When a family court divides up property owned by a married couple, if a spouse has kept certain inherited or premarital property separate from the pooled assets of the couple, that property may be considered nonmarital and not included in the division of assets by the court. The question of whether or not formerly separate property has been turned into marital property, through the process known as “transmutation,” Read More

When you finally arrive at the decision to divorce your spouse, you’ve probably reached a point of not being too huge a fan of your soon-to-be ex, nor them of you. In fact, your relationship may have begun to go south years before the divorce, during which time your ex may have started to set aside money in hidden accounts or invested in assets they never mentioned. It’s also possible that your spouse has also been, Read More

Litigating a family law matter is inevitably a difficult and painful process. One of the most challenging aspects of a divorce or custody action is how little control litigants can feel over the process. Parties are at the mercy of overloaded, rule-heavy courts, and can end up in increasingly contentious exchanges of motions, racking up costs and fees along the way. Rather than having your divorce or custody matter Read More

Depending upon how it's handled, divorce can be emotionally exhausting and expensive.  Even couples who manage to separate on relatively good terms will necessarily learn about the high costs associated with divorce, from the basic cost of filing for divorce to the expense of maintaining a new household separate from your spouse. While some expense is inevitable, there are certain ways that parties to a divorce can Read More

When you’re in the process of getting a divorce, you’re facing a number of changes all at once. You may be tempted to fight to hold onto as many pieces as you can of the life you had before, and remaining in the place you are used to calling home can understandably bring comfort during a time of chaos. You may even wish to stay in your house for the sake of your children. However, when working through a division of Read More

While an uncommon way to end a marriage, annulment is an alternative to obtaining a divorce that is sometimes available. There are limited grounds in South Carolina upon which a marriage may be annulled. Read on for more detail on the reasons to consider an annulment, as well as the laws on when you may annul a marriage. How is annulment different from divorce? When a marriage is annulled, the marriage is seen in Read More

The holidays may be the most challenging time to share custody of your children with a former spouse or partner. Both parents and families wish to spend these special days with their children, but usually only one parent gets to do it each year. If this is your first year after a divorce or split, the holidays can be a very lonely time, in addition to the stresses of sharing custody. By focusing on providing your Read More

In a previous post, we discussed the legal standard for obtaining court-ordered visitation with your grandchildren as a grandparent in South Carolina. However, if your child has become an unfit parent to your grandchildren, or conditions exist in your grandchild’s home that have left you deeply concerned about their well-being, there are circumstances under which you as a grandparent can obtain primary custody of Read More

Sometimes a marriage or other live-in relationship can go from bad to worse, fast. If you feel unsafe in your home, or fear that your partner or spouse’s anger may become violent, don’t wait to become a victim before seeking help. Read on to learn about ways that the legal system can protect you from violence in South Carolina, and contact us for a consultation if you feel unsafe. Types of Protecting Orders In Read More