A South Carolina attorney could advise best, but your question remains open for four weeks. I'm sorry for your difficult position. This is something that a divorce attorney would know better than an insurance defense or banking attorney (the chosen categories). In the interim, there could be... View More

Allan Baron Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on Jun 21, 2023

You have taken a good first step; to state clearly that you do not wish to continue the marriage. You should add that you would like to conclude the marriage in an amicable way if possible. Then add, I have done my research and suggest mediating the divorce. That is, meet with an attorney who would... View More

James L. Arrasmith Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on Jun 18, 2023

I'm sorry to hear that you are going through a difficult time. If you are considering separating or divorcing your military husband, there are several things you should be aware of:

1. Military divorce: Military divorce can be more complex than civilian divorce, as there are specific... View More

To seek to enforce the provisions of a prior court order, you must file a Rule to Show Cause. The requirements for a Rule to Show Cause are laid out in South Carolina Family Court Rule 14.

The South Carolina Supreme Court does not provide sample forms for enforcing orders related to marital... View More

There is not enough detail in your question to provide a specific answer. The first variable is whether the parents of the child(ren) are married to each other. If the parents are not married to each other, then the mother has sole custody of the child(ren) unless/until there is a court order... View More

In South Carolina, marital assets are those acquired between the date of marriage and the date a case is filed. To minimize the likelihood of a home you purchase after separation being considered a marital asset, you should (1) file an action in Family Court before purchase; and (2) not use marital... View More

A private investigator in Arizona should be able to run a "skip trace" to try to determine his whereabouts. You might also search for any public records related to his speeding ticket -- the jurisdiction where he received it likely has an address for him.

Your best course of action is to seek the advice of a divorce lawyer who has experience dealing with abusive situations and orders of protection. However, you should note that "verbal abuse" is not a ground for divorce or basis for issuance of an order of protection in South Carolina.

It is unclear how long you and your wife have lived in South Carolina, and that is an important fact for determining whether the Family Court would have authority to address any issues in a divorce between you and your wife. Assuming you have both lived here for at least 3 months, then the... View More

Under Family Court Rule 17, the judge can hold the Defendant in default and grant the relief requested by the Plaintiff, even if the Defendant does not appear at the hearing; provided, the Defendant must have been given proper notice of the hearing (which, for a final hearing, means the notice has... View More

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... View More

There are very few ways to challenge a final order once it has been entered. SCRCP Rule 59 allows a party to seek to alter or amend a judgment, but it has to be filed within 10 days of notice of entry of the judgment; it would not help you if the order was entered in 2011. SCRCP Rule 60 allows a... View More

If you already have an order entitling you to alimony, absent some specific language in an agreement/court order, then seeking a divorce should not change your entitlement to alimony. You should consult an experienced family court attorney who can review your documents and provide you more specific... View More

If your court order requires the two of you to file jointly, then you could seek to have your ex held in contempt for violating the order. The mechanism to do so is called a Petition for Rule to Show Cause. The procedure is laid out in Family Court Rule 14.

Each party has an obligation to respond to discovery under the Rules of Civil Procedure. When one party fails to do so, then the Family Court has to be made aware of the failure (by way of a motion), and then the Court can order the non-compliant party to provide the discovery and issue sanctions... View More

Parents can agree on anything they want with regard to their children. However, if the agreement is not part of a court order, then neither party can really enforce the agreement if the other parent chooses not to follow it.

When parental rights are terminated, then the obligation to support the child is also terminated; however, if the parent has past due child support, then those arrears continue to be owed (unless there's a Court order otherwise).

S.C. Code Ann. Section 20-3-660(A) allows the Clerk of Court to sign documents on behalf of the parties, and I believe you can ask the Court to direct the Clerk to do so by bringing a motion under Rule 70, SCRCP.

The question that a Family Court judge will need to answer is whether the home you purchased before marriage has been "transmuted" to marital property. The analysis on that issue is very fact-intensive. If your pension was accrued before the marriage, then she may not be entitled to any... View More

You should immediately consult with a Family Law attorney, who will likely advise you to begin the process by filing suit and requesting a Temporary Hearing.