Chesnee Divorce Attorneys

If you’re facing family legal issues, you’re not alone—and you will make it through this. This may be one of the most challenging times of your life, whether you’re going through a divorce, fighting for a fair custody arrangement, or trying to establish the paternity of your child.

These issues can significantly affect your quality of life and future, so it’s crucial to take them seriously and talk to an attorney. By working with a Chesnee, SC and upstate family law attorney, you can protect your rights and fight for the best possible outcome to your current situation.

The team at Nowell Law Firm understands the complicated emotions and challenges that come with family law cases. Our goal is to tackle your case in a way that is sensitive to your needs and that results in a positive outcome for you. Schedule a consultation now by calling us at 864-469-2481.

Our Family Law Practice

Our firm practices family law across much of upstate South Carolina, giving us an in-depth understanding of what clients need and the various ways we can solve their problems. Some of the cases we handle include:

• Fault and no-fault divorce
• Contested and uncontested divorce
• Division of assets
• Child custody
• Child support
• Alimony
• QDROs
• Prenuptial agreements
• Adoption
• Adult and minor name change

When you meet with your attorney, we promise to listen to what you want from your case. Everyone has different goals for their family court action, and we are committed to approaching your case in a way that respects your goals and intentions.

Helping You Navigate Your Divorce

A big part of approaching your case in a way that’s sensitive to your needs is thinking about what you want from your divorce. If you’ve been wronged, you may be ready to go all out and get what you can from your split. On the flip side, you may be so done with your marriage that you just want to get out as quickly as possible—no matter what you have to give up.

Many people choose the middle of the road. They want to get what they’re rightfully owed from their split, but not at the expense of their co-parenting relationship. They want the assets they deserve, but they also want a productive co-parenting relationship with the other parent of their children. We’ll listen to you throughout this process and help you navigate through the complicated emotions and issues involved, to help you obtain the most equitable result possible.

One of the first decisions you’ll have to make as you file for divorce is whether you want to pursue a fault or no-fault divorce. A no-fault divorce allows you to file simply because you and your spouse have been living apart for one year (although there is a separation action also available for you which enables you to file an action prior to being separated for a full year).

A fault-based divorce alleges that your ex mistreated you in a way that forced you to file for divorce. In South Carolina, you can pursue a fault-based divorce for physical abuse, habitual drunkenness or drug use, or adultery.  Although desertion for one year is also still a technical fault ground in SC, it has largely been deserted (no pun intended) with the advent of the no-fault divorce based on grounds of one years’ separation.

From there, we’ll move on to filing for divorce or separation action and begin to hash out the topics that will determine how you start your post-divorce life.

Discussing the Topics That Matter Most

Some of the most important decisions you’ll have to make during a divorce or separation revolve around your finances, your children, and your financial obligations. Some of the topics we will discuss include:

• Child custody: As is the case in other states, South Carolina looks at the child’s best interests when it comes to determining custody. In most situations, they believe it is best for the child to spend substantial time with both parents. However, there are certainly circumstances in which it would better serve a child’s best interest to live exclusively or spend the majority of their time with one parent over the other.
• Child support: Child support is based on a number of factors, but the non-custodial parent generally pays support to the custodial parent. The custodial parent is assumed to have paid their portion of the child’s expenses as they take care of the child(ren) each day.
• Division of assets: The division of assets involves cataloging the marital assets you and your spouse have accumulated and then splitting them up in a fair way. That means that the division may not necessarily be equal, as you and your spouse may not have similar circumstances. Some of the factors in the division offsets include who keeps the children, alimony payments, each partner’s income, separate assets, sacrifices made by both parties, and marital misconduct.
• Alimony: Alimony is not automatic in South Carolina, but it may be awarded if one party earns significantly less than the other or one party sacrificed their career to support their spouse. In some cases, permanent alimony may even be awarded, so long as it’s not statutorily barred.

Meeting All of Your Family Law Needs

Beyond divorce, Nowell Law Firm is here for your other family law concerns. If you’re interested in pursuing adoption, we’ll assist you as you navigate the process and its pitfalls. If you are interested in pursuing custody of your child or adjusting a child support order outside of any divorce or separation action, we will walk you through the process and help you know what to expect every step of the way. As you prepare for marriage, you may want to learn more about protecting your assets with a prenuptial agreement.  You may be interested in pursuing a legal name change for you or your child.  We can help you navigate that process as well.

Family law concerns are full of nuance and emotional complexities that set this area of law apart from others. Choosing the right attorney is key. Whatever situation you find yourself in, Nowell Law Firm is here for you.

Schedule a Time to Talk to Our Chesnee, SC and Upstate SC Family Law Attorneys

If you’re gearing up for a divorce, considering your options regarding custody, or wondering if you are entitled to child support, it’s time to talk to the team at Nowell Law Firm and get your questions answered. During your initial consultation, we’ll answer your questions, get a basic understanding of your case, and explain your options to you.

We’re confident that you’ll feel supported and understood throughout your case. Schedule your meeting now by calling us at 864-469-2481 or reaching out online.