Marlboro County Juvenile Detention Ctr

Marlboro County Juvenile Detention Ctr

Physical Address

1725 Shivers Road
Columbia, SC 29210

Jail Phone Number

803-896-9440
Marlboro County inmate search

Marlboro County Inmate Search: Where Did They Take My Person?

Arrests made anywhere in the county, by deputies or by police in Bennettsville, Clio or McColl, usually lead to the Marlboro County Detention Center; ask staff by phone for directions. Two prisons nearby are not the county jail: Evans Correctional Institution is a state prison, and FCI Bennettsville is federal. Below you'll find the search, charges, lawyers, visits, mail, deposits, property and hearing dates.

Search the official inmate lookup by name. The result should show whether the person is in custody. A booking or release from the past few hours may lag behind, so treat it as a first clue.

Next, call the Detention Center at 854-228-2046; give the legal name and birth date. Staff can share the booked charges, bond amount and hearing date. Bond questions go to our bail page. Hearings and sentencing are on our court page.

Search for an Inmate or Active Arrest Warrant in Marlboro County

Read inmate search answers

1. Searching for someone in the Marlboro County jail

  1. Open the official inmate lookup.
  2. Last name goes in first, then the first name. Unsure of the spelling? Try a nickname or middle name as well.
  3. Record the status, the facility listed and any booking or ID number.
  4. Double-check by phoning the Detention Center at 854-228-2046, where staff know who is inside today.

VINELink South Carolina, at vinelink.vineapps.com/state/SC, is a separate statewide tool. Besides telling you if someone is in custody and where, it can warn you of a release or a move. Its phone line is 866-727-2846.

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2. Search came back empty: what happened?

A blank search usually has a plain reason:

  • Booking isn't finished. Paperwork, photos and fingerprints take time.
  • Already out. Someone paid the bond, or a judge let the person go.
  • A different spelling. Try a birth surname, both halves of a double surname, or a nickname.
  • Held somewhere else. A neighboring county's arrest, or a move into state or federal hands, puts the person on another list.
  • A minor. People under 18 are sent to juvenile detention, not the adult jail.

Phone the Detention Center at 854-228-2046, or the alternative number 854-228-2048. The Sheriff's Office at 843-479-5605 can help too.

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3. Detention Center, Evans or FCI: which place holds them?

Adults arrested here go to one county jail: the Detention Center, 854-228-2046. Phone for its street address. Two larger places in the same area hold different groups of people:

  • Evans Correctional Institution, 610 Highway 9 West, Bennettsville, SC 29512, 843-479-4181. A state prison for men, run by SCDC. People arrive there only after a state sentence. See our South Carolina state prisons guide.
  • FCI Bennettsville, 696 Muckerman Road, Bennettsville, SC 29512, 843-454-8200. A federal prison, run by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

An arrest just over the line may land in a jail in another county of the same court circuit:

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4. Booking photos from Marlboro County: can you see one?

Plan on getting booking photo answers by phone. The Sheriff's Office takes those questions at 843-479-5605. Under the state's open records law, jail records listing who was held during the past three months are public (S.C. Code 30-4-30(D)(3)).

  • Since 2016 Act No. 132, S.C. Code 17-1-60 makes a website take down a mugshot at no cost. The request goes by certified mail, and the site then has 30 days. This covers a charge that was dismissed or erased, or that ended in acquittal.
  • Photos taken by ICE: request them on the ICE FOIA portal.
  • Outside of wanted posters from the Marshals, federal mugshots generally stay private.
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5. Getting notice when they're freed or transferred

SC VINE sends free custody alerts in English and Spanish. Sign up at VINELink South Carolina or call 866-727-2846. Signing up is a step you take yourself.

  • For a same-day answer, the Detention Center at 854-228-2046 is the surest source.
  • Victims are owed notice of the accused's arrest, release or escape (S.C. Const. art. I, § 24). Jails must try to tell victims of a release when asked (S.C. Code 16-3-1530).
  • For people moved to state prison, SCDC Victim Services answers at 803-896-1733.
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6. Bond after a Marlboro County arrest, in brief

A magistrate or town judge sets bond at a hearing held within 24 hours of arrest (S.C. Code 22-5-510). The starting point for most charges is the person's own promise to return, with money or rules added when needed (S.C. Code 17-15-10).

  • When a charge could mean a life sentence, as murder does, bond waits for a circuit judge.
  • For listed violent crimes, a magistrate may refuse bond.
  • Once bond is paid, the jail has a four-hour limit, by state law, to let the person go.
  • Bondsmen may charge no more than 15 percent (S.C. Code 38-53-170(e)).

To find out when the hearing runs, call the magistrates at 843-479-5620. More on bond, from paying it to holds, sits on our bail page.

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7. Which charges were filed?

Ask jail staff at 854-228-2046 which charges were booked. Once a case is filed, the court keeps the official record:

  • Felonies and serious misdemeanors: Clerk of Court, Marlboro County Courthouse, 105 West Main Street, Bennettsville, SC 29512, 843-479-5613.
  • Minor county charges: magistrates, 843-479-5620.
  • Final felony charges are decided by the 4th Circuit Solicitor, 105 East Main Street, Bennettsville, SC 29512, 843-897-1105.

