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Ask the Right Office: South Carolina

Pick a problem to see the office, the official rule, the deadlines and who must file. Then fill in a plain-English letter in your browser, print or save it as a PDF, and add a follow-up date to your calendar.

What this page can and can't tell you

Can: Which office to write to and how to put together a clear letter.

Can't: It can't give an official release date, say whether a specific person qualifies, or give legal advice. Only the DOC, the board or a court decides.

A letter doesn't replace the required official grievance form or procedure, and those have deadlines. If you're worried about retaliation, keep copies and dates of everything you send, and tell the person's attorney or a legal aid office if anything changes afterward.

Free legal help: Legal Services Corporation: find legal aid (civil matters). For criminal cases, ask the public defender's office that handled the case.






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South Carolina at a glance

ProblemOfficeDeadline to fileResponse deadline
Time calculation reviewAppropriate supervisor (Request to Staff Member form), then Institutional Inmate Grievance CoordinatorInformal resolution within 8 working days of the incident; Step 1 grievance (Form 10-5) within 8 working days of the supervisor's response.The Warden answers Step 1 within 45 days of entry.
Credit (good time) disputeAppropriate supervisor (Request to Staff Member form), then Institutional Inmate Grievance CoordinatorInformal resolution within 8 working days of the incident; Step 1 grievance (Form 10-5) within 8 working days of the supervisor's response.The Warden answers Step 1 within 45 days of entry.
Medical request or complaintAppropriate supervisor (Request to Staff Member form), then Institutional Inmate Grievance CoordinatorInformal resolution within 8 working days of the incident; Step 1 grievance (Form 10-5) within 8 working days of the supervisor's response.The Warden answers Step 1 within 45 days of entry.
Visit or mail denial appealAppropriate supervisor (Request to Staff Member form), then Institutional Inmate Grievance CoordinatorInformal resolution within 8 working days of the incident; Step 1 grievance (Form 10-5) within 8 working days of the supervisor's response.The Warden answers Step 1 within 45 days of entry.
Records requestThe records custodian at the agency that keeps the recordNo filing deadline in the statute.Decision within 10 business days (20 if the records are over 24 months old); records within 30 calendar days of the decision (35 for older records).
Parole fileNot publishedNot publishedNot published
Disability (ADA) accommodationAppropriate supervisor (Request to Staff Member form), then Institutional Inmate Grievance CoordinatorInformal resolution within 8 working days of the incident; Step 1 grievance (Form 10-5) within 8 working days of the supervisor's response.The Warden answers Step 1 within 45 days of entry.
Transfer or classificationAppropriate supervisor (Request to Staff Member form), then Institutional Inmate Grievance CoordinatorInformal resolution within 8 working days of the incident; Step 1 grievance (Form 10-5) within 8 working days of the supervisor's response.The Warden answers Step 1 within 45 days of entry.

Grievance rule: SCDC Policy GA-01.12, Inmate Grievance System (opens in new tab). Records: S.C. Code § 30-4-30(C) (FOIA) (opens in new tab). Who files a grievance: The incarcerated person.

Not legal advice. Rules change and facilities may add local steps; the official text controls. Missing a deadline can end a claim. Find free legal aid (LSC) (opens in new tab). Last checked .

Other states · South Carolina credit rules · Check a release calculation · Release countdown · What do I do now?

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