Court | Town of Branchville

Branchville Municipal Court

P.O. Box 85, Branchville, SC 29432

(803) 274-8000 office

(803) 274-8760 fax

Court convenes at 6 PM in the courtroom at Town Hall, 7644 Freedom Road, Branchville, SC 29432. Please be aware credit cards cannot be used for payment in court.

2022 Court Dates

Tuesday, January 11th
Tuesday, February 8th
Tuesday, March 8th
Tuesday, April 12th
Tuesday, May 10th
Tuesday, June 14th
Tuesday, July 12th
Tuesday, August 9th
Tuesday, September 13th
Tuesday, October 11th
Tuesday, November 8th
Tuesday, December 13th

FAQs

Ways to pay a ticket

Online Bill Payments
Pay in person at Town Hall at 7644 Freedom Road, Branchville, SC 29432. Cash, credit card, money order or cashier's check are accepted; no personal checks.
Mail in payment to Municipal Court, PO Box 85, Branchville, SC 29432. Money order or cashier's checks are accepted; no personal checks.
Pay in Court using cash, money order or cashier's check. Credit/Debit cards cannot be accepted at court.
Payments are not accepted over the telephone.

Who do I make the money order or cashier's check payable to?

Branchville Municipal Court.

Do I have to return my ticket with the payment?

No, but please make sure your name and ticket number are located on your payment. Your ticket number is printed at the bottom right corner of your ticket.

Do you provide receipts?

Receipts are provided upon request, in person, by mail, email or fax. If you pay online, you have the option of printing a receipt and/or having one e-mailed to you. You may call (803) 274-8000 during regular business hours to verify that your payment has been received.

If you did not pay in a timely manner, the paperwork was mailed to the Department of Motor Vehicles. Once payment has been received, an NRVC withdrawal form will be mailed to the address on file. It is your responsibility to make sure your address is current. This NRVC withdrawal form must be mailed or taken to the highway department office promptly to avoid or clear a suspension of your driver's license. This is true for South Carolina and out-of-state motorists alike.

What's the difference between a bond and a fine?

If you post a bond in advance and are not required to come to court, your bond will be forfeited as the fine.

If I pay the bond, can I still come to court and have my case heard?

Yes, and if the Judge lowers your fine in court or finds you not guilty, you will receive the appropriate refund. Please make sure we have your current address.

Do I have to pay the full amount, or can I set up a payment plan?

You may ask the judge for a payment plan; however, you must pay a state-mandated 3 percent surcharge. You must come to court to request a payment plan.

Am I required to come to court?

Not unless;

If the officer tells you that you are required to appear in person.
If your ticket specifically states that you must appear. (The word "YES" will be circled.)
If you wish to plead "not guilty" and request a bench trial.
If you wish to plead "not guilty" and request a jury trial and have not given the Clerk of Court a written statement to that effect prior to the court session.
If you are sent a legal notice or summons to appear.
If a magistrate (at a bond hearing, for instance) tells you to appear in court at a specific date.
If you use the services of a bail bondsman who requires you to appear.

Will I have to pay additional "court costs" if I come to court?

No. You have the right to have your case heard in court without additional expense.

What if I want to come to court but anticipate that I can't make it on my assigned date?

Ask the Clerk of Court to mail, email or fax a continuance request form to you. You must give a reason why you cannot attend court on the original trial date. You may return the continuance request form in any of those three ways but it must be received BEFORE the scheduled date and time for your case to be heard in court. We will let you know if your request is approved, and if so, your new court date most likely will be the second Tuesday evening of the next month.

What time is court held?

6 PM on the 2nd Tuesday of the month, unless notified on your ticket.

What if I lost my ticket?

Contact the Clerk of Court by telephone (803) 274-8000 or by email @ Branchvilleclerkofcourt@gmail.com

Do I need a lawyer?

No. The vast majority of motorists who get a speeding ticket and intend to plead "guilty" or "no contest" to the original charge represent themselves in court. On the other hand, motorists who intend to plead "not guilty" or wish to negotiate a resolution of a case are far more likely to hire a lawyer.

How can I find a lawyer?

There are no law offices in Branchville, but geography is not a concern. We routinely have effective communications with attorneys all across South Carolina. The only requirement is that the lawyer is licensed to practice in South Carolina. We cannot recommend an attorney, but the South Carolina Bar Association's referral service might be able to help.

Can the Clerk of Court provide legal advice?

No. The clerk is not a law enforcement officer, nor a lawyer, nor an attorney nor a judge, and does not provide legal advice under any circumstances.

Can the Clerk of Court change my violation, reduce my fine or dismiss my ticket?

No. Only the Judge can change a traffic violation.

How does the point system work?

The South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles prepared this document (PDF) on how the point system works.

This is what is printed on your ticket

The following messages are printed on each State of South Carolina Uniform Traffic Ticket.

On the front

Be sure you understand from the arresting officer the exact time and before whom you are to appear.

If this ticket is written for a traffic violation and you forfeit bail, plead guilty or nolo contendre, or are convicted after a trial, this violation will be placed against your driving record, or forwarded to your home state.

Failure to comply with the terms of this summons may result in the suspension of your drivers license by your home state.

You are required by law to appear in court for certain offenses.

On the back

NOTICE

The primary aim of traffic law enforcement is to reduce traffic accidents, injuries and deaths, through fair, impartial, and reasonable enforcement of traffic laws.

You must settle the case hereby made against you in one of three ways.

1) You must appear in court at the appointed time with your South Carolina drivers license if indicated in the violation block on the front side of this summons.

2) You may post a cash bond with the appropriate Trial Court prior to the assigned date of trial. If you decide to mail in your bond rather than go to the office, MAIL MONEY ORDER, CASHIER'S CHECK OR CERTIFIED CHECK directly to the Trial Court office before whom you are summoned to appear. The Trial Court name and address is shown on the front side of this summons. DO NOT MAIL CASH OR PERSONAL CHECK. Be sure to enclose with the bond the arresting officer's name and the summons number.

3) If a court appearance is not mandatory, you may pay your fine online with a credit card for citations issued in participating counties. Go to http://www.sc.gov/pages/courtpayments.aspx to determine if online payments are available in the county the citation was issued. [See important NOTE at end.]

You may appear in court on the assigned date and time and have a trial conducted by the Trial Judge.

The posting of bond before your assigned trial date in no way affects your right to have a fair trial by the judge or, if you make a written request before your scheduled trial, by jury.

However, if you are not required to appear in court on the assigned trial date and have previously posted bond and do not appear on the trial date, your bond may be forfeited unless the judge has agreed to have your case heard at another time.

If you fail to post bond or personally appear in court on the assigned trial date, your home state's Motor Vehicle Division will be notified to suspend your license until you have cleared this matter with the trial court.

Additionally, a willful failure to appear or post bond is punishable as a separate offense by a fine of up to $200.00 or imprisonment of up to 30 days.

[NOTE: You must pay the jurisdiction whose officer issued the ticket. If you pay Orangeburg County for a Branchville Police-issued ticket, your payment will NOT be properly credited! If you pay Branchville for a Highway Patrol-issued ticket, your payment will NOT be properly credited. The easiest way to pay a Branchville traffic ticket online is to use Online Bill Payments. If you use the website printed on your ticket, you must select "Branchville" in the list of municipalities.]