South Carolina Divorce Attorneys

When You Need to Divorce

We understand divorce is a stressful life event, but sometimes a necessary one. It isn't an easy process, especially when children are also affected by the dissolution of your marriage. Serious decisions need to be made about finances and property when a marriage breaks up and family members are still in the midst of adjusting to major changes in their circumstances. When the divorce is contested or when child custody is in dispute, an emotionally charged atmosphere makes even simple decisions more difficult. Legal expertise can help provide support and clarity to ease this important life transition for your family. Our South Carolina Divorce Attorneys in Camden can help make this difficult time less painful.

Amicable Partings

The divorce process is simplified when a couple agrees on property division, maintenance or spousal support, child custody, and child support issues. For amicable, uncontested divorces, the attorneys at Speedy, Tanner, & Atkinson help keep them that way. At the same time, we ensure that legal proceedings are completed smoothly and as planned, without incurring unnecessary costs.

Contested Divorce

When the terms of the divorce are in dispute, our goal is to protect our clients' interests. We work hard to keep the assets our clients are entitled to so that they can move on without drastic financial losses resulting from the end of the marriage. For disputes that involve children, we work diligently in the best interests of the child to resolve issues of child custody, visitation, and support.

Alternatives to Litigation

Our law firm is committed to helping clients and their families with strategies available to us in the area of family law that suit the specific situation. This includes mediating disputes and settlements in a non-adversarial environment. Mediation often provides a less stressful way through the upheaval of divorce. As such, we have certified family mediators in our office for clients who choose this option.

Maintaining Financial Health

Divorce is emotionally painful, but it doesn't have to be economically devastating. It might feel like you could lose everything, but legal expertise can assist you in getting what you need and what you're entitled to receive at the end of your partnership, whether that's helping you settle with your partner or representing you in court.

Equitable Division

When partners can't come to a settlement between themselves, the matter may be resolved in court. In South Carolina, assets and debts acquired over the course of the marriage are divided equitably - that means distributed fairly, but not necessarily equally. The future financial situation of each partner is taken into account to determine fairness. In reaching the decision, the judge looks at several factors, such as the income and future earning potential of each partner, whether there's a need for training or further education to improve earning potential, the length of the marriage, property values and health issues.

Qualified Domestic Relations Order

A lawyer can also assist with drawing up a qualified domestic relations order, or QDRO, which enables a spouse to collect all or part of a partner's retirement plan. The QDRO needs to be prepared accurately, showing that 11 minimum requirements are met and submitted to a judge for approval.

Family Court Mediation

Many people want to divorce with a minimum of conflict and antagonism, especially when children are involved. As an alternative to court, mediation offers a calm, non-adversarial atmosphere for people to negotiate the terms of divorce. During this process, a neutral party serves as the mediator, assisting both parties in reaching agreement in a calm atmosphere. Mediation is required by all counties in South Carolina when parties cannot reach an agreement.

Most people find issues move more quickly and less expensively than conventional litigation. Mediation can be used for any of the issues that accompany divorce, such as division of property, child custody and spousal support.