Dillon County Bankruptcy Records
Dillon County bankruptcy records are maintained through a combination of federal and state systems. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of South Carolina handles all bankruptcy filings for Dillon County residents and businesses, while the Dillon County Clerk of Court at 401 W Main St in Dillon serves as the local gateway to civil, criminal, and land records. Whether you are researching a Chapter 7 liquidation, a Chapter 13 repayment plan, or a business reorganization case, this guide walks through every tool and office available to residents of this Pee Dee region county.
Dillon County Quick Facts
Dillon County Clerk of Court and Local Records
The Dillon County Clerk of Court, currently Gwen Hyatt, operates a combined Clerk and Register of Deeds office at 401 W Main St, Dillon, SC 29536. Unlike larger South Carolina counties that separate these functions, Dillon consolidates them into a single office reachable at (843) 774-1423, open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. This combined structure means residents can address circuit court records, family court filings, deed recording, UCC filings, child support matters, and jury management all at the same location.
The Dillon County Clerk of Court page on the SC Courts portal provides courthouse details and links to local resources. You can visit that page at https://www.sccourts.org/courts/courthouse-search/dillon/ to confirm hours, contact information, and any service updates before making a trip to the courthouse. The image below shows the SC Courts resource page for Dillon County, which lists the combined Clerk and Register of Deeds contact details.
Because Dillon County does not maintain a separate Register of Deeds office, all property-related records including deeds, mortgages, plats, and UCC filings are processed through the Clerk's office. This arrangement can simplify research when you need to cross-reference a bankruptcy debtor's property holdings with their court filings, since both types of records exist within the same office and indexing system.
Dillon County was created in 1910 from Marion County and named for James W. Dillon, a prominent local merchant and legislator. This formation date is significant for records research: court records and land records both begin in 1910 at the Dillon County courthouse. Any matters involving Dillon County residents prior to 1910 would be found in Marion County records.
Using PACER to Search Dillon County Bankruptcy Filings
All Dillon County bankruptcy cases are filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of South Carolina, accessible online through the PACER system at https://pacer.uscourts.gov/find-case. PACER, which stands for Public Access to Court Electronic Records, provides access to dockets, documents, and case summaries for all federal bankruptcy filings. Registration is free, and document fees are capped at $0.10 per page with a maximum of $3.00 per document. Importantly, if your quarterly usage stays under $30.00, those charges are waived entirely, making PACER a cost-effective tool for occasional researchers.
When searching for Dillon County bankruptcy records on PACER, you can filter by debtor name, case number, Social Security number (if you have authorization), or business name. The results include filing dates, chapter type, case status, trustee assignments, and a full docket of all documents filed in the case. Chapter 7 liquidation cases in South Carolina typically reach discharge within 90 to 120 days of filing, while Chapter 13 repayment plans extend over 36 to 60 months. Chapter 11 reorganization cases and Chapter 12 family farmer cases are also searchable through the same PACER interface.
The SC Bankruptcy Court also maintains its own Case Information Portal at https://www.scb.uscourts.gov/case-information, which provides a direct gateway to case data. For those who prefer a phone-based search, the Voice Case Information System (VCIS) is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-866-222-8029 at no charge. VCIS delivers basic case status information including the chapter, filing date, trustee, and discharge or dismissal details.
Dillon County filers and creditors may interact with the SC Bankruptcy Court at three division locations. The Charleston Division is located at 145 King Street. The Columbia Division sits at 1100 Laurel Street. The Greenville Division is at 300 East Washington Street. The court's official website at https://www.scb.uscourts.gov/ contains filing guides, local rules, and a detailed FAQ at https://www.scb.uscourts.gov/court-info/faq that addresses common questions about procedures and deadlines.
The SC Bankruptcy Court's official website shown above is the authoritative starting point for all Dillon County federal bankruptcy filings, providing access to the CM/ECF filing system, local rules, and division-specific contact information used by attorneys, creditors, and debtors throughout the Pee Dee region.
South Carolina Judicial Public Index for Dillon County
State-level court records for Dillon County are searchable through the South Carolina Judicial Public Index at http://publicindex.sccourts.org/dillon/publicindex/. This free tool covers circuit court and family court cases and provides basic docket information including case numbers, parties, filing dates, and hearing schedules. While the Public Index does not contain bankruptcy records (which are federal), it is an essential companion tool when investigating whether a debtor also has state-level judgments, liens, or civil matters pending in Dillon County.
The SC Judicial Public Index for Dillon County shown above allows free online searches of circuit and family court filings, making it a valuable complement to PACER when building a complete picture of a debtor's legal history in the 4th Judicial Circuit.
