The Master-in-Equity Court is considered a division of the Circuit Court. The Master-in-Equity hears most foreclosure cases as well as a number of civil, non-jury matters. This is the only South Carolina court in which no action may be initiated. Each case heard by the Master-in-Equity Judge is assigned by the Circuit Court, using a procedural device known as an Order of Reference. Once a case is referred to this court, the Master-in-Equity shall exercise all power and authority which a circuit judge sitting without a jury would have in a similar matter.  All records for cases referred to this court are located in the Clerk of Court Records Room on the First Floor of the Judicial Center.

Judicial Sales are normally held at 11:00 a.m. on the first Monday of each month in the Lexington County Judicial Center. When the first Monday of a month falls on a county or state holiday, the sale will take place the first Tuesday.  Each property is sold subject to any past due property taxes, assessments, existing easements and restrictions, and any senior liens or judgments against the property.  A Master’s Deed is not a general warranty deed. Potential bidders are responsible for all necessary research, title searches, etc. If you need further legal information or have title questions, it is advisable to contact a licensed attorney prior to bidding on any property.  Properties being auctioned at Judicial Sales are published in the Lexington Chronicle or The State for three weeks immediately prior to the sale. This will be the first place each month you will see the properties which are scheduled for the upcoming sale.

Approximately Tuesday of the week following the first publication of sale notices in the Lexington Chronicle, the court’s roster of sales will be posted under the Judicial Sale link. A copy of this roster and a Sale Book (containing copies of the Notice of Sale and Master’s Report and Judgment for each case on the roster) will also be available in the Records Room of the Clerk of Court’s office (1st floor of the Judicial Center) for public viewing.

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South Carolina Law establishes the Master-in-Equity Court in each County. The Equity Court is a division of Circuit Court. The Master-in-Equity, as Judge of the Equity Court, is entitled to all the benefits and subject to all the requirements of the South Carolina Court and Family Court Judges. The Master-in-Equity may hear any civil non-jury matter referred to the Equity Court from Circuit Court by consent of the parties involved or pursuant to court order. Additionally, the Master-in-Equity serves as a Special Circuit Judge on an ad hoc basis to hear civil non-jury and other matters.

The Richland County Master-in-Equity is a revenue-generating office. The Master-in-Equity collects fees in actions for partitions, foreclosures of liens upon property, supplemental proceedings by judgment creditors, deed preparations and receives a commission on sales of land. Funds collected by the Master or on deposit in an interest bearing account and are turned over to the General Fund of Richland County.

General Information

Masters are appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the General Assembly for a term of six years. They may serve in a full or part-time capacity and are compensated by the county governing body. Masters-In-Equity have jurisdiction in matters referred to them by the Circuit Courts. They have the power and authority of the Circuit Court sitting without a jury, to regulate all proceedings in every hearing before them, and to perform all acts and take all measures necessary or proper for the efficient performance of their duties under the order of reference. This includes the power to rule on all motions, require the production of evidence, rule upon the admissibility of evidence, and call witnesses and examine them under oath. Masters may also conduct sales under certain circumstances. There are currently 22 Masters-In-Equity. Act 55 of 1999 and Rule 53, SCRCP, altered the appeals process or final judgments. Instead of going to the Circuit Court these appeals will now go to the Supreme Court or Court of Appeals as provided by the Appellate Court rules.

Department Function

Equity Court handles non-jury cases over $5,000. The Master-in-Equity Court provides a relatively quick and inexpensive means of litigation resolution for civil, non-jury matters. However, parties may not initiate action in the Master-in-Equity Court. Only cases assigned by the Court of Common Pleas through an Order of Reference signed by a Circuit Court Judge may be heard by the Master-in-Equity.

Additional Resources and Services

Master In Equity Court Rosters

Public Court Records Search

Links to External Resources and Services

South Carolina Bar

South Carolina Judicial Department

The Register of Deeds records real estate transactions for Richland County. In 1997, the legislature passed a law changing the name of the RMC, effective January 1, 1998, from the Register of Mesne Conveyances to the Register of Deeds.

The state wide office of the ROD may be a bit confusing to you. The Office of ROD only exists in 15 of South Carolina’s 46 counties. In those counties that do not have a separate ROD Office, the functions of the office are carried out by the Clerk of Court. To make matters even more confusing, in 6 of the 15 counties which have separate ROD offices, the ROD is elected. In all of the other counties, the positions are appointed and report to the County Administrator/County Council.

Whether done by the Clerk of Court or ROD, the purpose of the office is to record land records. South Carolina Code of Laws, 1976, Section 30-7-10 makes the recording of documents conveying an interest in real property essential to validity. The law states, in pertinent part, ” all deeds.. all mortgages.. all leases.. all assignments, satisfactions, releases…and generally all instruments in writing conveying an interest in real estate…are valid…only from the day and hour when they are recorded in the office of register of mesne conveyances…” Thus, state law requires every county to provide an office where real estate transactions for that county can be recorded

The Richland County Assessor’s Office welcomes you to our information page. The general duties of the Assessor are to appraise all property at fair market value and place them on the tax rolls to generate revenue for Richland County.

We also classify property at a 4% ratio for your legal residence meaning that you own and occupy the property as your primary residence or at a 6% ratio for commercial property or non-owner occupied. We have approximately 176,400 pieces of property in our inventory and we are monitoring values and adding new construction each year as buildings are built. Richland County Interim Assessor     State Law requires we do a reassessment every 5 years Katie Marr and the latest reassessment was accomplished in the tax year 2019 the next reassessment will be in the tax year 2024.

We also have a complete list of ownership of all property owners in Richland County and we separate parcels by taxing district so we can turn these values over to the Auditor for determination on millage in order to create the tax bills which are done roughly in November of each tax year. The office has 29 employees of which we have 12 appraisers who are out in the field, each day. When building permits are received from county and local municipalities, we work those building permits and in this way, we add value to the tax rolls. We also accept appeals. Each year we will send notices of classification appraisal and assessment of real estate for all new construction providing that the value increases by a sum greater than $1,000. By law, if you receive a notice, you are given 90 days to appeal the value of the property. Otherwise, you have the right to appeal between January 16 of that tax year going all the way through the first penalty period in the next year. Essentially from January 16 through January 15 of the next tax year.