Lawyers, Answer Questions  & Get Points Log In
South Carolina Child Custody Questions & Answers
0 Answers | Asked in Child Custody and Child Support for South Carolina on
Q: How do I terminate my child support case? How do I get full custody of my children even though I owe child support?

How do I terminate my child support case? How do I get full custody of my children even though I owe child support?

0 Answers | Asked in Divorce and Child Custody for South Carolina on
Q: I am 18 years of age and in my senior year of high school. I want to live with my mother. How can I do that?

My mother and father have shared custody of me and my siblings. I see my father for 1 week and the next week I'm with my mother. It switches back and forth. I don't want to stay with my father anymore because I feel like my rights as an adult are threatened.

0 Answers | Asked in Family Law and Child Custody for South Carolina on
Q: I was forced to sign temporary rights to my daughter's grandparents, after two years does that mean they have custody?

Dss forced me to sign temporary rights to my daughter's over to the grandparents, afterwards I backed away from the case because I was not in a position where I could care for them. After two years I haven't heard anything from dss, my daughter's still live with the grandparents and... Read more »

0 Answers | Asked in Child Custody, Child Support and Family Law for South Carolina on
Q: How to get child support without an attorney?

I’m the father. When my son was 10 I filed for visitation pro se(Spartanburg County). I was awarded visitation and some rights. Since my son was 13 he has lived with me. He is now 16 and I want/need child support. I filed for child support thru DSS because it says you don’t need custody to... Read more »

0 Answers | Asked in Family Law, Child Custody and Child Support for South Carolina on
Q: If my child's mom signed paperwork releasing me from jail for arrears. Does that terminate those arrears?

I was in jail for 4 q/2 months for arrears. She insisted on me signing over my parental rights and she signed a paper that released me from jail. Nowhere in the paperwork did it specify anything about arrears but in order for me to get out of jail I assumed she forfeited all the arrears. Now... Read more »

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law and Child Custody for South Carolina on
Q: Is it a violation if I can't meet my child's father for his visitation, if I no longer have transportation to meet him?

My car was totaled a couple months ago. so I've been renting cars to meet him (he lives 2hrs away), but I can't afford to keep renting and pay for gas. So I'm saving to get another vehicle. He's now threatening to take me back to court although he knows my situation, what should I do?

Cheryl Ann Truesdale
Cheryl Ann Truesdale
answered on Feb 7, 2023

Get a consultation with a lawyer to review your court order and advise you on how to proceed. The lawyer may be able to help you work out an agreement or modification of your court order.

1 Answer | Asked in Child Custody and Civil Litigation for South Carolina on
Q: My fiances ex keeps calling dss on us and now calling on the daycare where I work? She is doing this trying to get cust

She wants custody of the kids who my fiance has primary custody

Megan Hunt Dell
PREMIUM
Megan Hunt Dell
answered on Jan 30, 2023

Your best course of action is to document, document, document. You might also benefit from having a consultation with a lawyer who is experienced in both DSS investigations and private custody cases.

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law, Child Custody and Child Support for South Carolina on
Q: I had my son when his father and I were split up. His father is not on the birth certificate

I had my son when his father and I were split up. His father is not on the birth certificate. Our son is 3 months old and we are now back together. We’ve been back together in a relationship since our son was 2 weeks old. His father and I do not live together. I work and his father helps... Read more »

Megan Hunt Dell
PREMIUM
Megan Hunt Dell
answered on Jan 30, 2023

Medicaid is funded by the federal government. For any South Carolina resident to receive those funds, federal law requires the person to seek child support from the other parent. However, the process for establishing child support through DSS is very cooperative, and you may be able to agree to him... Read more »

1 Answer | Asked in Child Custody and Family Law for South Carolina on
Q: Can you regain primary custody before a final hearing?

If you lost primary custody temporarily before the final hearing, but a third party had come forward and filed for emergency custody against the other parent, are you able to regain custody instead of the third party before the final hearing?

Megan Hunt Dell
PREMIUM
Megan Hunt Dell
answered on Jan 30, 2023

You have not provided very many facts of your specific situation so it's impossible to suggest what might be appropriate for your case. That being said, custody determinations (either temporary or final) are always modifiable by the Family Court.

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law and Child Custody for South Carolina on
Q: What should a father do if a mother runs to another state from SC with minor child?

Mother, father, and child live together in the child’s birth state. Mother has lived in that state for almost one year and the child is 6 months old, she plans to visit her home state. Father says it’s not a good idea since child has been sick. Mother goes and then calls father and says she... Read more »

Megan Hunt Dell
PREMIUM
Megan Hunt Dell
answered on Jan 30, 2023

Most states have enacted a version of the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Enforcement Act (referred to as the "UCCJEA"), and the typical provisions of the UCCJEA provide that an initial custody case can only be brought in the "home state" of the child; for a child who is an... Read more »

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law and Child Custody for South Carolina on
Q: Who is the visiting parent? In final order it states the visiting parent won’t get the following weekend after a holiday
Megan Hunt Dell
PREMIUM
Megan Hunt Dell
answered on Jan 30, 2023

In your court Order, there is likely language that designates one parent as the custodian and the other parent as the visiting parent; or, the "visiting parent" is the parent who has less time with the child(ren) overall. You may need to schedule a consultation with a family court lawyer... Read more »

1 Answer | Asked in Child Custody and Family Law for South Carolina on
Q: If an unlicensed grandparent drives a child or lives with an undoc immigrant, could that have significance in custody?

