Municipal Court

If the relative has an attorney, you may contact him or her. Court staff members may provide public information, such as upcoming court dates and how to post bond.

You can check on events such as criminal pre-trial conferences, criminal bench, or jury trials at the Easley Municipal Court, by inquiring with your case number (if known) or by your name. If you are a Defendant in a criminal case, you will be notified by mail of the date and time of any trial, jury selection, or hearing scheduled. It is your responsibility to notify the Court of any change of address. Failure to provide correct mailing information may result in a Trial In Absentia for criminal offenses.

Your lawyer, who is likely familiar with Municipal Court practice, is your best resource. If you are acting as your own attorney, you may call or visit the Easley Municipal Court at (864) 855-7915 to check on the status of your case. It is very important that the court has your most current address as all notifications of court proceedings are mailed to you at the address you provided.

Depending on the alleged offense(s), you are entitled to a trial by jury. You are entitled to hear all testimony against you. You have the right to cross-examine any witness who testifies against you, to testify on your own behalf, and a Constitutional right not to testify. If you choose not to testify, a refusal cannot and will not be used against you in determining guilt or innocence. However, if you choose to testify, the City will have the right to cross-examine you. You may call witnesses to testify on your behalf and have the right to have the court issue subpoenas for witnesses to ensure their appearance at trial.

Yes, you are allowed to represent yourself in Municipal Court. If you do choose to represent yourself, that cannot be held against you by the Court. However, if you plan to request a jury trial, it may be in your best interest to consult with an attorney about your case, but you are allowed to represent yourself even in a jury trial.

Personnel in the Municipal Court are prohibited from referring you to an attorney.

The Municipal Court staff or Judges are not permitted to give legal advice, nor can they give you an opinion regarding your legal questions. Persons seeking advice or acting as their own attorney should consult the most recent edition of the South Carolina Rules of Court or contact the South Carolina Senate for Equal Justice at (803) 720-7044.

If you are found Not Guilty or your case is dismissed by the State in Municipal Court, that record will be automatically expunged (or removed) from your record. If your case is a General Sessions level offense, you may petition the Pickens County Solicitor's Office to have your record expunged. In Municipal Court, there is NO fee for expungement. There is no charge by the Solicitor's Office to determine if your charge qualifies for expungement, however, there is a processing fee payable at the time of application. Once the expungement has been processed either by the Municipal Court or the Circuit Court, the expungement order will be issued by the Clerk of Court. Copies of the Municipal Court level expungement are automatically distributed to all of the agencies involved in your case including the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED).

Marriage licenses are not issued in Municipal Court. You may obtain a marriage license or receive information pertaining to marriage licenses by contacting the Pickens County Probate Court, located in the Pickens County Administration Building, 222 McDaniel Avenue, Pickens. The phone number is (864) 898-5903.

No, Child Support Payments are accepted at Family Court, located at the Pickens County Courthouse, 214 East Main Street in Pickens.

If you need to reschedule your court date and it is before your scheduled appearance, you need to contact the officer at 864-859-4025. You may have to leave a message. You may also request a continuance in open court, however, you will need a valid reason to do so. Valid reasons may include the need to get or consult an attorney or to request a jury trial. The presiding judge may continue the court date on your scheduled court date depending on the circumstances of the case.

If you did not appear for court and did not contact the officer or the court prior to the date and time for your scheduled appearance, your case was heard and you may have been found guilty in your absence. If you were found guilty a letter was sent to the address you provided to the court advising of the trial in absence and notifying you of a sealed sentence. You must contact the court within 15 (fifteen) days. Should you fail to contact the court, a Bench Warrant may be issued for your arrest to open the sealed sentence.

Generally, once a warrant has been issued by the Municipal Court, it cannot be recalled. Additionally, victim crimes such as Domestic Violence, Assault & Battery, and Unlawful Use of Telecommunications can only be dismissed by the prosecuting officer or the Solicitor for just cause. A victim may petition the Police Department or the Solicitor through an affidavit requesting that a case be dismissed. This affidavit will be reviewed by the Chief Municipal Judge or the Solicitor and may require an appearance to provide testimony before a final decision is made to dismiss a case.

Individuals do not file criminal charges. A criminal proceeding is initiated by the government, usually through the Pickens County Solicitor's Office in coordination with the Easley Police Department. Any allegations of criminal behavior should be brought to a local police department, the Sheriff's Office, FBI, or other appropriate law enforcement agency.

Yes, you are legally entitled to a jury trial IF YOU REQUEST ONE IN WRITING. If you wish to make such a request, you should speak to the Court Clerk at the Easley Municipal Court. The Court will arrange for a trial date, and a six (6) member jury panel will be selected for that purpose.

You are advised of the charges against you and your rights under the US Constitution. You are also advised of the consequences of convictions and the potential penalties for not appearing in court. Except for certain types of crimes where a bond must be set by a Circuit Court Judge, the Municipal Judge sets a bond which may be a Personal Recognizance bond or a Surety Bond. A Personal Recognizance bond allows you to be released without providing any type of guarantee to the court except your promise to appear at all future court dates. However, failure to appear at court carries a specific penalty and the court may begin a legal action in Circuit Court to collect that bond. A Surety bond requires a guarantee from a third party that you will make your court appearance or they may be required to forfeit that bond amount. Most commonly you can contact a bonding company registered with the Pickens County Clerk of Court and they can secure your release.

There are 3 possible pleas to a criminal charge: Not Guilty, Guilty, and No Contest. In a Not Guilty plea, you deny guilt and the City must prove the criminal charge against you. In a Guilty plea, you admit you committed the act(s) charged, that the acts are prohibited by law, and that you have no legal defense for such acts. In a No Contest (or nolo contendere) plea, you neither admit guilt nor deny it. A No Contest plea does appear on a criminal record as a conviction.

Each victim's rights and requests are considered when the Judge sets a bond for a Defendant. Victims of Assault, Domestic Violence, Stalking, and Harassment crimes may be fearful of a Defendant for many reasons. A Judge may apply a "No Contact" order as a condition of their release from jail. These orders include no contact in person, by mail, by phone, by e-mail, through any social media platform, i.e., Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, etc., or through a third party including family members. Defendants who violate bond conditions may have their bond revoked, increased with additional surety, the addition of GPS monitoring added as a new condition of release or having a new bond set by a Circuit Court Judge.

Victim services for Municipal Court cases are available through the Easley Police Department by calling 864-859-4025 or 864-855-7945. You may also call the Thirteenth Circuit Solicitor's Office in Pickens at 864-898-5905 for state-level cases. The victim advocate can explain the judicial system, act as a link between the prosecutor and the victim, give current case status information, assist in obtaining orders of protection, make referrals (counseling, food, shelter, etc.), and escort victims while they testify or appear at hearings. For more information about these services, visit the Thirteenth Circuit Solicitor's Office website.

No. The Court Staff or any of our Municipal Judges can not provide legal advice. If you qualify for a Public Defender he or she will be able to answer any question you may have regarding your case, otherwise, you may want to secure the services of a licensed attorney. If you are seeking legal advice without representation, Legal Aid of South Carolina located in Greenville may be able to assist you. Their telephone number is 864-679-3232. Their office is located at 701 South Main Street in Greenville.

Video recording by any means is prohibited in the Courtroom unless you have written prior approval from the Presiding Judge. A person may make an audio recording but it cannot be used in any official proceeding at a later date. The Court maintains the official recording of all court sessions.

These terms are used interchangeably to refer to courts which are presided over by a Municipal Judge. The administrative support staff for the Municipal Court is always referred to as "Summary Court Administration."