108 South Rudolph Street
Saluda, South Carolina 29138
Phone No: 864-445-4500
Fax No: 864-445-3684
Office Hours: 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday - Friday
Chief Magistrate - Ext. 2238
Assistant Magistrate - Ext 2237
D. Bruce Horne
Magistrate Court Assistant - Ext 2236
Magistrate Clerk - Ext 2239
The Magistrate’s Court is the Summary Criminal Court and the Small Claims Court for South Carolina residents. It is established under the SC Unified Judicial System supervised by the Chief Justice of the SC Supreme Court through the Office of Court Administration.
The Magistrates’ Court is responsible for trying all traffic cases and misdemeanor criminal offenses that carry up to a 30-day jail sentence or $500 fine. Criminal cases that have more severe consequences are referred to the General Sessions Court. The Magistrates Court also handles small claims disputes up to $7,500 in value and landlord-tenant disputes. Civil cases that exceed small claim maximum value are removed to the Court of Common Pleas.
JURY INFORMATION
Q. How can I be excused from jury duty?
You may contact the Magistrate to excuse you from jury service if you can show good and sufficient reason why you cannot serve.
Q. Is anyone exempt from jury service?
You may choose to serve, or not to serve if you are over sixty-five years old, or if you have served as a juror within the past calendar year on a Magistrates’ Court jury. Persons who are disqualified (not allowed to serve) from serving as a juror are a person who has been convicted in a state or federal court of a crime punishable by more than one year of imprisonment and his civil rights have not been restored, a person who has less than a sixth grade education, a person who cannot read, write or understand the English language, a persons who is not a U.S. citizen and a person who is not a resident of the county for which they have been summoned. Further, no constable, commissioned law enforcement officer, county officer or any person employed within the walls of any courthouse is eligible to serve as a juror.
Q: Will I be paid for serving as a juror? What about mileage?
You will be compensated at a rate of $10 per day.
Q: Will I be paid even if I’m not picked to serve on the jury panel?
Yes, each juror appearing at jury selection will be compensated even if they are not selected to serve on a jury panel in a trial.
Q: How should I dress for court?
It is not necessary for you to “dress up”. However, the Judiciary does require appropriate attire in the courtroom; specifically no tank tops, shorts, hats, ball caps or flip-flops are allowed.
Q: How long will I have to serve as a juror?
Except in unusual circumstances, jurors in Magistrate Court are required to serve only one day.