Each charge has a class that sets the top penalty. The classes appear in Title 16, Chapter 1 of the South Carolina Code of Laws.

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8. A public defender, or hiring counsel

Someone who can't pay for counsel can have a public defender appointed once they sign a sworn statement of finances (S.C. Code 17-3-10; S.C. Code 17-3-45). The clerk collects a $40 application fee but may shrink or skip it (S.C. Code 17-3-30).

  • County public defender: Marlboro County Courthouse, 105 West Main Street, Bennettsville, SC 29512, 843-479-5571.
  • State agency: South Carolina Commission on Indigent Defense, 1330 Lady Street, Suite 401, Columbia, SC 29201, 803-734-1343.

Paying for a private attorney is a choice families can make too. That lawyer can ask the jail how attorney visits are booked.

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9. Visiting the Marlboro County Detention Center

The jail decides its own visit schedule, booking steps and clothing rules. Before planning a trip, phone 854-228-2046 and ask:

  • What is the visit schedule, and must you book ahead?
  • Which kinds of ID work, and may kids visit?
  • Can visits happen by video, from home or a lobby screen, and at what price?
  • What must be left in the car?

Our visitation guide explains how jail visits usually run.

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10. Deposits for snacks, soap and calls

Money on the books pays for canteen items like chips and shampoo, plus calls. Phone the Detention Center at 854-228-2046 to learn the current ways to deposit, the limits and the fees. Keep their legal name and booking number at hand.

Ways to deposit are compared in our money guide; the commissary guide shows what people inside typically buy. Cash never belongs in an envelope.

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11. Calls and tablets: staying in touch

To learn how calling works, ring 854-228-2046 and ask whether calls only go out, how to open a prepaid account, the per-minute price and if tablets or messages exist there. Ask, too, if calls are recorded. Either way, the case is something to discuss only with the lawyer.

For background, read our jail phone guide; electronic notes are covered in our inmate messaging guide.

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12. Sending letters to the jail

Before mailing anything, phone the jail at 854-228-2046. Confirm the correct mailing address, the booking number rule for envelopes, and which items get turned away.

Use the person's full legal name, and print your return address in the corner of the envelope. Skip cash, stamps and anything taped inside. Our mail guide lists the usual rules.

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13. Belongings taken at booking

Belongings logged at intake are generally held for the person until they leave. If you'll be collecting them, call 854-228-2046 during the day. Ask if staff want a signed OK from the person. Photo ID is a must at pickup.

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14. Prescriptions, illness and care inside

South Carolina makes each county responsible for medical care and other essentials for those it jails (S.C. Code 24-5-80). Call the Detention Center at 854-228-2046 right away about any health concern. Mention the medication, its strength and the doctor who prescribed it.

If life is in danger, call 911. SCDC inspects county jails, at least yearly (S.C. Code 24-9-10).

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15. Is someone wanted on a local warrant?

The Sheriff's Office handles warrants outside town limits. Call it at 843-479-5605 (mailing address PO Box 577, Bennettsville, SC 29512) and ask for warrant information. Inside Bennettsville, Clio and McColl, town officers serve them. Wider lists include the PPP Most Wanted page (tip line 888-761-6175) and the Marshals Service's 15 Most Wanted. The Clerk of Court can look too: 105 West Main Street, Bennettsville, SC 29512, 843-479-5613. Resolving a warrant means hiring a lawyer first, then surrendering where it was issued or asking that court to reset the date.

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16. Upcoming hearing dates and where to get them

For bond court, trial and sentencing, see our court page.

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17. Tracking a federal prisoner

Federal arrests here go through the McMillan Federal Building, 401 West Evans Street, Florence, SC 29501, where the court clerk answers at 843-676-3820.

  1. Release or detention is argued at a hearing under 18 U.S.C. 3142, normally at the first federal court date.
  2. The Marshals Service (U.S. Department of Justice) keeps them until trial. Its Florence office, 401 West Evans Street, Suite 341, Florence, SC 29501, 843-662-0750, can say where they are housed.
  3. After sentencing, search the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator by name or register number.

Even someone sent to FCI Bennettsville shows up in that locator, not in the county lookup.

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18. Locating a person ICE has picked up

  1. ICE places a detainer on the person with Form I-247A.
  2. The jail may keep them up to 48 hours after they would otherwise be released (8 CFR 287.7(d)). That window lets ICE arrive.
  3. State law adds a check (S.C. Code 23-3-1100). Within 72 hours, the jail tries to confirm whether each criminal-charge detainee is lawfully in the country, and it reports unlawful presence to federal homeland security officials. At bond court, the judge also has to weigh that status and any flight risk (S.C. Code 22-5-510(D)(4)).
  4. After the transfer, search the ICE Online Detainee Locator. Searching by A-number works best; a name plus country of birth also works.
  5. No result? Contact ICE at 3950 Faber Place Drive, North Charleston, SC 29405, 843-746-9800.
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19. Finding a person moved to SCDC

Once a sentence tops three months, the South Carolina Department of Corrections takes over (S.C. Code 24-3-20). New arrivals spend time in SCDC's reception and evaluation unit first. Face-to-face visits resume after intake, or sooner if it runs over 30 days.

