If you have made the difficult decision to end your marriage and you are a resident of the State of South Carolina you will need to decide on what grounds you plan to petition for divorce. Although many states allow a couple to obtain a divorce in a rather short period of time after the initial separation, South Carolina is not one of them. It is important, therefore, to consider the grounds you plan to use now so that you can plan accordingly. Not all that long ago most states required a … [Read more...]

The process of getting divorced is never easy, even if you are the party initiating the divorce. If you don’t want a divorce, the entire process can be even more painful. If you have recently been served with a Complaint for Divorce and Summons, however, it is imperative that you read through the documents and respond to them within the time frame allotted by law. Ignoring the Complaint will not stop the divorce from happening. Instead, if you don’t respond to the divorce Complaint in South … [Read more...]

If you are at a point in your marriage where you are contemplating divorce you probably have a number of questions and concerns about the divorce process itself. Unless you have been through it before, divorce can be an intimidating process, particularly if it is your first foray into the legal system. Along with the process itself, you may be concerned about the cost of a divorce. One question we are frequently asked is “ How much does a divorce cost? ” Because no two divorces are the same … [Read more...]

Spousal support or alimony is appropriate in certain situations when a marriage ends. Spousal support is not awarded in all cases and there are different kinds of spousal support. Both the spouse who is seeking support (the recipient) and the person who may be required to pay (the payor) must understand the laws related to alimony and must make informed choices to protect their financial interests throughout the divorce process.  Spousal support in a South Carolina divorce is not a given, and … [Read more...]

It is very common for a married couple to own property together. Unfortunately, the joint ownership of a family home can lead to complications if the couple decides that they want to end their marriage.  When two spouses are living together in a shared family home and they decide to get a divorce, a decision may need to be made on who should move out of the family residence during the process of ending the union.  The couple will also need to decide what should happen to the property after the … [Read more...]

Divorce is the process of formally ending your marriage. Until you go through the steps of divorce, you and your spouse are considered husband and wife even if you live separately. During the divorce, you will need to make important decisions about your future such as how custody of your kids will be divided; whether any support will be paid; and how assets and debts will be divided.  You need to know what is involved with the South Carolina divorce process so you can be prepared to take the … [Read more...]

If  you are legally married, you and your spouse are partners in the eyes of the law. You cannot just sever this partnership without taking some type of official action. For most couples, divorce is the action taken to end their marriage. In some cases, however, a couple will choose legal separation instead.  There are important differences between legal separation and divorce and you need to understand what the differences are so you can make an informed choice about which option is the right … [Read more...]