Charleston Divorce Attorneys

Divorce Matters Our Charleston Divorce Firm Can Help With

Divorce can reach into all types of matters and involve various South Carolina family laws. The good news is that our divorce lawyers will be ready to help with your case, no matter what it involves or what type of divorce it is.

Your divorce might fall into one or more of these categories:

• Contested: A contested divorce occurs when the spouse who receives the divorce papers doesn’t agree with every clause within it. The case will need to go back to court or enter mediation to find a solution.
• Uncontested: An uncontested divorce occurs when both spouses agree to the terms in the initial divorce petition. This type of divorce is usually less stressful but still often requires the guidance of a talented divorce attorney to make sure no one inadvertently agrees to one-sided terms.
• Military: Are you or your spouse a military service member? We thank you for your service. Let us offer our legal service to guide you through your divorce, which may be complicated by issues specific to military service, like filing divorce papers while your spouse is deployed overseas.
• High-asset: If you and your spouse share highly valuable marital property, your divorce may be considered as “high-asset.” Our attorneys are well versed in the additional financial challenges that occur in these specific types of divorce.

What Will Your Divorce Process Involve?

Every divorce process is unique, but most will involve these basic steps:

1. Creating: If you want to file for divorce, start by talking with our Charleston divorce attorneys about your goals. We can take those goals and put them on paper by creating the initial divorce petition on your behalf.
2. Filing: When your initial petition is complete, the first official step to get divorced is to file it with the right court. A filing fee usually applies.
3. Serving: Your spouse (the spouse who did not file for divorce in this example) will need to be officially served a copy of the divorce petition, which is technically a legal “complaint.” 
4. Responding: Your spouse usually has 30 days to decide how to respond to it. If they do not agree with all the terms and clauses, they can contest the divorce.
5. Hearing: A hearing will be held to review the divorce decree with a judge and decide how to move forward. Additional or temporary hearings will likely be needed, especially if the divorce is contested.

If hearings do not lead to mediation that produces an amicable solution for you and your spouse, your case will need to head to court. Like other trials, a divorce trial will have discovery processes, the opportunity to use evidence or witness statements in court, and so on. We always prepare our cases as if they are headed for divorce, though, so you don’t have to worry if your case requires a trial.

Local Charleston Resources for Divorcing Families

Courts you may need to know for your divorce case include:

• Charleston County Family Court:
  • 100 Broad St #143, Charleston, SC 29401
  • (843) 958-4400
• Charleston County Clerk-Court:
  • 100 Broad St, Charleston, SC 29401
  • (843) 958-5000
• Dorchester County Family Court:
  • 212 Deming Way #2, Summerville, SC 29483
  • (843) 832-0360

If your case involves domestic violence, you may also want to know about the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, which is located at 100 Broad St STE 384, Charleston, SC 29401. You can call (843) 743-7200 for information about restraining orders or for non-emergencies. If you are in an emergency, call 911.

You may also be interested in finding a local divorce support group that can help you with the emotional side of divorce. Psychology Today has a convenient list of several support groups for families dealing with the complications of divorce, which you can find by clicking here. (Blood Law, PLLC is not affiliated with or sponsored by Psychology Today or any of the support groups listed by it.)