I received a summons for jury duty. Defendants in criminal proceedings have a right to a lawyer, and are entitled to have counsel appointed at government expense if they are financially unable to obtain adequate representation by private counsel. There is no right to free legal assistance in civil proceedings.
All documents filed with the court are public records and are available through the clerk's office.
Some documents are sealed by special court order, and some documents are confidential by operation of law, such as grand jury materials and criminal files relating to juveniles. As the keeper of court records, the clerk's office responds to most inquiries on the status of a case once given the specific case number or a party name. Inquiries for information and requests to examine dockets, case files, exhibits, and other records are made at the clerk's office in room 117 at 2144 Melbourne Ave. in North Charleston. Family Court records are retained in the clerk's office on the 2nd floor of the O.T. Wallace County Office Building at 2 Courthouse Square, in downtown Charleston. Inquiries often are made by phone.