Cross-referencing PACER bankruptcy data with the SC Judicial Public Index often reveals related state court matters, such as foreclosure proceedings, civil judgments, or domestic cases that may run parallel to or precede a bankruptcy filing. Researchers who need certified copies of state court records should contact the Dillon County Clerk of Court directly at (843) 774-1423.
Property Records, Liens, and Deed Research in Dillon County
When investigating a Dillon County bankruptcy, property records are often central to understanding a debtor's asset situation. Because the Clerk of Court also handles Register of Deeds functions in Dillon County, deed records, mortgage filings, plats, and surveys are all indexed through the same combined office at 401 W Main St. Land records in Dillon County begin in 1910, coinciding with the county's formation from Marion County. For deeds and land records prior to 1910, researchers must look to Marion County records.
State tax liens are no longer filed at the county level in South Carolina. As of November 1, 2019, all South Carolina state tax liens were moved to the SC Department of Revenue's Lien Registry, searchable at https://dor.sc.gov/LienRegistry. This is an important distinction for bankruptcy researchers who may be searching for encumbrances on a Dillon County debtor's property. Federal tax liens and judgment liens from state courts continue to be recorded at the county level through the Clerk's office.
The SC Land Records portal at https://www.sclandrecords.com/ provides online deed searches for many South Carolina counties and may include Dillon County records indexed by the combined Clerk and ROD office. The SC Department of Archives and History at https://scdah.sc.gov/ holds older records and can assist with pre-1910 Marion County materials relevant to Dillon County history.
Historical Records and Pre-1910 Research
Dillon County's relatively recent formation in 1910 means its local courthouse records are more complete and accessible than counties with older, more fragmented archives. Records from 1910 to the present are maintained at the Dillon County Clerk's office for both court and land matters. However, anyone researching the legal or property history of families and businesses that predated the county's creation must turn to Marion County, which held jurisdiction over this territory before 1910.
For very old records or those that may have been transferred to state custody, the South Carolina Department of Archives and History in Columbia at https://scdah.sc.gov/ is the appropriate resource. Federal bankruptcy cases that were closed many decades ago and removed from PACER may be found through the National Archives and Records Administration's Atlanta facility at https://www.archives.gov/atlanta, which serves as the regional repository for archived federal court records from South Carolina.
Public Records Access and FOIA in Dillon County
South Carolina's Freedom of Information Act, codified at S.C. Code Title 30, Chapter 4, governs public access to government records across all 46 counties including Dillon. Under this law, agencies must acknowledge requests within 10 business days and produce records within 30 days. Court records that are part of the public record and not sealed or expunged are generally accessible upon request to the Dillon County Clerk's office at (843) 774-1423.
Bankruptcy records maintained by the federal court are governed by federal rules rather than the state FOIA statute, but they are generally available to the public through PACER or by visiting the court clerk's office in person. Sealed records in bankruptcy cases require a court order to access and are not available through standard PACER searches. Dillon County residents seeking assistance navigating the records system can contact SC Legal Services at 1-888-346-5592 for free legal guidance.
The SC Courts website at https://www.sccourts.org/ provides statewide resources including forms, procedural guides, and contact directories for all county courts. This is a useful starting point for anyone who needs to understand what types of records are publicly accessible through the Dillon County circuit court versus the federal bankruptcy court.
Legal Resources for Dillon County Bankruptcy Matters
Residents of Dillon County facing bankruptcy or needing to interpret bankruptcy records have access to several legal assistance resources. SC Legal Services provides free civil legal help to qualifying low-income residents statewide; the intake line is 1-888-346-5592. The South Carolina Bar Lawyer Referral Service can connect residents with a licensed bankruptcy attorney at 803-799-7100 or toll-free at 1-800-868-2284, with an initial consultation available for $50 for 30 minutes. The SC Bar's website at https://www.scbar.com/ also maintains a directory of attorneys by practice area and county.
South Carolina bankruptcy filings rose 12% from 2024 to 2025, reflecting broader economic pressures affecting rural counties like Dillon. Understanding whether a Chapter 7 discharge (typically completed in 90 to 120 days) or a Chapter 13 repayment plan (36 to 60 months) better fits a particular situation is a decision best made with qualified legal counsel familiar with the 4th Judicial Circuit. The SC Bankruptcy Court FAQ at https://www.scb.uscourts.gov/court-info/faq also offers procedural guidance that can help individuals understand the process before consulting an attorney.
Cities in Dillon County
Dillon County's communities all fall under the jurisdiction of the Dillon County Clerk of Court and access bankruptcy records through the federal court system serving the 4th Judicial Circuit.
Nearby Counties
Residents in counties bordering Dillon share similar access points for bankruptcy records and state court filings throughout the Pee Dee region of South Carolina.