Compress Legal South Carolina Court Forms For Free

Modification of Child Custody ? Change in Circumstances To modify South Carolina child custody, you must show that 1) there has been a material change in circumstances (the change in circumstances happened after the court's original child custody determination), and 2) the change affects the child's best interest.

Section 63-17-20(B) states: ?Unless the court orders otherwise, the custody of an illegitimate child is solely in the natural mother unless the mother has relinquished her rights to the child.

It is a close to 50-50 split in physical placement. If your client is an unwed mother, she is the de facto custodian until the father files. It may be in the unwed mother's best interest to maintain the status quo and avoid a custody filing.

In order to initiate a custody action, file the following forms: SCCA 467, SCCA 401F, SCCA 400.41 SRL-VIS, and SCCA 405F. Respectively, these are a cover sheet, summons, complaint, and motion. Once completed, make two copies of each ? one for each party.

South Carolina does not recognize ?legal separation.? Instead, the South Carolina Family Courts issue Orders of Separate Maintenance and Support, which provide specific details regarding parties' child custody, visitation, and support arrangements, as well as maintaining marital assets and paying marital debts, until ...

Simply go to your local magistrate's office, explain your claim to the magistrate (or the magistrate's clerk), pay a small filing fee, and the magistrate's office will help you fill out the paperwork and send it to the party that you are making a claim against.