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20. Arrests of Marlboro County teens

Teens under 18 usually go through Family Court and the Department of Juvenile Justice (S.C. Code 63-19-20(1)). Adult jails have a six-hour ceiling for any juvenile and may never hold one who is 10 or younger (S.C. Code 63-19-820). A judge reviews detention within 48 hours (S.C. Code 63-19-830), but weekends and holidays aren't counted.

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21. Police agencies working in Marlboro County

About 25,488 people live here, per a Census Bureau estimate for July 1, 2025. Four local agencies plus the state patrol arrest people in this county:

  • Marlboro County Sheriff's Office, mailing address PO Box 577, Bennettsville, SC 29512, 843-479-5605. Deputies patrol rural areas and communities without a town police force, such as Blenheim, Tatum and Wallace.
  • Bennettsville Police Department, Public Safety Complex, 254 Highway 15-401 Bypass East, Bennettsville, SC 29512, 843-479-3620. Office hours are weekdays, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
  • Clio Police Department, PO Box 487, Clio, SC 29525, 843-586-9426. That number also rings Clio Town Hall, 114 S Main Street, Clio, SC 29525.
  • McColl Police Department, 210 East Gibson Avenue, McColl, SC 29570, 843-523-5222.
  • South Carolina Highway Patrol, Troop 5, 3415 East Palmetto Street, Florence, SC 29506, 843-661-4700, covers state roads and highways in the county.

In an emergency, dial 911 from any town or crossroads.

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South Carolina bail and release

Marlboro County Bail and Release

Whether a deputy made the arrest or an officer from Bennettsville, Clio or McColl did, grown-ups land in the Marlboro County Detention Center. Ring the jail for its street address and driving directions. Below: how bond court works, the main kinds of bond, where money is taken, the cap on a bondsman's fee, and holds that may keep someone inside after paying.

Start by searching the name in the official inmate lookup. After that, our custody records page tells the rest of the jail story. It covers who got booked lately and who is still held, plus live warrants, mugshots, charges, court-appointed lawyers and the return of a wallet or phone.

Today, phone the Detention Center at 854-228-2046. Find out three things: has bond court happened, what figure was set for each charge, and which office collects it. From there, our court page picks up the case.

Search for an Inmate or Active Arrest Warrant in Marlboro County

1. Who handles bond after a Marlboro County arrest, and how fast?

Usually a magistrate. Town judges share that job, because state law lets a municipal judge both set bonds and take them (S.C. Code 14-25-115). Everyone arrested is owed a bond hearing inside 24 hours (S.C. Code 22-5-510).

Session times and the hearing room can move around, so check first. The county magistrates answer at 843-479-5620, and the jail at 854-228-2046. Ask when the next session starts and if relatives can attend.

The gravest charges go elsewhere. For a charge like murder, punishable by death or life, a magistrate has no power over bond and a circuit judge must decide (S.C. Code 22-5-510(A)). Expect a longer wait then. When bond is finally paid, state law gives the jail four hours or less to free the person.

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2. What bond choices does a judge in this state have?

Unless death is a possible penalty, the law begins with a simple promise to return (S.C. Code 17-15-10). Money or extra conditions get added only if that promise isn't enough. The options:

  • Personal recognizance (PR). The person's signature is the whole bond, and nobody pays a cent.
  • Cash bond. Pay the full figure, in cash. A person may instead deposit cash with whichever magistrate or town judge has the case (S.C. Code 22-5-530).
  • Surety bond. Families often go through a bondsman holding a state license. That company charges a fee and covers the full bond if the person skips court.
  • Ten percent deposit. When the court permits, cash worth at most a tenth of the bond is paid to the Clerk of Court (S.C. Code 17-15-15). Violent charges can't use it, and neither can a gun felony picked up while on bond.
  • GPS ankle monitor. A judge can swap bond for a monitor, or stack the two (S.C. Code 17-15-35).

Any bond carries basic rules: attend each hearing, don't leave South Carolina, and obey the law (S.C. Code 17-15-20).

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3. What does bond usually look like for local charges?

Bond is set charge by charge at the hearing. Under S.C. Code 17-15-30, the judge can look at the offense, the person's character, years lived here, work, family, finances, prior convictions and skipped court dates. Open charges and bonds already in force elsewhere must be checked too. Here is how the kind of charge changes the picture:

  • Third-degree assault and battery. It carries up to $500 and 30 days (S.C. Code 16-3-600(E)(2)). A magistrate or town judge rules, and the starting point is PR.
  • Shoplifting of $2,000 or less. This stays in summary court, where a magistrate or town judge sets bond.
  • Shoplifting above $2,000. It becomes a felony worth up to five or ten years, so the case climbs to the Court of General Sessions.
  • Listed violent crimes. Examples are second-degree burglary and second-degree arson (S.C. Code 16-1-60). A magistrate can grant bond or turn it down. No tenth-down cash option is open on those charges.
  • Murder and other life-term charges. A circuit judge alone decides.
  • A second violent or gun charge while already bonded out. The older bond is wiped out by law. A circuit hearing comes within 30 days (S.C. Code 17-15-55(C)).

For the real dollar figure, call the Detention Center at 854-228-2046, spelling out the person's name and birth date.

