A surprising study discussed in the Wall Street Journal linked a connection to the internet to an increase in marriage rates. Surprisingly, the study found that marriage rates among young couples, which had been on the decline for years, are actually between 15 and 30 percent higher than they would be without the existence of… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Marriage
Subscribe to Marriage RSS FeedPregnant Man in Arizona Plans to Appeal Denial of His Divorce
Posted in Divorce, Jurisdiction, Marriage, Medical Issues, Procedure, SeparationAn attorney who represents Thomas Beatie, a transgender man in Arizona who gave birth to three of his children after changing his sex from female to male, has been denied a divorce. The Arizona judge said that state laws do not recognize same-sex marriage and that he is not allowed to grant a same-sex divorce…. Continue Reading
South Carolina Man in Hot Water for Forging Divorce Documents
Posted in Divorce, Marriage, Research & InvestigationJust last weekend agents with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division filed charges against a 45-year-old man from Summerville who allegedly forged important legal documents. Just what were these legal papers? Divorce papers. The man, Edward Brown, sent the divorce papers to his girlfriend to try and convince her that he was divorced and that… Continue Reading
North Carolina Senate Considers Two-Year Waiting Period For Divorce
Posted in Communication, Dispute Resolution, Divorce, Educational Resources, Marriage, Procedure, Relationships, SeparationNorth Carolina lawmakers recently took a surprise step when a measure was proposed to create a waiting period of two years for those couples considering divorce. Beyond the wait, the bill would also require couples to undergo marriage counseling before being granted a divorce. The measure is backed by a group of Republican legislators who want… Continue Reading
How To Dismiss A Divorce Case In South Carolina
Posted in Divorce, Marriage, Procedure, RelationshipsOnce a divorce petition has been filed in South Carolina, most people think the marriage is all but over. While filing for divorce is typically the beginning of the end, there are many situations where one or both parties may decide they no longer want to move forward with a divorce. Calling it off is possible so… Continue Reading
Annulments in South Carolina
Posted in MarriageWith the continuing saga of Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries playing out in the tabloids, many people have likely read about the issue of annulments and may be curious about how they work in practice. If the gossip magazines can be trusted, Kris Humphries supposedly wants an annulment, something Ms. Kardashian refuses to go along… Continue Reading
Common Law Marriage in South Carolina
Posted in Marriage, Procedure, RelationshipsThere are many rumors and misunderstandings regarding the concept of common law marriage. To be clear, South Carolina recognizes “common law marriage”, which is defined as “a marriage that takes legal effect, without license or ceremony, when two people capable of marrying live together as husband and wife, intend to be married, and hold themselves out as… Continue Reading
Sesame Street Tackles Divorce
Posted in Children, Communication, Divorce, Educational Resources, Marriage, Psychological Issues, Relationships, SeparationBig news on the children television front: Sesame Street has made the decision to finally deal with the messy topic of divorce. The production company behind the TV show didn’t arrive at the conclusion easily; instead, writers and researchers with the Sesame Workshop have spent two years planning the segment. The segment will star Abby Cadabby,… Continue Reading
Common Law Marriage in South Carolina
Posted in Divorce, Marriage, RelationshipsSouth Carolina is one of the few states that still recognizes common law marriage. The concept is often misunderstood, with many people mistakenly believing that merely living together for a certain (or “magic”) number of years means you are automatically considered married. However, that’s not the case. The test for whether a common law… Continue Reading
What To Do If You’re Considering Remarriage in South Carolina
Posted in Alimony, Child Custody, Financial Issues, Marriage, Relationships, VisitationMany South Carolinians come out of a divorce and vow to never be married again. The process was emotionally and financially draining and often leaves people broken-hearted or generally exhausted. Though this feeling can last a while, many eventually grow out of their concerns and may decide to make another go of it. If that’s… Continue Reading
What Happens to the Engagement Ring After Divorce in South Carolina?
Posted in Assets and Debts, Divorce, Financial Issues, MarriageOne common question that individuals have when going through a divorce is what happens to the engagement ring if the marriage or the engagement goes awry. Who gets to keep the ring: the man who likely purchased it, or the woman who it was given to? The short answer is that it depends. Now for… Continue Reading
Primer on Religious Divorce
Posted in Divorce, Marriage, ProcedureAs many people understand, you don’t need a church wedding to get married, and you don’t need a religious ceremony to be divorced. However, the act may be important to some couples who want a religious divorce in addition to the legal divorce they are pursuing. Those who value tradition and the laws of their… Continue Reading
Changing Your Name After Marriage or Divorce
Posted in Divorce, Marriage, Practice Tips, ProcedureOur female clients frequently inquire about the easiest process to change their name following divorce and/or a new marriage. Being newly married myself, here are the steps I took: Start with a certified copy of your marriage license or divorce decree. Most places you go will ask to see proof of the reason you are… Continue Reading
Could “Cold Feet” Mean Something More?
