US Code

Public Law 119-88 (05/04/2026)

28 U.S.C. § 121

South Carolina

South Carolina constitutes one judicial district comprising eleven divisions.
(1)

Court for the Charleston Division shall be held at Charleston.

The Charleston Division comprises the counties of Berkeley, Charleston, Clarendon, Colleton, Dorchester, and Georgetown.
(2)

Court for the Columbia Division shall be held at Columbia.

The Columbia Division comprises the counties of Kershaw, Lee, Lexington, Richland, and Sumter.
(3)

Court for the Florence Division shall be held at Florence.

The Florence Division comprises the counties of Chesterfield, Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Horry, Marion, Marlboro, and Williamsburg.
(4)

Court for the Aiken Division shall be held at Aiken.

The Aiken Division comprises the counties of Aiken, Allendale, and Barnwell.
(5)

Court for the Orangeburg Division shall be held at Orangeburg.

The Orangeburg Division comprises the counties of Bamberg, Calhoun, and Orangeburg.
(6)

Court for the Greenville Division shall be held at Greenville.

The Greenville Division comprises the counties of Greenville and Laurens.
(7)

Court for the Rock Hill Division shall be held at Rock Hill.

The Rock Hill Division comprises the counties of Chester, Fairfield, Lancaster, and York.
(8)

Court for the Greenwood Division shall be held at Greenwood.

The Greenwood Division comprises the counties of Abbeville, Edgefield, Greenwood, McCormick, Newberry, and Saluda.
(9)

Court for the Anderson Division shall be held at Anderson.

The Anderson Division comprises the counties of Anderson, Oconee, and Pickens.
(10)

Court for the Spartanburg Division shall be held at Spartanburg.

The Spartanburg Division comprises the counties of Cherokee, Spartanburg, and Union.
(11)

Court for the Beaufort Division shall be held at Beaufort.

The Beaufort Division comprises the counties of Beaufort, Hampton, and Jasper.

June 25, 1948, ch. 646 62 Stat. 889 Pub. L. 89–242, § 1(a)79 Stat. 951 Pub. L. 99–657, § 2100 Stat. 3670 Pub. L. 102–140, title III, § 304105 Stat. 810 (, ; , , ; , , ; , , .)

Historical and Revision Notes

Mar. 3, 1911, ch. 231, § 105 36 Stat. 1123 Feb. 5, 1912, ch. 28 37 Stat. 60 Mar. 3, 1915, ch. 100, § 5 38 Stat. 961 Sept. 1, 1916, ch. 434 39 Stat. 721 Mar. 4, 1923, ch. 261 42 Stat. 1486 Jan. 30, 1925, ch. 118 43 Stat. 800 June 26, 1926, ch. 696 44 Stat. 773 June 20, 1936, ch. 637 49 Stat. 1558 June 12, 1940, ch. 335 54 Stat. 344 June 28, 1943, ch. 173 57 Stat. 244 Dec. 13, 1944, ch. 556 58 Stat. 801 Based on title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 186 (, ; , ; , ; , ; , ; , ; , §§ 1–3, ; , §§ 1–3, , 1559; , ; , title II, § 204, ; , ).

section 186 of title 28The last sentence of , U.S.C., 1940 ed., relating to trial of criminal cases in the division in which the offense was committed, was omitted as fully covered by Rules 18–22 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure.

section 751 of this titleA provision relating to the places of the clerks’ offices was omitted as covered by .

section 142 of this titleThe provision respecting court accommodations at Orangeburg was omitted as covered by .

Changes in arrangement and phraseology were made.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 102–140, § 304(1)1991—Par. (4). , struck out reference to Hampton County.

Pub. L. 102–140, § 304(2)Par. (11). , inserted reference to Hampton County.

Pub. L. 99–657, § 2(1)1986—, substituted “eleven divisions” for “ten divisions” in introductory text.

Pub. L. 99–657, § 2(2)Par. (1). , struck out “Beaufort,” after “counties of” and substituted “and Georgetown” for “Georgetown, and Jasper”.

Pub. L. 99–657, § 2(3)Par. (11). , added par. (11).

Pub. L. 89–2421965— consolidated into a single district the 10 divisions of the state which had formerly been divided into an Eastern and a Western District.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1986 Amendment

Pub. L. 99–657, § 4100 Stat. 3670

“(a)

Effective Date .—

(1)
section 90 of this title The amendments made by sections 2 and 3 [amending this section and ] take effect 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [].
“(2)
The amendment made by section 4 [enacting this note] takes effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.
“(b)

Pending Actions .—

section 90 of this titleThe amendments made by this Act [amending this section and ] shall not affect any action commenced before the effective date of such amendments and pending on such date.
“(c)

Juries .—

section 90 of this titleThe amendments made by this Act [amending this section and ] shall not affect the composition, or preclude the service, of any grand or petit jury summoned, empaneled, or actually serving on the effective date of such amendments.”
, , , provided that:

Effective Date of 1965 Amendment

Pub. L. 89–242, § 679 Stat. 953

section 133 of this title“The provisions of this Act [amending this section and and enacting provisions set out as a note below] shall become effective on the first day of the month following the date of enactment of this Act [].”
, , , provided that:

Consolidation of South Carolina Into a Single Judicial District

Pub. L. 89–24279 Stat. 952 section 132 of this title, §§ 2–5, , , 953, provided for the consolidation, in compliance with , of the Eastern and Western Districts of South Carolina into a single district with continuing jurisdiction over civil cases and criminal acts pending or committed prior to , and appropriate provisions for the appointment or transfer of United States attorneys, marshals, and other court personnel, then serving, from the two districts to the consolidated district.