
From the year 2001 through the year 2008, there was an average of one crime committed in Abbeville County every eleven hours. Of the almost 5,900 crimes committed during this time, about twenty-four percent of those crimes were violent. However, during the 10 years between 1999 and 2008, crime rates in Abbeville County only increased by approximately thirty-five percent