South Carolina Divorce Information
The following information is to provide a basic understanding of the various aspects of South Carolina divorce.
You can get more specific information regarding South Carolina divorce laws using the links provided to South Carolina divorce laws or at your local library.
This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Before taking any action you should seek the advice of an attorney familiar with the laws in the state in which you will be seeking a divorce.
Every effort has been made to assure that the information contained in these pages is accurate however, due to the ever changing nature of the law some material may be outdated or may no longer apply.
South Carolina Divorce Resources
| Residency Requirements | In order to institute an action for divorce from the bonds of matrimony the plaintiff must have resided in this State at least one year prior to the commencement of the action or, if the plaintiff is a nonresident, the defendant must have so resided in this State for this period. |
| Where to File | Actions for divorce from the bonds of matrimony or for separate support and maintenance must be tried in the county in which the defendant resides at the time of the commencement of the action, or in which the plaintiff resides if the defendant is a nonresident. |
| Grounds for Divorce | Grounds for divorce are:
- Adultery
- Desertion for a period of one year
- Physical cruelty
- Habitual drunkenness; provided, that this ground shall be construed to include habitual drunkenness caused by the use of any narcotic drug
- On the application of either party if and when the husband and wife have lived separate and apart without cohabitation for a period of one year. A plea of res judicata or of recrimination with respect to any other provision of this section shall not be a bar to either party obtaining a divorce on this ground
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| Voluntary or required mediation | Yes |
| Voluntary or recommended Counseling | Yes |
| Property Distribution | In a proceeding for divorce or separate support and maintenance, or in a proceeding for disposition of property following a prior decree of dissolution of a marriage by a court which lacked personal jurisdiction over an absent spouse or which lacked jurisdiction to dispose of the property, and in other marital litigation between the parties, the court shall make a final equitable apportionment between the parties of the parties' marital property upon request by either party in the pleadings.
In making apportionment, the court must give weight in such proportion as it finds appropriate to all of the following factors:
- The duration of the marriage together with the ages of the parties at the time of the marriage and at the time of the divorce or separate maintenance or other marital action between the parties
- marital misconduct or fault of either or both parties, whether or not used as a basis for a divorce as such, if the misconduct affects or has affected the economic circumstances of the parties, or contributed to the breakup of the marriage
- The value of the marital property, whether the property be within or without the State. The contribution of each spouse to the acquisition, preservation, depreciation, or appreciation in value of the marital property, including the contribution of the spouse as homemaker; provided, that the court shall consider the quality of the contribution as well as its factual existence
- The income of each spouse, the earning potential of each spouse, and the opportunity for future acquisition of capital assets
- The health, both physical and emotional, of each spouse
- The need of each spouse or either spouse for additional training or education in order to achieve that spouses's income potential
- the nonmarital property of each spouse
- the existence or nonexistence of vested retirement benefits for each or either spouse
- whether separate maintenance or alimony has been awarded
- the desirability of awarding the family home as part of equitable distribution or the right to live therein for reasonable periods to the spouse having custody of any children
- the tax consequences to each or either party as a result of any particular form of equitable apportionment
- the existence and extent of any support obligations, from a prior marriage or for any other reason or reasons, of either party
- liens and any other encumbrances upon the marital property, which themselves must be equitably divided, or upon the separate property of either of the parties, and any other existing debts incurred by the parties or either of them during the course of the marriage
- child custody arrangements and obligations at the time of the entry of the order
- such other relevant factors as the trial court shall expressly enumerate in its order
The court's order as it affects distribution of marital property shall be a final order not subject to modification except by appeal or remand following proper appeal.
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| Child Custody |
In determining the best interests of the child, the court must consider the child’s reasonable preference for custody. The court shall place weight upon the preference based upon the child’s age, experience, maturity, judgment, and ability to express a preference.
In issuing or modifying a custody order, the court must consider the best interest of the child, which may include, but is not limited to:
- the temperament and developmental needs of the child;
- the capacity and the disposition of the parents to understand and meet the needs of the child;
- the preferences of each child;
- the wishes of the parents as to custody;
- the past and current interaction and relationship of the child with each parent, the child’s siblings, and any other person, including a grandparent, who may significantly affect the best interest of the child;
- the actions of each parent to encourage the continuing parent child relationship between the child and the other parent, as is appropriate, including compliance with court orders;
- the manipulation by or coercive behavior of the parents in an effort to involve the child in the parents’ dispute;
- any effort by one parent to disparage the other parent in front of the child;
- the ability of each parent to be actively involved in the life of the child;
- the child’s adjustment to his or her home, school, and community environments;
- the stability of the child’s existing and proposed residences;
- the mental and physical health of all individuals involved, except that a disability of a proposed custodial parent or other party, in and of itself, must not be determinative of custody unless the proposed custodial arrangement is not in the best interest of the child;
- the child’s cultural and spiritual background;
- whether the child or a sibling of the child has been abused or neglected;
- whether one parent has perpetrated domestic violence or child abuse or the effect on the child of the actions of an abuser if any domestic violence has occurred between the parents or between a parent and another individual or between the parent and the child;
- whether one parent has relocated more than one hundred miles from the child’s primary residence in the past year, unless the parent relocated for safety reasons; and
- other factors as the court considers necessary.
| | Child Support | In any proceeding for the award of child support, there is a rebuttable presumption that the amount of the award which would result from the application of the guidelines required under Section 43-5-580(b) is the correct amount of child support to be awarded. A different amount may be awarded upon a showing that application of the guidelines in a particular case would be unjust or inappropriate. When the court orders a child support award that varies significantly from the amount resulting from the application of the guidelines, the court shall make specific, written findings of those facts upon which it bases its conclusion supporting that award. Findings that rebut the guidelines must state the amount of support that would have been required under the guidelines and include a justification of why the order varies from the guidelines.
