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Which federal court division covers Anderson County
The United States District Court for the District of South Carolina holds court in Anderson at the G. Ross Anderson, Jr. Federal Building and United States Courthouse. According to the court’s page for its Anderson location, that building has no Clerk’s Office, so questions for the clerk are sent to the Greenville Clerk’s Office instead. Under the county list in 28 U.S.C. 121, Anderson County sits in the Anderson Division of the district. For that division, the court’s pages list 250 East North Street, Greenville, SC 29601, and they give 201 Magnolia Street, Spartanburg, SC 29306 as a Spartanburg alternative.
Patent claims are heard in federal court and nowhere else (28 U.S.C. 1338(a)), but that rule concerns the kind of court, not the city. Federal venue rules decide where a particular case can be filed, and some claims can be heard in state court. Before any papers are prepared, ask an attorney to confirm the court and the division.
Trademarks and trade secrets under South Carolina law
A South Carolina trademark or service mark is registered with the Secretary of State, and the mark has to be in use before the application can be made. The filing names the owner and the goods or services, gives the dates of first use anywhere and in South Carolina, and includes three specimens of the mark as used. The Secretary of State’s trademark page says online filing is now available for all trademark and service mark filings. A registration runs for five years, and the owner can renew it for further five year periods by filing within the six months before it expires. A state registration gives rights in South Carolina only and does not give federal protection, though it supports a civil action under the state act for infringement or counterfeiting (S.C. Code Ann. 39-15-1105 to 39-15-1195).
Trade secrets fall under the South Carolina Trade Secrets Act, S.C. Code Ann. 39-8-10 to 39-8-130. Its definition reaches information such as a formula, pattern, compilation, program, method, process, design or code, as long as the information draws economic value from not being generally known or readily found out by proper means and its owner makes reasonable efforts to keep it secret. If your business depends on information of that kind, ask an attorney which steps would count as reasonable efforts in your workplace.
South Carolina has no statute on employee noncompete agreements, so courts decide them under case law and read them strictly, and an attorney should confirm the current rule before you sign one or rely on one.
The Secretary of State does not register DBA or trade names, so the state keeps no statewide assumed name register, and business licenses come from the city or county. In Anderson, the City issues them through its Municipal Business Center at 601 S. Main Street, and it requires a license both for businesses located inside the city and for outside businesses that work in the city. Its license year runs from May 1 to April 30, with fees based on gross revenue, under an ordinance the City’s page lists as effective January 1, 2022.
Employers and research that shape local disputes
Clemson University’s Innovation Campus and Technology Park, at an Anderson address of 91 Technology Drive, houses the Advanced Materials Research Laboratory, the National Brick Research Center, the university’s main data center and offices of the Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences. The Clemson technology park page, which carries a 2026 copyright, states that Clemson has more than 70 advanced materials technologies available for licensing.
The South Carolina Research Authority leases lab space in its Anderson Innovation Center, also listed as the Duke Energy Innovation Center, at an Anderson address of 81 Technology Drive. The building was developed with Clemson and Duke Energy, and the authority’s lease sheet names Clemson researchers and academic startups among its tenants. Before work is shared under one roof, ask an attorney to review any license or agreement that says who owns the results.
Anderson University, whose main address is 316 Boulevard, established a College of Engineering in 2020. The college offers bachelor of science degrees in computer, electrical, general, industrial and mechanical engineering and in mathematics and engineering, and it lists 907 N. Main St. in Anderson as the location of its events and summer programs. Since 2015, MUSC and AnMed have partnered on the MUSC AnMed Clinical Campus, where third and fourth year MUSC medical students complete clinical training at AnMed in Anderson, and the MUSC College of Medicine lists faculty at that campus who are available to help with research projects.
A release from the Governor’s office dated August 31, 2022 said Bosch would invest $200 million at its facility at 4421 S.C. Highway 81 in Anderson to make fuel cell stacks for hydrogen powered trucks. The release described the work as the company’s first fuel cell production operation in the United States and said production was planned for 2026; this page has not confirmed whether production began.
Protecting your work in Anderson? Get matched with an attorney now.
Deadlines that run no matter where you live
Patent damages can be recovered for the six years before a suit is filed and no further back (35 U.S.C. 286). A civil copyright claim must be brought within three years after it accrued (17 U.S.C. 507(b)). For a United States work, registration with the Copyright Office, or a refusal of registration, generally has to come before an infringement suit can be filed (17 U.S.C. 411(a)).
A claim under the South Carolina Trade Secrets Act must be brought within three years after the misappropriation is discovered or should have been discovered with reasonable diligence, and a continuing misappropriation counts as one claim (S.C. Code Ann. 39-8-70). An attorney can work out when each of these clocks started for you.
Protecting an idea, brand, or creative work in Anderson? Talk to an attorney about your deadlines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which division of the District of South Carolina includes Anderson County?
The county list in 28 U.S.C. 121 places Anderson County in the Anderson Division. For that division, the court’s pages list 250 East North Street, Greenville, SC 29601, with 201 Magnolia Street, Spartanburg, SC 29306 as a Spartanburg alternative.
Can I register a South Carolina trademark before my business starts using the mark?
No. The Secretary of State registers a trademark or service mark only after the mark is in use. Federal registration is a separate route under 15 U.S.C. 1051.
What does Clemson’s Innovation Campus and Technology Park on Technology Drive house?
The park, at an Anderson address of 91 Technology Drive, houses the Advanced Materials Research Laboratory, the National Brick Research Center, Clemson’s main data center and offices of the Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences.
Does a company based outside Anderson need a city business license to work there?
Yes. The City of Anderson requires a license both for businesses inside the city and for outside businesses working in the city, and it issues licenses through its Municipal Business Center at 601 S. Main Street.
Are there free programs for entrepreneurs in Anderson?
Yes. The City of Anderson Economic Development office at 102 N Murray Ave lists free entrepreneur programs on its 2026 pages, including The Brew on the last Wednesday of each month and Build Your Own Business sessions on the third Thursday of each month.
Hurt in an accident rather than dealing with a patent, trademark, or copyright issue? Read our Anderson personal injury page. Our coverage in this part of South Carolina also includes Williamston, Easley, and Seneca. Every South Carolina city we cover is listed on our South Carolina intellectual property attorney page.
Your next step
For the business side of a new venture, the City of Anderson Economic Development office at 102 N Murray Ave runs free entrepreneur programs. Its 2026 pages list The Brew on the last Wednesday of each month and Build Your Own Business, a series that runs for a year with sessions on the third Thursday of each month. The Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce at 432 North Main Street serves businesses across Anderson County and runs a Small Business of the Month program and leadership programs.
Before a first call, gather the dates when you created, shared, sold or published the work, any agreement with an employer, school or research partner, and any state or federal filing already made. When that is together, you can get matched with an intellectual property attorney.