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4. Posting bond at the Marlboro County Detention Center, step by step

Rules about payment and hours can change, so a call comes first. Staff can steer you to the building as well. Then:

  1. Dial the Detention Center at 854-228-2046. When that line rings out, try the alternative number, 854-228-2048.
  2. Spell the person's name and say their birth date. Get the bond type and amount for each charge.
  3. Learn who collects it: jail staff, the magistrates, or the Clerk of Court's office.
  4. Ask which payment forms the window takes, and to whom any money order gets made out.
  5. Find out if another county, a probation agent or immigration has a hold.
  6. Bring photo ID. Keep every receipt in a safe place.

If you hire a bondsman, that person files the papers with the jail. After the bond is filed, four hours is the legal limit for getting the person out the door (S.C. Code 22-5-510(B)).

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5. Can a court or police station take the bond money?

The right window depends on the bond type and on which court owns the charge. Each office runs its own way, so phone ahead:

  • County magistrates (county charges): call 843-479-5620 to learn where and when money is taken. The law allows a cash deposit with a magistrate (S.C. Code 22-5-530).
  • Clerk of Court (10 percent deposits): Marlboro County Courthouse, 105 West Main Street, Bennettsville, SC 29512, 843-479-5613. County offices keep weekday hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
  • Bennettsville Municipal Court (city charges): Public Safety Complex, 254 15-401 Bypass East, Bennettsville, SC 29512, 843-479-1582. Its office runs weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
  • Clio and McColl town courts (town charges): start with Clio Town Hall, 114 S Main Street, Clio, SC 29525, 843-586-9426, or McColl Town Hall, 300 S Main St, McColl, SC 29570, 843-523-5341.

Wherever you pay, ask how soon the jail hears about it and opens the door.

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6. Paying the jail or clerk: which forms are accepted?

The jail, the magistrates and the Clerk of Court may each take money differently. Before you head out, phone whichever office will collect and run through this short list:

  • Cash: yes or no? Exact sum only?
  • Money orders and cashier's checks: allowed? Made out to whom?
  • Debit or credit cards: allowed, and is a fee tacked on?
  • Personal checks: ever okay?

Reach the Detention Center at 854-228-2046. Deposits of 10 percent go through the Clerk of Court at 843-479-5613. Never drop cash in an envelope. Hang up on any caller you don't know who demands bond money.

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7. Bondsmen in South Carolina: what are the rules?

Every bondsman must hold a license issued by the South Carolina Department of Insurance (Title 38, Chapter 53). Read these rules before signing:

  • By law the premium, which is the bondsman's charge, can be 15 percent of the bond at most, with a floor of $100 or 10 percent, whichever is bigger (S.C. Code 38-53-170(e)).
  • A payment plan requires at least $100 up front and may last 18 months at the longest.
  • That fee pays for the bondsman's promise, so it is gone for good once paid.
  • Soliciting business is banned in courtrooms, on court grounds, in magistrate offices and at the jail. Pushing a client toward a particular attorney is banned too.
  • Ten days after the bond ends is the deadline to return pledged items such as a car title, unless a bench warrant was issued.

Confirm a license through the Department of Insurance bondsman page. Complaints go to 1201 Main Street, Suite 1000, Columbia, SC 29201, or 803-737-6160.

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8. Why might they stay behind bars with bond already paid?

Bond money settles only the charge it was set on. Watch for these other holds:

  • More than one charge. Separate charges, and separate courts, can each need a bond. A Clio or McColl town charge stands apart from a county one.
  • Another agency's warrant. A warrant from elsewhere in South Carolina, or from another state, can hold the person here.
  • Supervision. Anyone on probation or parole may face a violation over the arrest. Questions go to the local office of the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services, 105 E Main Street, Bennettsville, SC 29512, 843-479-3041.
  • A bond already lost. Suppose a new violent felony charge (or a gun felony charge) arrives while the person is already bonded out on one. By law that earlier bond is voided (S.C. Code 17-15-55(C)).
  • Federal or ICE holds. A state bond leaves both in place.

Ask jail staff at 854-228-2046 to list every hold before a single dollar changes hands.

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9. When can a judge refuse bond?

South Carolina's constitution makes bail the usual answer for most defendants and outlaws excessive bail (S.C. Const. art. I, § 15). A judge may say no in three situations:

  • a capital charge, where death is possible
  • a charge that could mean life in prison
  • a violent offense named in S.C. Code 16-1-60

Even then, the constitution tells the judge to give "due weight" to the proof and the circumstances. With lesser charges, the judge may still require money or firm rules when a bare promise looks unlikely to get the person to court or keep the public safe (S.C. Code 17-15-10(A)).

Felony cases here are prosecuted by the 4th Circuit Solicitor, from an office at 105 East Main Street, Bennettsville, SC 29512, 843-897-1105.

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10. Can the bond amount be cut or reviewed?

Yes, and a lawyer usually leads the request. A typical path:

  1. The lawyer files for a bond review. Circuit judges have power to revisit bonds magistrates set on General Sessions charges (S.C. Code 17-15-55).
  2. Bring proof of local roots, like a work schedule, a lease, a deed or letters from relatives, plus a realistic budget.
  3. Propose a GPS monitor or other safeguards that answer the court's fears (S.C. Code 17-15-35).
  4. Release terms can be rewritten by the court once notice has gone out and a hearing has been held (S.C. Code 17-15-50).

