S.C. Code Ann. § 22-3-10
Concurrent civil jurisdiction
Operative Text
Magistrates have concurrent civil jurisdiction in the following cases: (1) in actions arising on contracts for the recovery of money only, if the sum claimed does not exceed seven thousand five hundred dollars; (2) in actions for damages for injury to rights pertaining to the person or personal or real property, if the damages claimed do not exceed seven thousand five hundred dollars; (3) in actions for a penalty, fine, or forfeiture, when the amount claimed or forfeited does not exceed seven thousand five hundred dollars; (4) in actions commenced by attachment of property, as provided by statute, if the debt or damages claimed do not exceed seven thousand five hundred dollars; (5) in actions upon a bond conditioned for the payment of money, not exceeding seven thousand five hundred dollars, though the penalty exceeds that sum, the judgment to be given for the sum actually due, and when the payments are to be made by installments an action may be brought for each installment as it becomes due; (6) in any action upon a surety bond taken by them, when the penalty or amount claimed does not exceed seven thousand five hundred dollars; (7) in any action upon a judgment rendered in a court of a magistrate or an inferior court when it is not prohibited by the South Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure; (8) to take and enter judgment on the confession of a defendant in the manner prescribed by law when the amount confessed does not exceed seven thousand five hundred dollars; (9) in any action for damages or for fraud in the sale, purchase, or exchange of personal property, if the damages claimed do not exceed seven thousand five hundred dollars; (10) in all matters between landlord and tenant and the possession of land as provided in Chapters 33 through 41 of Title 27; (11) in any action to recover the possession of personal property claimed, the value of which, as stated in the affidavit of the plaintiff, his agent, or attorney, does not exceed the sum of seven thousand five hundred dollars; (12) in all actions provided for in this section when a filed counterclaim involves a sum not to exceed seven thousand five hundred dollars, except that this limitation does not apply to counterclaims filed in matters between landlord and tenant and the possession of land; (13) in interpleader actions arising from real estate contracts for the recovery of earnest money, only if the sum claimed does not exceed seven thousand five hundred dollars; and (14) in actions for damages arising from a person's failure to return leased or rented personal property within seventy-two hours after the expiration of the lease or rental agreement, such damages to be based on the loss of revenue or replacement value of the property, whichever is less, if the damages claimed do not exceed seven thousand five hundred dollars; however, the lease or rental agreement must set forth the manner in which the amount of the loss of revenue or replacement value of the item leased or rented is calculated.
Section 22-3-10 of the South Carolina Code defines the civil cases that magistrates' courts may hear alongside other courts of the state. For housing-related matters, the provision explicitly grants magistrates concurrent jurisdiction over all landlord-tenant disputes and land-possession proceedings governed by Title 27, Chapters 33–41, with no dollar cap applied to those cases. For most other civil claims—such as contract disputes, property damage, or personal property recovery—magistrates may hear the case only when the amount at issue does not exceed $7,500.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under S.C. Code Ann. § 22-3-10(10), landlord-tenant matters and possession-of-land actions fall squarely within magistrates' court jurisdiction, and notably, no $7,500 dollar ceiling applies to those cases. Property owners and managers who pursue eviction proceedings or other landlord-tenant remedies in South Carolina commonly file in magistrates' court, which is the forum specifically contemplated by the referenced Title 27 chapters. Operators generally maintain thorough documentation of lease terms, payment records, and notices to support any claims brought in that forum.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
S.C. Code Ann. § 22-3-10(10) establishes that magistrates' courts have authority to hear all landlord-tenant and land-possession matters under Title 27, Chapters 33–41, meaning tenants may encounter—or initiate—proceedings in that court without a dollar-amount threshold limiting access. Tenants facing eviction or other landlord actions in magistrates' court generally have the right to appear, present defenses, and raise counterclaims; § 22-3-10(12) notes that the $7,500 counterclaim cap does not apply to landlord-tenant matters. Tenants seeking to understand their rights in these proceedings may find assistance through local legal aid organizations or tenant-rights groups familiar with South Carolina magistrates' court practice.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 16, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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