About Magistrates
Magistrates are county judges that are appointed to four-year terms by the Governor upon the advice and consent of the South Carolina Senate. Magistrates serve the county in which they are appointed and exercise county wide jurisdiction.
Townships
York County is divided into five geographical areas called townships. There is one Judge for each of the townships. The Townships are: (office location in parenthesis):
Bethel-Kings Mountain (Clover),
Broad River-Bullocks Creek (Hickory Grove),
Catawba-Ebenezer (Rock Hill),
Fort Mill (Fort Mill),
York-Bethesda (York).
Cases Types
Magistrates preside over:
- Civil, criminal and traffic cases
- Consider petitions for restraining orders
- Issue search and arrest warrants and conduct bond hearings
- Preliminary hearings
- Bench trials
- Jury trials
Jurisdiction
Magistrate Courts exercise jurisdiction in civil cases when the amount in controversy does not exceed $7,500 per side. Civil lawsuits may be filed in the Township in which the Defendant or Business is located.
Bond Court
In addition to the Magistrate Court's located in the Townships, there is also a
Bond Court located at the Moss Justice Center inside of the York County Detention Center. The
Bond Court is open for business 365 days a year for 24 hours a day and a Judge is on duty at all times.
Driving Under the Influence
The York County
Centralized DUI Court handles all 1st offense Driving Under the Influence (DUI) / Driving With an Unlawful Alcohol Concentration (DUAC) tickets and companion charges.