Chesterfield County Bankruptcy Records
Chesterfield County bankruptcy records are filed with and maintained by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of South Carolina. One of South Carolina's original counties, Chesterfield was created in 1785 from the Cheraws District, and its court and land records stretch back to that founding year. The county is part of the 4th Judicial Circuit and maintains a separately appointed Register of Deeds office. Researchers searching for bankruptcy filings in Chesterfield County access federal records through PACER and the VCIS phone line, while county-level civil and property records are maintained through separate Clerk of Court and Register of Deeds offices in the county seat of Chesterfield.
Chesterfield County Quick Facts
Chesterfield County Register of Deeds and Property Records
The Chesterfield County Register of Deeds is Faye Williams, and the office is located at 178 Mill Street, Chesterfield, SC 29709. The office can be reached at (843) 623-2574, and hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. The ROD is an appointed office, operating separately from the Clerk of Court, and is responsible for recording deeds, mortgages, plats, and UCC financing statements for Chesterfield County. The deed filing fee in Chesterfield County is $15.00.
Property records for Chesterfield County are accessible online through the SC Land Records portal, which provides deed and mortgage data searchable by grantor, grantee, and instrument type. When a Chesterfield County bankruptcy case results in lien avoidance or mortgage discharge, the release document must be recorded with the Register of Deeds. Researchers combining federal PACER bankruptcy records with Chesterfield County property encumbrances should search both databases to build a complete picture of a debtor's real property history.
State tax liens filed on or after November 1, 2019 are recorded in the SC Department of Revenue Lien Registry rather than at the county ROD. This free statewide database is searchable by debtor name and covers all South Carolina counties. Liens recorded before that date should be verified through the Chesterfield County ROD at 178 Mill Street or through the SC Land Records portal.
The South Carolina courts resource page for Chesterfield County at sccourts.org provides courthouse contact and location details for the county's civil court functions, including those tied to creditor actions that often accompany bankruptcy filings.
Researchers can use this page to confirm current office hours, contact information, and courthouse locations before visiting the Chesterfield County courthouse or submitting records requests to county offices.
Searching Chesterfield County Bankruptcy Filings Through Federal Court
All Chesterfield County bankruptcy cases are processed by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of South Carolina, 4th Judicial Circuit. Cases filed by county residents may be handled through the Columbia Division at 1100 Laurel Street, Columbia, SC. The court also operates divisions in Charleston (145 King Street) and Greenville (300 E. Washington Street). Division assignment for specific cases should be confirmed through the court's case information page at scb.uscourts.gov.
The primary search tool for Chesterfield County bankruptcy records is PACER. This federal electronic access system provides docket entries, filed documents, and case status for all Chapter 7 liquidations, Chapter 11 reorganizations, and Chapter 13 repayment plans. PACER charges $0.10 per page with a $3.00 maximum per document. Accounts with quarterly charges under $30.00 receive an automatic fee waiver. A free alternative for basic case lookups is the VCIS automated phone line at 1-866-222-8029, which operates 24 hours a day and covers cases filed after November 30, 1988.
The SC Judicial Public Index for Chesterfield County provides free access to civil, criminal, and family court records and is a useful complement to PACER for identifying state-level judgments and liens associated with a debtor. Chapter 7 bankruptcies in Chesterfield County typically reach discharge within 90 to 120 days of filing, while Chapter 13 plans run 36 to 60 months. South Carolina bankruptcy filings rose approximately 12% from 2024 to 2025, a trend that touches counties across the Pee Dee and Sandhills regions.
Note: Chesterfield County court and land records date to 1785, when the county was formally established from the Cheraws District as one of South Carolina's original counties.
Cheraw and Chesterfield Bankruptcy Records in the County
Chesterfield County's two most notable communities are the historic town of Cheraw and the county seat of Chesterfield. Both fall within the same county court jurisdiction, and bankruptcy filings from residents of either community are processed through the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of South Carolina. Cheraw, located along the Great Pee Dee River, carries significant historical depth and is home to some of the oldest architecture in the Pee Dee region. Researchers looking for historical property records in the Cheraw area should search both the Chesterfield County ROD and the SC Land Records portal, as recorded instruments in this area date to the county's 1785 formation.
Chesterfield County also shares borders with North Carolina, including Richmond and Anson counties on the state line. Residents of communities near these borders may have records in both states, and researchers should account for this when investigating a debtor's complete legal and property history spanning both jurisdictions.
Legal Help and Historical Archives for Chesterfield County
Chesterfield County residents considering bankruptcy or working through an existing case can contact the South Carolina Bar Lawyer Referral Service at 803-799-7100 or 1-800-868-2284. The initial consultation is $50 for the first 30 minutes with a licensed attorney. Income-qualifying residents can reach SC Legal Services at 1-888-346-5592 for free civil legal assistance, including guidance on South Carolina bankruptcy exemptions that protect certain assets during Chapter 7 liquidation proceedings.
Older Chesterfield County records, particularly those from the nineteenth century, may be available at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History. Pre-electronic federal bankruptcy case files for the District of South Carolina are archived at the National Archives in Atlanta. All public records requests for Chesterfield County court and property records are governed by S.C. Code Title 30, Chapter 4, and can be submitted to the Clerk of Court or the Register of Deeds at 178 Mill Street, Chesterfield, SC 29709.
Cities in Chesterfield County
Chesterfield County's primary municipalities are the county seat of Chesterfield and the historic town of Cheraw, both served by the same state and federal court systems for bankruptcy and civil matters.
Nearby Counties with Bankruptcy Records
Chesterfield County borders several Pee Dee and Piedmont counties in South Carolina, all served by the same U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of South Carolina.