Columbia sits in Richland County, South Carolina, so family court is handled at the county level. How and where to file family court papers from Columbia: the right clerk of court, e-filing, filing fees, and self-help for custody, child support, and divorce.
Columbia sits in Richland County, South Carolina. Family court matters for Columbia residents are filed with the clerk of court for the Richland county. Start with the Richland county court resources linked on this page to confirm the family division, courthouse location, hours, and accepted filing formats. FamilyCourtHelp.com is a self-help resource and not a law firm.
South Carolina uses SC Judicial Branch E-Filing for electronic court filings. Whether self-represented filers in Columbia can e-file depends on the court and case type, so confirm with the clerk before you submit. Where e-filing is not open to you, the clerk will accept paper filings in person or by mail.
Divorce filing fee: ~$150. The exact amount is set by the clerk and changes over time, so verify the current schedule before filing. If you cannot afford the fee, South Carolina courts let you ask for a fee waiver based on income.
Yes. South Carolina maintains a statewide self-help resource for people without a lawyer, and many clerks run a local self-help center too. Use those official resources for forms and procedure, and use FamilyCourtHelp.com to organize your case, draft documents, and prepare. This page is educational and not legal advice.
Columbia is served by the Richland county court in South Carolina. Divorce, custody, child support, and parenting-plan cases for Columbia residents are heard in that court's family division.