Hearing dates come from the Clerk of Court at 843-479-5613. A case still sitting with a magistrate goes through 843-479-5620.

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11. Is a free lawyer available in Marlboro County?

Can't cover a lawyer's fee? Ask the court to appoint a public defender (S.C. Code 17-3-10). On a court form, the person swears to what they earn and own (S.C. Code 17-3-45). The $40 application fee can be cut or dropped by the clerk when paying it is out of reach (S.C. Code 17-3-30).

  • Local public defender: inside the Marlboro County Courthouse, 105 West Main Street, Bennettsville, SC 29512, 843-479-5571.
  • Statewide agency: South Carolina Commission on Indigent Defense, 1330 Lady Street, Suite 401, Columbia, SC 29201, 803-734-1343.

Hiring your own attorney stays possible at every stage, even after one is appointed.

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12. Which courthouses handle Marlboro County cases?

Nearly every criminal matter is heard in Bennettsville. Courts and phone numbers:

  • Marlboro County Courthouse, 105 West Main Street, Bennettsville, SC 29512. Home of the Court of General Sessions (felonies and bigger misdemeanors) and Family Court. Clerk of Court: 843-479-5613, alternative number 843-897-0256.
  • County magistrates (small charges, bond hearings, preliminary hearings): 843-479-5620. Ask staff for the office address.
  • Bennettsville Municipal Court, Public Safety Complex, 254 15-401 Bypass East, Bennettsville, SC 29512, 843-479-1582. It holds court Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
  • Clio Municipal Court, reached by way of Clio Town Hall, 114 S Main Street, Clio, SC 29525, 843-586-9426.
  • McColl Municipal Court, reached by way of McColl Town Hall, 300 S Main St, McColl, SC 29570, 843-523-5341.
  • Federal court, Florence Division, McMillan Federal Building, 401 West Evans Street, Florence, SC 29501, 843-676-3820.
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13. Getting deposit money back, or losing it

A cash deposit can be reclaimed after it has served its purpose (S.C. Code 17-15-220). In plain terms, that is usually the end of the case, with every hearing attended. Apply through the office that accepted it. A tenth-down deposit is repaid after every bond term is satisfied; even so, the judge may first subtract restitution (S.C. Code 17-15-15).

Premiums are the bondsman's to keep. Missing court brings bigger trouble:

  • The judge can sign a bench warrant.
  • Failing on purpose to appear on a felony bond is a separate crime, with up to five years and a $5,000 fine (S.C. Code 17-15-90).
  • A misdemeanor with a maximum of one year or more? Skipping court then risks up to a year and $1,000.
  • Surety bonds are forfeited 90 days after the bench warrant unless the person is surrendered (S.C. Code 38-53-70).

For refunds on felony cases, ring the Clerk of Court on 843-479-5613.

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14. Getting back jail account cash and personal items

A day or two ahead of release, if possible, phone the Detention Center at 854-228-2046. Three questions matter: how a leftover account balance is handed back, what hours stored belongings can be claimed, and whether the person must sign paperwork naming you as the one picking up. Take a photo ID with you on pickup day.

More help with jail account deposits and refunds: our guide to inmate accounts.

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15. Who handles bond when the charge is federal?

When the charge is federal, the case is heard by the Florence Division of the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina. The court's Florence clerk answers questions from the McMillan Federal Building, 401 West Evans Street, Florence, SC 29501, 843-676-3820, open weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

  • Release turns on a detention hearing (18 U.S.C. 3142), held at the first federal court appearance. The defense can ask to put it off as long as five days; the government, three.
  • Until trial, someone charged federally is boarded wherever the U.S. Marshals Service arranges. To learn where, phone its Florence office, 401 West Evans Street, Suite 341, Florence, SC 29501, 843-662-0750.
  • After sentencing, the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator shows where they are.

FCI Bennettsville, 696 Muckerman Road, Bennettsville, SC 29512, 843-454-8200, is a federal prison. Despite sharing the town's name, it is separate from the county jail, so state bond does not reach it.

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16. Paid state bond, but ICE has a hold: now what?

Paying state bond leaves an immigration detainer untouched. Here is how it unfolds:

  1. Immigration officers file Form I-247A, called a detainer, with jail staff.
  2. Under that form, the person can be held up to 48 hours after they would otherwise be released (8 CFR 287.7(d)).
  3. South Carolina adds a step of its own (S.C. Code 23-3-1100). Within 72 hours, staff must try to confirm the immigration status of each criminal-charge booking. The jail passes any finding of unlawful presence to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
  4. By law, a bond judge also weighs two more things (S.C. Code 22-5-510(D)(4)): unlawful presence and the chance the person runs.
  5. After an ICE pickup, use the ICE Online Detainee Locator. Search by alien registration number, or else by name plus birth country.
  6. ICE keeps a South Carolina office at 3950 Faber Place Drive, North Charleston, SC 29405, 843-746-9800.
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17. Which sentences send someone to SCDC?