The court shall consider the following factors which may be possible reasons for deviation from the guidelines or may be used in determining whether a change in circumstances has occurred which would require a modification of an existing order:
- Educational expenses for the child or children or the spouse, to include those incurred for private, parochial, or trade schools, other secondary schools, or post-secondary education where there is tuition or related costs
- Equitable distribution of property
- Consumer debts
- Families with more than six children
- Unreimbursed extraordinary medical or dental expenses for the noncustodial or custodial parent
- Mandatory deduction of retirement pensions and union fees
- Support obligations for other dependents living with the noncustodial parent or noncourt ordered child support from another relationship
- Child-related unreimbursed extraordinary medical expenses
- Monthly fixed payments imposed by a court or operation of law
- Significant available income of the child or children
- Substantial disparity of income in which the noncustodial parent's income is significantly less than the custodial parent's income, thus making it financially impracticable to pay what the guidelines indicate the noncustodial parent should pay
- Alimony. Because of their unique nature, lump sum, rehabilitative, reimbursement, or any other alimony that the court may award, may be considered by the court as a possible reason for deviation from these guidelines
- Agreements reached between parties. The court may deviate from the guidelines based on an agreement between the parties if both parties are represented by counsel or if, upon a thorough examination of any party not represented by counsel, the court determines the party fully understands the agreement as to child support. The court still has the discretion and the independent duty to determine if the amount is reasonable and in the best interest of the child or children
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| Spousal Support | In every divorce action from the bonds of matrimony either party may in his or her complaint or answer or by petition pray for the allowance to him or her of alimony and suit money and for the allowance of such alimony and suit money pendente lite. If such claim shall appear well-founded the court shall allow a reasonable sum therefor.
In proceedings for divorce from the bonds of matrimony, and in actions for separate maintenance and support, the court may grant alimony or separate maintenance and support in such amounts and for such term as the court considers appropriate as from the circumstances of the parties and the nature of case may be just, pendente lite, and permanently. No alimony may be awarded a spouse who commits adultery before the earliest of these two events: the formal signing of a written property or marital settlement agreement or entry of a permanent order of separate maintenance and support or of a permanent order approving a property or marital settlement agreement between the parties.
In making an award of alimony or separate maintenance and support, the court must consider and give weight in such proportion as it finds appropriate to all of the following factors:
- The duration of the marriage together with the ages of the parties at the time of the marriage and at the time of the divorce or separate maintenance action between the parties
- The physical and emotional condition of each spouse
- The educational background of each spouse, together with need of each spouse for additional training or education in order to achieve that spouse's income potential
- The employment history and earning potential of each spouse
- The standard of living established during the marriage
- The current and reasonably anticipated earnings of both spouses
- The current and reasonably anticipated expenses and needs of both spouses
- The marital and nonmarital properties of the parties, including those apportioned to him or her in the divorce or separate maintenance action
- Custody of the children, particularly where conditions or circumstances render it appropriate that the custodian not be required to seek employment outside the home, or where the employment must be of a limited nature
- Marital misconduct or fault of either or both parties, whether or not used as a basis for a divorce or separate maintenance decree if the misconduct affects or has affected the economic circumstances of the parties, or contributed to the breakup of the marriage, except that no evidence of personal conduct which may otherwise be relevant and material for the purpose of this subsection may be considered with regard to this subsection if the conduct took place subsequent to the happening of the earliest of (a) the formal signing of a written property or marital settlement agreement or (b) entry of a permanent order of separate maintenance and support or of a permanent order approving a property or marital settlement agreement between the parties
- The tax consequences to each party as a result of the particular form of support awarded
- The existence and extent of any support obligation from a prior marriage or for any other reason of either party
- Such other factors the court considers relevant
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South Carolina Divorce Attorneys by County
Click on any SC county below to find a divorce attorney in your area.
South Carolina Divorce Mediators by County
Click on any SC county below to find a divorce mediator in your area.
DISCLAIMER:
This information has been compiled directly from the most recently available statutes online for each state. Every effort has been made to assure that this information is correct and complete. Be aware that laws frequently change. Do not take any action based on this information without first consulting an attorney to be certain that the laws pertaining to your particular situation have not changed.
The language used in most cases on this page is legal terminology taken directly from the statutes and laws of each state. The terminology is not always easy to understand. If you are not sure of something you should consult an attorney so that you can fully understand the meaning of the laws.
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