Posted in Divorce, Marriage, SeparationMaking the decision to get married is difficult for some couples in South Carolina. In fact, one study recently showed that for those who experience “cold feet” prior to a marriage, the likelihood that they will eventually go through a divorce in the future is higher than for those without such pre-wedding jitters. This was… Continue Reading
Norwegian Study Shows Correlation Between Shared Housework and Higher Divorce Rates
Posted in Communication, Dispute Resolution, Divorce, Marriage, Psychological Issues, Relationships, Research & InvestigationA recent study out of Norway revealed that divorce rates are higher among couples who equally share the housework than in those where the woman does the bulk of the chores. The bizarre findings indicate that the divorce rate among couples who shared housework equally was around 50% higher than among those where the woman… Continue Reading
Four Bizarre Marriage Laws From Across the Country (Including South Carolina)
Posted in MarriageWith all the talk of alimony and custody fights, sometimes a little lightheartedness is appreciated. After all, you’ve got to laugh to keep from crying. In that spirit, the following list of bizarre marriage-related laws on the books in states across the country (including here in South Carolina) is meant to inject some humor into… Continue Reading
Increase in Prenups in South Carolina
Posted in Dispute Resolution, Financial Issues, Marriage, Prenuptial AgreementsIf you were to ask many South Carolinians 20 years ago whether they would sign a prenuptial agreement if their partner asked them to, the response of the majority of people would surely be “no.” Prenups have traditionally been considered a sign that a person either (a) does not believe that their marriage to work… Continue Reading
Study Examines Impact of Divorce on Drinking
Posted in Divorce, Educational Resources, Marriage, Medical Issues, SeparationA recent article on ABCNews.com discussed a study which sought to examine alcohol’s role before and after marriage. The study, presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, looked at 5,300 people over a ten-year period and contained some surprising results. Lead researcher Corinne Reczek, assistant professor in sociology at the University of… Continue Reading
How Counseling Can Save A Marriage from Divorce (and How it Can’t)
Posted in Communication, Dispute Resolution, Educational Resources, Marriage, Psychological Issues, RelationshipsThe following Guest Post is from Aileen Pablo: Many believe that before taking a drastic step, like breaking up a family with divorce, you should first seek counseling. In fact, some states, like Nebraska and Wyoming, are introducing legislation that would make it mandatory to have at least three sessions with a marriage counselor before a… Continue Reading
Military Divorce in South Carolina
Posted in Assets and Debts, Divorce, Financial Issues, Marriage, SeparationDeciding how to split up a couple’s accumulated assets is a challenging (but necessary) task during the divorce process. This already tough job can be made even more complicated if one or both spouses is an active duty or retired member of the military. In such situations, one of the couple’s biggest assets is almost… Continue Reading
Spartanburg Family Lawyer Ben Stevens Discusses Gray Divorce
Posted in Assets and Debts, Divorce, Educational Resources, Financial Issues, Marriage, Relationships, Separation, TechnologyLast week, I published an article about the increasing trend of older couples getting divorced, which has become known as “gray divorce.” I was interviewed this week by Colin O’Keefe of LXBN TV on this topic. Is this trend due to changes in the economy, advances in technology, or poor communication? Watch the interview below to… Continue Reading
Dating During Divorce in South Carolina
Posted in Alimony, Child Custody, Divorce, Marriage, Separation, VisitationSouth Carolina family law attorneys get asked the question all the time: “Can I date during my divorce?” The advice boils down to three words: Don’t do it! Most good divorce lawyers strongly recommend that clients their do not date during the pendency of the divorce action. Even “innocent” dating that was not the result of… Continue Reading
The Effects of Divorce on Elder Care in South Carolina
Posted in Assets and Debts, Children, Divorce, Financial Issues, Marriage, Medical Issues, Relationships, SeparationA reality that many families are only beginning to face is the effect that divorce can have later in life on caregiving, especially for adult children and step-children. Taking care of older parents is hard enough; the only thing harder is having multiple sets of parents to watch after. This difficulty is compounded by the… Continue Reading
“Gray Divorce” in South Carolina Comes With Unique Financial Concerns
Posted in Assets and Debts, Divorce, Financial Issues, Marriage, Relationships, Separation, Tax IssuesThe trend known as “gray divorce” appears to be picking up steam. The numbers of senior divorces in the country continue to grow and with the baby boomers aging the amount will likely rise even faster. Susan L. Brown and I-Fen Lin at Bowling Green State University’s National Center for Family & Marriage Research Center… Continue Reading