Three months or less usually stays in the county jail (S.C. Code 24-3-30). Anything longer goes to the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC), and SCDC picks the prison (S.C. Code 24-3-20). First comes reception and evaluation, SCDC's intake. In-person visits are put on hold during intake, except when intake drags past 30 days.

Evans Correctional Institution, 610 Highway 9 West, Bennettsville, SC 29512, 843-479-4181, is a state prison for men in this county. Do not mix it up with the county jail.

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18. What if the person arrested in Marlboro County is under 18?

Family Court, not adult court, handles most people under 18 (S.C. Code 63-19-20(1)). Certain 17-year-olds still land in adult court (S.C. Code 63-19-20(1)): those facing a top-four-class felony (A to D) or one whose maximum is 15 years or more.

  • The six-hour cap for children in adult jails is strict, and kids 10 or under are barred from such jails entirely (S.C. Code 63-19-820).
  • Family Court must hold a detention hearing inside 48 hours (S.C. Code 63-19-830); the clock pauses for weekends and holidays.
  • Kids who stay in custody go to the state's Juvenile Detention Complex, 1725 Shivers Road, Columbia, SC 29210. Call its visit line at 803-896-9440.
  • Department of Juvenile Justice staff for this county work at 205 East Market St., Bennettsville, SC 29512, 843-479-2961.

Teens aged 14 to 16 facing a serious felony can be waived up to adult court (S.C. Code 63-19-1210), but only after a hearing.

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South Carolina criminal court

Marlboro County Criminal Court Guide

Serious cases from Marlboro County are tried at the courthouse at 105 West Main Street, Bennettsville, SC 29512, while small charges go to the county magistrates or the town courts in Bennettsville, Clio and McColl. Until bond is posted, adults wait at the Marlboro County Detention Center; staff give directions by phone. Each court, each step and each legal office is laid out below.

See if your person is in jail today with the official inmate lookup. Our Jail Roster explains bookings and who is held now. It also helps with property pickup, warrants, booking photos, charge details and appointed lawyers.

Call the Clerk of Court today at 843-479-5613. Ask whether a case number exists yet, which court holds the charge and when it is next on the calendar. If bond is still the worry, turn to our bail page.

Search for an Inmate or Active Arrest Warrant in Marlboro County

1. Which judge gets the case: magistrate, city bench or circuit?

Two layers of court split the work in South Carolina:

  • Summary courts, meaning the county magistrates and the town courts. They try offenses with a top penalty of $500, 30 days, or both (S.C. Code 22-3-550; S.C. Code 14-25-65). Shoplifting worth $2,000 or less also stays at this level, with fines reaching $1,000 (S.C. Code 16-13-110). These judges run bond court and preliminary hearings as well.
  • The Court of General Sessions, which is the circuit court's criminal side. It takes felonies and the more serious misdemeanors, in the county where the crime happened.
  • Family Court, for charges against most people under 18.

This county sits in the 4th Judicial Circuit with Chesterfield, Darlington and Dillon counties (S.C. Code 14-5-610). All four share a single Solicitor and a single circuit public defender.

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2. Finding the Marlboro County courthouse and its clerk

General Sessions and Family Court both work out of the courthouse at 105 West Main Street, Bennettsville, SC 29512.

  • Clerk of Court, which keeps felony files and dates: 843-479-5613. Alternative number: 843-897-0256.
  • Family Court side of the Clerk's office: alternative number 843-897-0275.
  • County magistrates, for minor charges plus bond and preliminary hearings: 843-479-5620. Ask where the hearing will be held.

Weekday hours for county offices run 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Term weeks and appearance days sit on the 4th Circuit Solicitor's court dates page, under this county's heading.

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3. Bennettsville, Clio and McColl: do the towns run their own courts?

Yes. All three run a municipal court for tickets and arrests within town limits.

  • Bennettsville Municipal Court: Public Safety Complex, 254 15-401 Bypass East, Bennettsville, SC 29512, 843-479-1582. Letters go to PO Box 1253, Bennettsville, SC 29512. Staff work weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and court meets Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. City ordinance cases are heard here.
  • Clio Municipal Court: call Clio Town Hall, 114 S Main Street, Clio, SC 29525, 843-586-9426, to reach it. Town Hall opens Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and stays shut on Wednesdays.
  • McColl Municipal Court: call McColl Town Hall, 300 S Main St, McColl, SC 29570, 843-523-5341, to reach it.

Charges from outside town limits go before the county magistrates, reachable at 843-479-5620.

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4. Bond court: the first hearing after an arrest

Bond court comes first, and the law gives it a 24-hour deadline from arrest (S.C. Code 22-5-510). A magistrate or town judge presides. If death or a life term is possible, as with murder, bond moves up to a circuit judge instead. The magistrates' office at 843-479-5620 can say when and where.

  • The judge decides bond and sets any conditions, like a no-contact order.
  • Police must hand over the person's criminal record, pending cases and current bonds no later than the hearing itself (S.C. Code 22-5-510(E)).
  • Crime victims get advance word of bond court and a chance to be heard (S.C. Code 16-3-1525).
  • Family members of a defendant should stay away from the victim entirely, by phone, message or in person, since contact can breach bond.

