Municipal Court

Town of Winnsboro

Contact the Court

117 West Washington Street

Winnsboro, SC 29180

Mailing Address

PO Box 209 

Winnsboro, SC 29180

Phone: (803) 635-1302

Fax: (803) 815-0602

Hours of Operation

Office: 8:00 to 5:00  (12:00-1:00 closed for lunch)   

Issuance of Warrants/Courtesy Summonses: 9:00 am & 3:30 pm

Bond Hearings: 10:00 am & 4:00 pm

(located at Fairfield County Detention Center) 

Schedule of Courts

Criminal:  Monday’s at 1:00pm

Traffic: Monday’s at 1:00pm

Preliminary Hearings: Tuesday’s at 10:30 am

Bond Hearings: Daily at 10:00 am & 4:00 pm

Jury Trials: Scheduled Accordingly

Criminal Domestic Violence: Thursday at 10:30 am

Warrants/Courtesy Summonses: 9:00 am & 3:30 pm (please appear for request at least 30 minutes in advance)
Criminal Traffic Court: Every Monday 1:00pm
CDV Court: Fourth Thursday of each month at 10:30 am
Preliminary Hearings: Tuesdays at 10:30 am
Jury Trials: Scheduled Quarterly (dates will be posted)

OFFICE LOCATION AND HOURS

The Municipal Court office is located at 117 West Washington Street in Winnsboro, SC. Business hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM. The office is closed for lunch from 2:00 PM until 3:15 PM. The office may also be closed during specified court hours (See Court Schedule Above). You may call the municipal court clerk if you have questions concerning the court or your case. When calling, leave a message including your name, the case number, and nature of your call. The clerk will return your call as soon as possible.

Bond Hearings
Bond Hearing hours are daily at 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM at the Fairfield County Detention Center. Please be advised the municipal judge cannot discuss specific details about your case or give you advice. The court staff will assist you in preparing your court forms. Please contact the court staff at (803) 635-1302 if you have any questions concerning your case.

Fine/Bond Payment
Fines can be paid at the municipal court office located at 117 West Washington Street in Winnsboro, SC. A payment drop box is located at our office for your convenience. Envelopes are provided for your payment. Please write your name, case number and amount of payment on the envelope before placing your payment in the drop box. Your receipt will be mailed to you as soon as the payment is processed. Do not mail cash or personal check. Be sure to enclose a copy of the summons or the summons number on the money order. The payment must be received in the court on or before the scheduled court time. The posting of bond does not affect your right to appear in court and receive a fair trial before the judge or to request a jury trial, provided the jury trial request is made in writing to the court before your court appearance date. Payments can also be made online at sccourts.org. A fee will be assessed based on the amount of your payment. MAKE SURE ARE POSTING BOND/PAYING YOUR FINE TO THE CORRECT COURT. YOUR TICKET OR NOTICE WILL READ “117 WEST WASHINGTON STREET” AS THE LOCATION AND “MUNICIPAL” AS THE COURT.

CRIMINAL/TRAFFIC COURT

Municipal judges mainly handle criminal and traffic offenses with a maximum fine of $500.00 or 30 days in jail. (State assessments will be added to fine imposed). You must appear in court at the specified date and time on your ticket or bond paper. If you decide to mail in your bond rather than appearing in court, mail a money order, cashier’s check or bank certified check payable to Winnsboro Municipal Court, 117 West Washington Street, PO Box 209, Winnsboro, SC 29180. Do not mail cash or personal check. Be sure to enclose a copy of the summons or the summons number on the money order. The payment must be received in the court on or before the scheduled court time. The posting of bond does not affect your right to appear in court and receive a fair trial before the judge or to request a jury trial, provided the jury trial request is made in writing to the court before your court appearance date. If you fail to post bond or personally appear in court on the assigned court date, you will be tried in your absence, your home state motor vehicle division will be notified and your driver’s license may be subject to suspension until the matter is cleared with the trial court. Failure to appear in court or post bond in criminal cases will result in a bench warrant being issued for you arrest.

JURY DUTY

Municipal Court jury trials are conducted at scheduled times. Jurors are selected randomly by computer from the voter registration list of the county. All jurors are to report to the municipal court room located at 117 West Washington Street in Winnsboro, unless they have been excused by the presiding judge. If you think you may qualify for exemption, please call the municipal clerk for further instructions, some valid exemptions/excuses are: age, child care, physical/mental conditions, recent jury duty, some occupations may delay your service to another term. All jurors must complete the information form and return it to magistrate office. You will be paid $10.00 for each day you are required to appear. Dress appropriately for the courtroom. Inappropriate dress would include hats, tank tops, shorts, or Tee shirts. Do not bring telephones, pagers, or any noise making devices or electronics into the courtroom. Absolutely no weapons are allowed in the building. You may be subject to search or electronic scanning devices.

WARRANTS

Municipal Judges issue arrest warrants for criminal offenses that occur in the Town of Winnsboro. If you are seeking an arrest warrant, the party seeking a warrant must go to the Winnsboro Department of Public Safety Office and have them investigate the incident. The Winnsboro Department of Public Safety Officers will request a warrant to be issued by a municipal judge after showing probable cause.

COURTESY SUMMONS

Courtesy Summons may be issued for criminal offenses that occur in the Town of Winnsboro. The summons may be issued for civilian cases in which public safety officers have not requested a warrant. Probable cause must be shown before a courtesy summons is issued.

PRELIMINARY HEARINGS

Municipal Judges conduct Preliminary Hearings in matters of the General Sessions Court jurisdiction. A Preliminary Hearing is a hearing to determine if the State can show there is probable cause to believe that the defendant committed the crime with which he is charged. A defendant will receive from the Bond Court Judge a form to request the hearing. The defendant or his attorney must return the form to the court listed on the form within ten (10) days to qualify for the hearing. The Preliminary Hearing is an administrative inquiry and not an adversary hearing.