I'm anticipating an unpleasant custody dispute in near future and I'm trying to prepare. My former partner receives a significant amount of childcare support from her mother. However, her mother had never received a driver's license. She also lives with her long-time boyfriend who is... Read more »

Megan Hunt Dell
PREMIUM
Megan Hunt Dell
answered on Nov 11, 2022

Choosing inappropriate caregivers is something the Family Court may consider when deciding custody. Allowing the grandmother who does not have a drivers license to drive the child demonstrates poor judgment. The immigration status of people living with the grandmother is likely to have little, if... Read more »

1 Answer | Asked in Divorce, Family Law and Child Custody for South Carolina on
Q: Should a father file for divorce or child abandonment first. Mother abandoned children and spouse 10 years ago.

Mother left spouse and children in 2012. She has not been in contact with, sent money or anything in those 10 years. I want to make sure I protect my children. I just don't know if I should file for divorce first or if i should file for the abandonment of the children first.

Megan Hunt Dell
PREMIUM
Megan Hunt Dell
answered on Nov 11, 2022

In South Carolina, Rule 18, SCRCP, requires that all claims that *can* be brought at the same time *must* be brought at the same time. The South Carolina Family Court is unlikely to grant a divorce until issues related to your children are resolved. Chances are, filing for divorce and custody at... Read more »

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law, Child Custody and Child Support for South Carolina on
Q: If im going for child support, is custody arrangements included in that or does the father have to take me back for that

My ex was abusive towards me, and im scared it would lead to them in the future. Hes been inconsistent with them, this is the 3rd time he vanished on them for months and randomly popped back up. Abandoned us to be evicted from 2 houses now, i didnt have a vehicle and he took my carseats so we were... Read more »

Megan Hunt Dell
PREMIUM
Megan Hunt Dell
answered on Nov 11, 2022

The administrative process for establishing child support that is available through the Department of Social Services does *not* include any ability to establish custody/visitation. However, it is common that when one parent tries to use that process to get support, then the other parent will file... Read more »

1 Answer | Asked in Appeals / Appellate Law, Family Law and Child Custody for South Carolina on
Q: Can I appeal as a mother if my lawyer missed the date to file an appeal and I didn't know about it until 1week b4 adopti
Charles William Michaels
PREMIUM
Charles William Michaels
answered on Sep 2, 2022

First, I am not a South Carolina lawyer. That being said, unfortunately if the appeal deadline has been missed -- for whatever reason-- I think your appeal period has closed.

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law and Child Custody for South Carolina on
Q: Can autism cause extenuating circumstances in a child custody cause ? If child is getting diagnosis during the case?

My two year old is being diagnosed with autism and speech delay. The biological father has been in and out of her life since birth and now has been no contact with the child in question since march and it's now almost September... By the time the next court hearing happens it will be close to... Read more »

Megan Hunt Dell
PREMIUM
Megan Hunt Dell
answered on Aug 25, 2022

S.C. Code Ann. Section 63-15-240(B) requires the Family Court to consider the best interests of the child when determining custody, including the temperamental and developmental needs of a child, the capacity and disposition of the parents to understand and meet the needs of the child, and the past... Read more »

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law and Child Custody for South Carolina on
Q: I'm in SC, baby was born in Florida and lives with mother in NC. Where do I go to court to get shared custody?
Megan Hunt Dell
PREMIUM
Megan Hunt Dell
answered on Aug 25, 2022

Under the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act, which each state has a version of, only the "home state" of the child has jurisdiction to decide custody of the child.

If the child has never lived in SC, then SC does not have jurisdiction to decide custody....
Read more »

1 Answer | Asked in Family Law and Child Custody for South Carolina on
Q: How to ask judge to make defendant fill out "financial verification (SCCA 430)" form and let me have the info?

In the case the defendants will have to pay us child support but the court is going to use a statum of minimum wage as a basis. I know that they have a higher income, so would like the judge to make them fill out a financial verification form so that I could use the information as part of the... Read more »

Megan Hunt Dell
PREMIUM
Megan Hunt Dell
answered on Aug 25, 2022

It sounds like you may have placement of a child as part of an action brought by the Department of Social Services.

SCRFC Rule 20 requires a financial declaration to be completed in any action in which the financial condition of a party is relevant. If you are a party to the case, you can...
Read more »

Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.

The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.

Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.