Some charges are too big for magistrate court to try. For those, the defense has 10 days after bond court to demand a preliminary hearing (Rule 2(a), SCRCrimP). A magistrate then decides if the proof is enough to keep the case going.

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5. Assault, shoplifting and other small charges: what comes next?

Lesser charges stay in summary court. County cases go to a magistrate, and a charge from inside Bennettsville, Clio or McColl may be heard in that town's court. The accused can admit the charge, or deny it and ask for trial. A jury in magistrate court has six members (S.C. Code 22-3-545).

  • Third-degree assault and battery: as much as $500, 30 days, or both (S.C. Code 16-3-600(E)(2)).
  • Shoplifting of $2,000 or less: a fine of up to $1,000, 30 days, or both (S.C. Code 16-13-110(B)).
  • Classed misdemeanors go to General Sessions. Class C carries up to one year, Class B two and Class A three (S.C. Code 16-1-20).

Some young or first-time defendants can finish a program in place of trial. The Solicitor runs Alcohol Education for ages 17 to under 21, with a $250 fee (S.C. Code 17-22-520 and 17-22-550), and Traffic Education for minor traffic tickets.

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6. From booking to sentencing: a Marlboro County felony, step by step

  1. Booking at the county Detention Center.
  2. Bond court inside 24 hours, with a magistrate, or with a circuit judge for the top charges.
  3. Preliminary hearing, held by a magistrate if the defense asks for it on time.
  4. General Sessions takes over next; the Solicitor now runs the prosecution and the case gets a courthouse slot.
  5. Plea or jury trial.
  6. Sentencing, capped by the felony's class.

S.C. Code 16-1-20 sets those caps. The maximums: 30 years for Class A, 25 for B, then 20, 15, 10 and 5 for C through F. Shoplifting over $2,000 but under $10,000 can mean five years, and $10,000 or more can mean ten (S.C. Code 16-13-110(B)).

First-time, nonviolent defendants may ask the Solicitor about Pretrial Intervention (PTI). A finished PTI program ends with dismissal, opening the door to expungement (S.C. Code 17-22-150). DUI and violent charges are barred (S.C. Code 17-22-50). The law sets a $100 application fee and a $250 participation fee, waivable for those who can't pay (S.C. Code 17-22-110). In this circuit, expunging the record afterward costs $285. Details are on the 4th Circuit PTI page.

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7. Violent-list charges: stricter at every stage

Crimes on the state's violent list face tighter rules all along the way:

  • Bond. A circuit judge alone sets bond when a death or life sentence is possible. For the rest of the violent list (S.C. Code 16-1-60), a magistrate may either set bond or refuse it.
  • Deposit. The 10 percent cash deposit is closed to violent charges (S.C. Code 17-15-15).
  • Repeat arrests. Suppose a person out on a violent-felony bond (or a gun-felony bond) is arrested for another such crime. The old bond then ends by law. A circuit hearing follows within 30 days (S.C. Code 17-15-55(C)). A violent crime done while on that bond is its own felony too, punishable by as much as five years (S.C. Code 17-15-270).
  • Programs. PTI is off limits for violent crimes.
  • Murder. The penalty is death, or 30 years to life (S.C. Code 16-3-20(A)).
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8. Which offices prosecute and defend in this circuit?

The 4th Circuit Solicitor brings felony cases from a local office at 105 East Main Street, Bennettsville, SC 29512, 843-897-1105. The Solicitor's website lists PTI, drug court, juvenile arbitration and victim services.

Defendants who cannot pay counsel may apply for the public defender, whose county office is inside the courthouse at 105 West Main Street, Bennettsville, SC 29512, 843-479-5571. Applying means signing an oath about income and assets (S.C. Code 17-3-45) and paying a $40 fee that the clerk may reduce or excuse (S.C. Code 17-3-30). The statewide oversight agency is the South Carolina Commission on Indigent Defense, 1330 Lady Street, Suite 401, Columbia, SC 29201, 803-734-1343.

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9. Tracking your court date and the case record

Have the full legal name, birth date and any case or warrant number in hand, then use the right contact:

  • Felony dates: the Clerk of Court at 843-479-5613, or the Solicitor's court dates page, which posts appearance dates and full-week terms.
  • Magistrate cases: 843-479-5620.
  • Bennettsville city cases: the municipal court at the Public Safety Complex, 254 15-401 Bypass East, Bennettsville, SC 29512, 843-479-1582. Court sits on Tuesdays.
  • Clio town cases: Clio Town Hall, 114 S Main Street, Clio, SC 29525, 843-586-9426.
  • McColl town cases: McColl Town Hall, 300 S Main St, McColl, SC 29570, 843-523-5341.

Write the date somewhere safe and show up early. Skipping a court date invites a bench warrant.

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10. Is there a Marlboro County warrant out, and how do you clear it?

Deputies serve warrants countywide; reach the Sheriff's Office at PO Box 577, Bennettsville, SC 29512, 843-479-5605, and ask about warrants. Town police serve them inside Bennettsville, Clio and McColl. For statewide fugitives, check PPP's most-wanted offenders, plus the Marshals' top fugitives list. The Clerk of Court can check as well, by phone or in person, at the Marlboro County Courthouse, 105 West Main Street, Bennettsville, SC 29512, 843-479-5613. Getting a warrant resolved begins with legal advice. After that, the person surrenders where the warrant came from, or calls that court to request a new date.

