Title 20, Domestic Relations

If it shall appear to the satisfaction of the court that the parties to any divorce proceeding colluded or that the act complained of was done with the knowledge or assent of the plaintiff for the purpose of obtaining a divorce the court shall not grant such divorce.

No judgment of divorce from the bonds of matrimony shall render illegitimate the children begotten of the marriage.

It shall be unlawful for any person to print, publish, distribute or circulate or cause to be printed, published, distributed or circulated any card, handbill, advertisement, printed paper, book, newspaper or notice of any kind offering or otherwise to advertise to procure, attem…

Any person violating any of the provisions of Section 20-3-210 shall, upon conviction, be punished for each offense by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars and not more than one thousand dollars or by imprisonment for not less than one month or more than one year, or both …

Whenever a divorce or annulment is decreed by a court having jurisdiction, the clerk of court shall, no later than thirty days following the filing of the final decree, send a report to the Registrar of the Division of Vital Statistics of the Department of Health and Environmenta…

A decree of divorce shall set forth the social security numbers, or the alien identification numbers assigned to resident aliens who do not have social security numbers, of the parties in the divorce. Filing the required form with the Department of Health and Environmental Contro…

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;…

Any married person shall, for the purpose of maintaining or defending an action for divorce and the settlement of property rights arising thereunder, be deemed of age.

This article may be cited as the "Uniform Divorce Recognition Act."

A divorce from the bonds of matrimony obtained in another jurisdiction shall be of no force or effect in this State if both parties to the marriage were domiciled in this State at the time the proceeding for the divorce was commenced.

Proof that a person obtaining a divorce from the bonds of matrimony in another jurisdiction was (a) domiciled in this State within twelve months prior to the commencement of the proceeding therefor and resumed residence in this State within eighteen months after the date of his d…

This article shall be so interpreted and construed as to effectuate its general purpose to make uniform the law of those states which enact substantially identical legislation.

Actions for divorce from the bonds of matrimony shall, except as otherwise provided, be only in the equity jurisdiction of the court of common pleas.

Actions for divorce from the bonds of matrimony or for separate support and maintenance must be tried in the county (a) in which the defendant resides at the time of the commencement of the action, (b) in which the plaintiff resides if the defendant is a nonresident or after due …

During the marriage a spouse shall acquire, based upon the factors set out in Section 20-3-620, a vested special equity and ownership right in the marital property as defined in Section 20-3-630, which equity and ownership right are subject to apportionment between the spouses by…

(A) In a proceeding for divorce a vinculo matrimonii 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 juris…

(A) The term "marital property" as used in this article means all real and personal property which has been acquired by the parties during the marriage and which is owned as of the date of filing or commencement of marital litigation as provided in Section 20-3-620 regardless of …

In determining the value of contributions prior to making an equitable apportionment, the court: (1) shall make findings of fact from credible evidence of the values of property and services, if any; (2) is empowered to take judicial notice of official reports of the federal and …

(A) At any stage of a proceeding under this article where it appears to the court that personal jurisdiction may not be obtained over an absent party or where a party refuses to comply with an order of the court, the court may, upon appropriate petition, order the sequestration o…

(A) The court may direct a party to execute and deliver any deed, bill of sale, note, mortgage, or other document necessary to carry out its order of equitable apportionment. If a party so directed fails to comply, the court may direct the clerk of court in the county in which th…

(A)(1) In a proceeding under this article, either party may record a notice of the pendency of proceedings in the manner provided in civil actions generally, which has the same effect as a notice in civil actions. The rights and interests of each spouse in the other's property cr…

A transcript of judgment may be substantially in the following form: STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF IN THE FAMILY COURT , Petitioner, vs. , TRANSCRIPT OF JUDGMENT Respondent. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that in the above-captioned proceeding, (family court docket # of proceeding or…

The family courts of this State have subject matter jurisdiction over all contracts relating to property which is involved in a proceeding under this article and over the construction and enforcement of those contracts.

