Magistrate Court

Magistrate’s Court hears civil cases involving landlord tenant issues and injury or property damage where the claim is under $7,500.00.  Magistrate Courts also handle traffic and criminal cases where the fine is no more than $2,000.00 and/or 90 days.

Mission

The mission of the Magistrate Court is to provide the citizens of Laurens County with a fair and impartial Summary Court. The magistrates perform the following:

• Issue criminal arrest and search warrants
• Conduct bail bond hearings two (2) times daily to determine how a defendant should be released from detention
• Conduct preliminary hearings for General Sessions level cases
• Conduct jury trials for all magistrate level cases
• Conduct criminal hearings to include such offenses such as Assault and Battery, Malicious Injury to Personal Property, Trespassing, County Ordinance Violations, etc.
• Conduct traffic hearings to include, Driving Under the Influence, Driving Under Suspension, Failure to Pay Property Tax, etc.
• Conduct civil hearings including landlord/tenant hearings, summons and complaint cases (to claim disputed funds), claim and delivery cases (to reclaim property), and public sales of abandoned vehicles
• A magistrate may impose a fine with court assessments of up to $5,242.50 and/or a penalty of up to a 180 day sentence. The civil jurisdiction is $7,500.00.

Staff

Office (864) 681-5689 Fax (864) 681-0591 Laurens, SC 29360