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11. Federal charges: Florence courts, Marshals and BOP

Federal crimes charged here belong to the Florence Division. Its courthouse is the McMillan Federal Building, 401 West Evans Street, Florence, SC 29501, and the clerk's line is 843-676-3820 on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

  • The opening federal hearing (18 U.S.C. 3142) settles release: back home under conditions, or held. A short postponement is allowed (five days if the defense asks, three for the government).
  • The U.S. Marshals Service (Justice Department) chooses a federal defendant's jail before trial. Its Florence office, at 401 West Evans Street, Suite 341, Florence, SC 29501, 843-662-0750, can say where someone is held.
  • After a prison sentence, the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator tracks the person.

The county also holds FCI Bennettsville, a federal prison at 696 Muckerman Road, Bennettsville, SC 29512, 843-454-8200. Nobody waits there for a county court date; it is separate from the county jail.

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12. Immigration holds and a pending state charge

The state case goes on as before; an immigration detainer only affects the moment of release. Step by step:

  1. The detainer itself is Form I-247A, which federal immigration officers file at the jail.
  2. Through that form, they ask that the person be held up to 48 hours after they would otherwise be released (8 CFR 287.7(d)).
  3. South Carolina adds a duty (S.C. Code 23-3-1100). Within 72 hours, jail staff must try to verify whether a person confined on a criminal charge is lawfully present. When the answer is no, federal homeland security officials must be notified.
  4. When setting bond, the judge must consider unlawful presence and the risk of flight (S.C. Code 22-5-510(D)(4)).
  5. After a transfer to ICE, look the person up in the ICE Online Detainee Locator.
  6. ICE's office for South Carolina: 3950 Faber Place Drive, North Charleston, SC 29405, 843-746-9800.
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13. After sentencing: county time or SCDC?

Short terms of three months or less are normally served in the county jail (S.C. Code 24-3-30). Longer terms send the person into custody of the South Carolina Department of Corrections, which assigns the prison (S.C. Code 24-3-20). SCDC starts every new prisoner with reception and evaluation, and face-to-face visiting stays closed during that intake unless it passes the 30-day mark.

One state prison sits in the county: Evans Correctional Institution, 610 Highway 9 West, Bennettsville, SC 29512, 843-479-4181, which houses men. It is not where people wait for trial.

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14. Teen defendants and Family Court

A child under 18 is usually a Family Court matter (S.C. Code 63-19-20(1)). Adult court can take a 17-year-old, though, if the felony is ranked Class A through D or has a top penalty of at least 15 years.

  • Family Court must give a held child a detention hearing inside 48 hours, leaving out weekends and holidays (S.C. Code 63-19-830).
  • Teens aged 14 to 16 accused of a grave felony may be waived up to adult court after a hearing (S.C. Code 63-19-1210).
  • Children held before court are placed at the state's Juvenile Detention Complex, 1725 Shivers Road, Columbia, SC 29210, 803-896-9440.
  • Juvenile Justice caseworkers for this county are based at 205 East Market St., Bennettsville, SC 29512, 843-479-2961.

Among the Solicitor's programs for young people are Juvenile PTI and Community Juvenile Arbitration.

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15. Crime victims' rights in Marlboro County

  • Victims must hear about the arrest and about bond court ahead of time, and they may address the judge. A judge who learns the notice came late has to push the hearing back (S.C. Const. art. I, § 24; S.C. Code 16-3-1525).
  • Sign up for VINE, a free alert service in English or Spanish, at VINELink South Carolina or 866-727-2846.
  • The 4th Circuit Solicitor's victim services staff work from 105 East Main Street, Bennettsville, SC 29512, 843-897-1105.
  • In Columbia, the office of the Attorney General has a Victim Advocacy Division: 1000 Assembly Street, Room 519, Columbia, SC 29201, 803-737-3739.

Anyone close to the defendant: leave the victim alone, and don't route notes or messages through other people. Such contact can put bond at risk.

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Search for an Inmate or Active Arrest Warrant in Marlboro County

Arrested in South Carolina: criminal court process

There is no youth detention center in Marlboro County. Young people from Marlboro County who are held before trial are detained by DJJ at the Juvenile Detention Complex in Columbia, which holds youth charged with offenses from before their 18th birthday.

Letters for a Marlboro County youth:
Inmate's Full Name & SCDJJ ID #
SC Dept. of Juvenile Justice
1725 Shivers Rd
Columbia, SC 29210

  • Social worker lines: DJJ's address format puts the social worker's name and phone number below the city, state and ZIP. The youth's full name and SCDJJ ID number go at the top.
  • Money by mail: Not accepted. That includes cash, personal checks and credit or debit cards.
  • From line: Every envelope needs the sender's full name and address.
  • How much mail: There is no limit, and letters are given out on weekdays.

Marlboro County County Jails

The Marlboro County Juvenile Detention Ctr serves the following cities and towns of Marlboro County: Bennettsville, Blenheim, Clio, McColl and Tatum.

Search for an Inmate or Active Arrest Warrant in Marlboro County