When the person on whom the service of the summons in an action for divorce from the bonds of matrimony is to be made cannot, after due diligence, be found within the State and that fact appears to the satisfaction of the court, or judge thereof, the clerk of the court of common …

No reference shall be had before two months after the filing of the complaint in the office of the Clerk of Court, nor shall a final decree be granted before three months after such filing. Provided, however, that when the plaintiff seeks a divorce on the grounds of desertion or …

In all cases referred to a master or special referee, such master or special referee shall, except in default cases, summon the party or parties within the jurisdiction of the court before him and shall in all cases make an earnest effort to bring about a reconciliation between t…

This chapter may be cited as the "Protection from Domestic Abuse Act".

The primary duty of a law enforcement officer when responding to a domestic abuse incident is to enforce the laws allegedly violated and to protect the abused person if facts are found which substantiate the complaint. In such incidents, the law enforcement officer must take the …

Any person who makes a report pursuant to this chapter or who participates in judicial proceedings resulting therefrom, acting in good faith, is immune from civil and criminal liability which might otherwise result by reason of such actions. In all such civil or criminal proceedi…

The petitioner's right to relief under this chapter is not affected by leaving the residence or household to avoid further abuse. The petitioner's right to relief under this chapter is not affected by the use of such physical force against the respondent as is reasonably believed…

Any proceeding under this chapter is in addition to other civil and criminal remedies.

(A) There is established the Domestic Violence Fund, a fund separate and distinct from the general fund, in the State Treasury. The fund must be administered by the Department of Social Services and revenues of the fund must be used solely to award grants to domestic violence cen…

As used in this chapter: (a) "Abuse" means: (1) physical harm, bodily injury, assault, or the threat of physical harm; (2) sexual criminal offenses, as otherwise defined by statute, committed against a family or household member by a family or household member. For validity of (b…

(A) The family court has jurisdiction over all proceedings under this chapter except that, during nonbusiness hours or at other times when the court is not in session, the petition may be filed with a magistrate. The magistrate may issue an order of protection granting only the r…

This article may be cited as the "Uniform Interstate Enforcement of Domestic Violence Protection Orders Act".

For purposes of this article: (1) "Foreign protection order" means a protection order issued by a tribunal of another state. (2) "Issuing state" means the state whose tribunal issues a protection order. (3) "Mutual foreign protection order" means a foreign protection order that i…

(A) A person authorized by the law of this State to seek enforcement of a protection order may seek enforcement of a valid foreign protection order in a tribunal of this State. The tribunal shall enforce the terms of the order, including terms that provide relief that a tribunal …

(A) A law enforcement officer of this State, upon determining that there is probable cause to believe that a valid foreign protection order exists and that the order has been violated, shall enforce the order as if it were the order of a tribunal of this State. Presentation of a …

(A) Any individual may register a foreign protection order in this State. To register a foreign protection order, an individual shall present a certified copy of the order to the family court. (B) Upon receipt of a foreign protection order, the family court shall register the ord…

This State or a local governmental agency, or a law enforcement officer, prosecuting attorney, clerk of court, or any state or local governmental official acting in an official capacity, is immune from civil and criminal liability for an act or omission arising out of the registr…

A protected individual who pursues remedies under this article is not precluded from pursuing other legal or equitable remedies against the respondent.

(A) A person who knowingly or wilfully makes, presents, files, or attempts to file a false, fictitious, or fraudulent foreign protection order is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than five thousand dollars or imprisoned for not more than five years,…

In applying and construing this uniform act, consideration must be given to the need to promote uniformity of the law with respect to its subject matter among states that enact it.

If any section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph, sentence, clause, phrase, or word of this act is for any reason held to be unconstitutional or invalid, such holding shall not affect the constitutionality or validity of the remaining portions of this act, the General Assembly…

This article applies to protection orders issued before July 1, 2007, and to continuing actions for enforcement of foreign protection orders commenced before July 1, 2007. A request for enforcement of a foreign protection order made after June 30, 2007, for violations of a foreig…

There is created an action known as a "Petition for an Order of Protection" in cases of abuse to a household member. (a) A petition for relief under this section may be made by any household members in need of protection or by any household members on behalf of minor household me…