Practice areas

01

South Carolina does not grant a status called “legal separation.” The Family Court may instead enter an order of separate maintenance and support that governs the household while the marriage continues.

02

South Carolina grants a divorce only on grounds set out in statute. The Family Court also decides related questions of children, support, and property when those issues are placed before it.

03

South Carolina Family Court may award temporary or final support between spouses. The form, amount, and duration of support, if any, depend on the statutory factors and the facts of the marriage.

04

South Carolina is an equitable-apportionment state. The Family Court divides marital property and marital debt in a manner it finds fair, which is not the same thing as an automatic equal split.

05

South Carolina decides custody by the best interests of the child. There is no automatic preference for either parent. The court may award joint custody or sole custody and will set a parenting schedule.

06

Child support is generally set from the South Carolina Child Support Guidelines. The guidelines consider both parents’ incomes and certain additional expenses. Support does not end on its own.

07

A Family Court order is not a suggestion. When a party does not obey an order for support, parenting time, property transfer, or another required act, the court may enforce the order through contempt.