Conway Bench Warrant Search
Conway bench warrants are issued when someone does not show up for court or fails to meet a court order. The Conway Municipal Court, with administrative offices at 206 Laurel St, handles these matters for the city. A bench warrant comes from the judge, not from a police investigation. It orders law enforcement to bring the named person before the court. Residents of Conway and the broader Horry County area can search for bench warrants through the county public index or by calling the court at (843) 248-1765.
Conway Municipal Court Overview
The Conway Municipal Court has its administrative office at 206 Laurel St, Conway, SC 29526. Court sessions are held at 229 Main St. Judge Kayla Fleming presides over the court. You can reach the office at (843) 248-1765. The court handles traffic violations, criminal misdemeanors, and city ordinance cases.
Bench trials happen on a weekly basis. Jury trials take place quarterly. During these sessions, the judge reviews cases where the person did not appear. If a person is absent, the judge may issue a bench warrant. The court also conducts bond hearings for General Sessions cases, which cover more serious charges that go beyond the Municipal Court's sentencing authority.
Court staff in Conway prepare arrest warrants and affidavits as part of the bench warrant process. Once a bench warrant is signed by the judge, it goes into the system and law enforcement can act on it at any time. There is no expiration date on a bench warrant in Conway.
The image below shows the Conway Municipal Court page with court location and contact details for bench warrant inquiries.
Visiting the court's website is a good first step for anyone who thinks they may have an outstanding bench warrant in Conway.
| Court | Conway Municipal Court |
|---|---|
| Admin Office | 206 Laurel St, Conway, SC 29526 |
| Court Location | 229 Main St, Conway, SC |
| Phone | (843) 248-1765 |
| Judge | Kayla Fleming |
| Website | conwaysc.gov Municipal Court |
Bench Warrants in Conway Courts
The most common reason for a bench warrant in Conway is failure to appear. When a person skips a court date, the judge can either issue a summons under Section 22-5-115 or go straight to a bench warrant. A summons is a second chance to come in voluntarily. A bench warrant means officers can pick the person up on sight. The choice depends on the nature of the case and whether the person has missed court before.
Failure to pay fines also leads to bench warrants in Conway. If the court ordered a fine and the person did not pay, the judge treats it as a failure to comply with a court order. Bond violations fall under Section 38-53-70, which can carry up to 90 days of jail time. These situations create bench warrants that stay active until resolved.
Conway bench warrants differ from arrest warrants. An arrest warrant starts with a police investigation and probable cause. A bench warrant starts from the bench itself. The judge is the one who initiates it because someone did not do what the court told them to do.
Note: A bench warrant issued in Conway will show up in law enforcement systems statewide, not just in Horry County.
How to Search Conway Warrants
The Horry County Public Index is the primary free tool for looking up bench warrants in Conway. Search by name or case number. Check the case actions to see if a bench warrant appears in the record. Conway falls under Horry County, so all Municipal Court records show up in this system.
You can also use the SC Courts case records search portal. Pick Horry County from the list and run your search. Both tools pull from the same database. Results may lag behind by a day or two after a bench warrant is first issued.
Calling the court is another option. Staff at (843) 248-1765 can check whether a bench warrant is active for a given name or case. For a broader search, the SLED CATCH system provides statewide criminal background checks for $25. This covers all counties and may include bench warrants from Conway.
Conway Police Department
The Conway Police Department is at 229 Main St, the same street where court sessions are held. The phone number is (843) 248-1760. Officers enforce all bench warrants issued by the Conway Municipal Court. During a traffic stop or call for service, officers run records checks. Any active bench warrant will appear in the system.
Below is the Conway Police Department website, which provides service details and a call-for-service log.
The department's website includes links to the call-for-service log at conwaypd.org. That log does not list bench warrants specifically, but it shows the types of calls officers respond to, which may include bench warrant arrests.
Public Records Access in Conway
Under South Carolina's Freedom of Information Act, the public can request government records, including those tied to bench warrants. In Conway, FOIA requests can be sent to foia@conwaysc.gov. The city has 10 business days to respond. If more time is needed, the deadline extends to 20 business days.
Many bench warrant records in Conway are already available through the Horry County Public Index at no cost. FOIA is more useful for records that are not posted online, such as internal court documents or police reports connected to a bench warrant arrest.
The Summary Court Bench Book outlines the rules that summary court judges in Conway follow when issuing bench warrants. It covers everything from warrant issuance to how long a person can be held before a hearing.
The image below shows the City of Conway website, a central resource for finding department contacts and public records information.
The Conway city website links to both the court and police pages where you can find more about bench warrant procedures.
Note: FOIA requests sent to the wrong email may be delayed. Use foia@conwaysc.gov for the fastest response on bench warrant records in Conway.
Family Court Bench Warrants
Horry County Family Court can issue bench warrants that affect Conway residents. Under Rule 13 of the Family Court Rules, a judge may issue a bench warrant for contempt. This power is used sparingly. A person arrested on a family court bench warrant must see a judge within 24 hours.
Family court bench warrants in Conway most often involve child support nonpayment or failure to follow custody orders. These go through the Horry County court system rather than the Conway Municipal Court. The process and the consequences are different from a bench warrant for a traffic ticket or misdemeanor.
Warrant Laws in South Carolina
Title 17, Chapter 13 of the South Carolina Code lays out the rules for warrants and arrests. Every court in the state follows these rules, including the Conway Municipal Court. The law covers how bench warrants are drafted, signed, served, and returned to the issuing court.
Section 22-5-115 gives summary courts the choice between a summons and a bench warrant. Section 38-53-70 deals with bond violations. The FOIA statute ensures the public can access bench warrant records. Together, these laws form the legal framework for how bench warrants work in Conway and throughout South Carolina.
Horry County Bench Warrants
Conway is the county seat of Horry County. Cases that exceed the Municipal Court's authority go to the county level, including General Sessions and Family Court. For a full look at bench warrants across Horry County, including magistrate courts and the sheriff's warrant division, visit the county page below.
Nearby Cities With Warrants
Other cities near Conway have their own courts and bench warrant processes. Choose one below to learn more.