At Courtney Wall Kerce Family Law, LLC, we exclusively practice family law. We are committed to helping families in the Charleston area resolve their legal matters in a dignified and respectful way.
At Courtney Wall Kerce Family Law, LLC, our family law practice areas include:
Divorce:
The breakdown of a long-term relationship is a sensitive and personal matter. We are zealous advocates for our clients and tailor our approach based on the needs of our clients. We are dedicated to exploring all of your available options, which include:
Litigation
Collaborative Law
Mediation
Arbitration
You are eligible to obtain a divorce in South Carolina if you have remained continuously separate and apart for one year. Additionally, South Carolina recognizes adultery, desertion, physical cruelty and addiction to drugs or alcohol.
Custody:
At Courtney Wall Kerce Family Law, LLC, we value the well-being of our clients’ children and their welfare is paramount to us. In matters involving child custody and visitation, we are always sensitive to the needs of the children, and we work toward a resolution that will minimize the impact of litigation upon them. When it comes to custody determinations, South Carolina courts do not favor mothers over fathers. We are here to help both mothers and fathers resolve custody disputes. The standard applied to all custody decisions is based on the best interests of the children.
Our firm can guide you through the custody process by gathering information specific to your family’s circumstances, evaluating the various custody options, and developing a strategy to help achieve optimal custody outcome. Several possible custody outcomes include:
Legal custody: Legal custody enables a parent to make important decisions on behalf of their children. These decisions include medical care, education, religion, and extracurricular decisions.
Physical custody: Physical custody determines where the minor child will primarily reside.
Sole custody: Sole custody refers to one parent obtaining full legal and/or physical custody of a minor child. In the event that a parent is awarded sole legal custody, that parent has the ability to make decisions on behalf of a minor child without consulting with the other parent. In a true sole physical custody situation, one parent would have exclusive parenting time with a minor child.
Joint custody: Joint custody refers to the parent sharing legal and physical custody of a minor child. In the event that the parties are awarded joint custody, both parents share in making decisions on behalf of a minor child and both parents will share time with a minor child.
Child Support:
A monthly child support payment is based on the South Carolina Child Support Guidelines. The guidelines consider the gross income of both parents, the number of children to be supported, the number of overnights that a child spends with each parent, childcare expenses, medical insurance expenses, and whether either parent has an alimony obligation to the other parent.
Alimony / Spousal Support:
South Carolina recognizes four types of alimony:
Permanent, periodic alimony is paid until the death of either spouse, remarriage of the supported spouse or if the supported spouse cohabits for a period of ninety days or more.
Lump sum alimony is a fixed sum on money that is payable in one installment or payable over a period of time.
Rehabilitative alimony is awarded for a period of time so that the supported spouse can become self-supporting within the designated time frame. Oftentimes, the support spouse is receiving further education or training during the rehabilitative time period
Reimbursement alimony is designed to reimburse a spouse for various sacrifices, to include financial, time, labor, that were made during the marriage that ultimately increased the other spouse’s earning capacity.
Relocation:
In our increasingly mobile society, parental relocation has become more commonplace. Whether it be a new job opportunity, remarriage, or family obligations, there are often compelling reasons why a parent may need to relocate. Whether you are seeking a modification to an existing custody order or opposing a potential relocation, we are here to help you navigate through the legal process, protect your rights, and ensure that the move will serve the best interest of a minor child.
Modification of Existing Order:
In today’s changing society, it is sometimes necessary to modify an existing court order. If you have a substantial change in circumstances, we are here to help modify your prior agreement. If you have a change in your financial situation or if you have experienced changes that impact your existing custody order, we can evaluate whether it is appropriate to seek a modification.
Additional Areas of Focus:
Name Changes
Prenuptial Agreements
Adoption
Wills
Enforcement of Existing Orders