Sheriff's Office

Civil Process #civil_process

Sheriffs in South Carolina have two important functions concerning the administration of justice: enforcing both criminal laws and civil laws. Criminal law enforcement is more easily recognized by the public. But enforcement of civil law is also their responsibility. This enforcement is specified both in statutory law and in "Common Law", which are decisions handed down by the courts.

The primary purpose of the service of process is to give a defendant notice that a legal proceeding has been instituted against them and to afford them the opportunity to defend against it. The process advises the defendant of the nature of the action brought against them and also vests jurisdiction in the court that issued the process. Process is the means by which a court obtains jurisdiction in a cause to settle controversies involved therein and to enforce its orders against parties involved. The sheriff is mandated by South Carolina law to serve the process of the court: