CHEAPER TO KEEP HER?
South Carolina is no friend to divorce …
Apparently it isn’t a “family value.” You know … like marriage (or at least heterosexual marriage). Accordingly if you want to get divorced in the Palmetto State, you’d better be prepared to do some serious waiting.
How long? According to a recent report featured in The Huffington Post, the “minimum total processing time” for a divorce in South Carolina is 450 days – the fourth-longest stretch of time in the nation. This same report found the Palmetto State scored a 27 out of 100 when it came to “ease of filing” for divorce – also the fourth-worst ranking in America.
Why does it take so long to get a divorce here? Easy: Because the evangelicals who run this state abhor the practice – and do everything they can to discourage it in the name of “reconciliation.”
Jesus wants you to work it out, in other words …
Frankly, this website is sick unto death of this entire debate. As we’ve noted ad nauseam, marriage ought to be the exclusive purview of individual churches – not the government. Which, if you run things to their logical extension, means divorce should also be the exclusive purview of those same congregations.
Problem solved.
Until our esteemed leaders figure this out, though, South Carolina’s drawn-out divorce laws will continue to needlessly frustrate thousands of couples each year …
Anyway, courtesy of Mount Pleasant, S.C.-based McGrath Law Firm here’s a nifty infographic by artist Leanne Egan highlighting some additional data on the barriers to divorce erected by Palmetto Politicians.
Take a look …
(Graphic: Leanne Egan)
72 comments
A lot of you liberals herald divorce as a much-neded woman’s right. But in truth, divorced women don’t fare as well…They are usually much less happy and of course less financially sound…
And the BIG downside, that liberals don’t give a $#!* about, are the children of divorce.
While Dum@$$#$ like FITS, Tenenbaum, Rex and the left, will discount the societal damage of broken homes…the REAL problem in SC education comes from liberal causes…Divorce, and single-parent homes being one of the MAIN reasons for poor academic performance, and bad outcomes.
Of course, the left will just tell you money will fix it all…as the problem gets worse, no matter how much they steal and spend…
Well it is no secret that the gomerent will take kare of da kids – said a smart negro (this is of course a fantasy as they do not exi
kids are the property of the parents. We should let the parents send their kids to somalia or whatever, so they won’t end up on welfare.
The parents should have the right to sell their kids to Somalia, so my taxes don’t have to take care of them.
That’s what *I* said. The greeks thought the children were property like tables and chairs. It was ok to kill them for smoking weed.
We could always make children communal property instead of personal property. We are pretty close to it already in many ways, it might be best to get the 50% +1 vote in as many jurisdictions as possible so we can all enjoy the tragedy of the commons.
Why not put the church in charge?
But in truth, divorced women don’t fare as well
—–
Being beaten almost to death regularly by a sociopath is better than poverty – I couldn’t agree more!
You beat your wife??? I always figured most wife-beater T-Shirt wearing rednecks as liberals. Now you confirm it..
Liberals have no idea what a healthy relationship is. You hate Whites if you’re Black. You hate adequate earners, if you are not. You hate homeowners, if you don’t own a home..
And you Hate men, if you’re a woman..and you think all relationships are like your dysfunctional #$$#$…
You beat your wife??? I always figured most wife-beater T-Shirt wearing rednecks as liberals. Now you confirm it..
——–
shouldn’t my wife be granted a divorce?
Q: Which item doesn’t belong with the other three?
Wife
Eggs
Meat
Blowjob
The correct answer is “blowjob”.
You can beat a wife.
You can beat eggs.
You can beat your meat.
But you can’t beat a blowjob.
also, you can’t get a blowjob from any of the other three.
All these years I can’t recall an instance where you defined someone as being something other than “liberal”. Would you mind naming one living “non-liberal” (also deities don’t count, though I’d suspect the only example you could give would be someone who is all perfect and all knowing).
Bonus points if you can do it without invoking the names of Obama or Dabo Swinney.
I don’t necessarily take requests to fulfill mythology…especially the myths of a Dumb@$$ liberal…Hahahahaha…
Don’t forget, better for a kid to have an abusive father than a single mother! Nuclear anger makes nuclear families work, so says Big(o)T!
Hate is a Republican family value.
This April 20 will be 15,645 days I have been married to the same woman. Would this allow either of us caucasian DEMOCRATS to go to the head of the D line?
Forgot to add all the Feb. 29 for 43 years, that should add a few more days.
Like most liberals, if you get yours, you enjoy it to the utmost.
You just don’t give a $#!* about other people enjoying the same fruits of life you take advantage of…because you can use their sorrow to get a political (financial) advantage…
Oh, don’t forget. Grandson turned 15 yesterday, got his learners permit today, and is driving that SUV I gave him back in October.
By the way , all these gifts and life-long marriage have been financed through
UNION construction wages.
Presently enjoying an annual retirement income of $80k, all enabled by IBEW UNION PRIVATE SECTOR wages.
Rant all you want, I won’t pleasure you with a response,HATER!!!!!!!!!!!
But we have to kill your union and raid your pension to save management’s goodies whenever they royally fuck up, otherwise Mother Russia wins! Oh, and no Social Security or Medicare, that’s just dependency on government. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps and work into your 80’s! Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for the job creators!
You just don’t give a $#!* about other people enjoying the same fruits of life you take advantage of
——
Not true! I voted for legalization of marijuana!
Which will be legalized first in SC?
A. Gay Marriage
B. Recreational Marijuana
I thought you were going to secede first.
SC Secedes? LOL. They balanced the budget for FY15 at $24 Billion. $7 Bil state funds and $17 federal funds. Yes secede and stand on your own damned feet. Bwaaahaaahaa
Are you trying to make the argument that common sense would prevent it?
I’m just saying people calling for secession haven’t thought things through. One person said that when the fed money was gone all the deadbeats would move to a blue state. That still doesn’t account for the 97% left behind. Whole lot of blowing smoke going on. Big men with big guns and little dicks.
..and I’m just saying, common sense didn’t stop the civil war.
You just don’t give a $#!* about other people enjoying the same fruits of life you take advantage of…because you can use their hardship and sorrow to get a political (financial) advantage…
Boy, this is awkward, because it describes you and anyone else who is against gays and lesbians getting married to a fucking tee.
More ignorance on your part. I have no opposition to ANYONE getting married. Gays, that I know, have been getting married for years.
But your bedroom (or boat landing, rest stop) preference is NOT a Civil Right…Dumb@$$.
I sure wish Disqus would go back to showing GT’s down votes.
If you vote down a comment and then sweep over the down arrow (?) a little box will appear with the wording, “Voting has changed. Learn more.”
Click on the underlined “Learn more.” and it will take you to a Disqus page about how they are doing this in the name of “positivity” or some like bullshit. There is a brief survey and a place for you to let them know your thoughts on the matter. I did. I told them that I think not showing the negative votes is silly and that there has not yet been made, a battery which does not have a negative terminal or like connection and which can still work. Good luck!
You can see the total downvotes for a poster in the dashboard view.
What is the dashboard view – I clicked on my avatar and it doesn’t show the downvotes..? I believe that the downvotes showing is helpful – for example, if I get any, I’ll read my comment to see what is harmful or hurtful to someone — or if my comment was just-plain-stupid (yes, I CONFESS)…
http://disqus.com/pages/dashboard/#home
It’s pretty rare to meet someone sane on these boards… I figure we should send someone out to your place to tear up the floor boards to make sure.
Thanks CinC. Did the survey, etc.
Exclusive purview of the individual, not the church. Church has absolutely zero authority over any individual except those who allow it.
As long as government enforces various laws and settles disputes, you cannot say it has no place, however it should be equal, fair, and without discrimination.
Marriage is an exclusive institution of the church. Separation of State right?
It is not an exclusive institution of the church, it is the right of an individual, pursuant to their beliefs, to join with whatever consenting adult that agrees to be joined with them. Any church bullshit is absolutely optional. Even government recognition is entirely optional. NOTHING trumps the individual right to consenting adults considering themselves married, no matter what any other individual says.
The only point of government recognition is to reap the benefits that come with being considered legally married, as government is the entity that enforces those laws and procedures. Unless you fundamentally change how our society works, the inescapable fact is that yes, -legal- marriage IS an exclusive institution of government. However, the institution of marriage itself is not.
By your logic, when I get married by a justice of the peace, outside of a church, it is not actually marriage. No atheist, or any kind of agnostic, or even Christian/Jew/Muslim/etc., can get married without the blessing of some church. That means a whooooole lotta people who thought they were married are actually fornicating and having babies out of wedlock. Have fun believing that!
By your logic, certain Mormons and Muslims should be able to marry multiple women, or really, any religion that accepts polygamy. Since a “church” approves of it, then it must be a valid marriage. Certainly no laws respect such marriages, nor are there laws or procedures to deal with such marriages. Government is therefore discriminating against polygamist religions and, therefore, there is no “separation of state.”
By your logic, unless you are telling me only churches you approve get to decide who is married and who isn’t, I can institute my own church and approve all marriages and solve this fucking nonsense here and now:
I hereby found the Church of Smirks by the holy powers bestowed upon me. I hereby declare that ALL marriages between consenting adults, regardless of how many adults, or what race, sex, or sexual preference those adults may be, are holy marriages in the name of Zeus. Zeus told me in a dream one night, and I wrote it down on a napkin (although I think I might have thrown it out accidentally), and if you tell me my holy text is wrong, you are being a bigot against my religion. Also, Ra handles divorces.
Or, we could just all be adults and admit that no one has a fucking say in who is married and who isn’t, let government enforce the laws fairly, and let churches decide whatever the fuck they want among their congregation and not try to shove it down everyone else’s throats.
Tell you what.
I will concede that marriage is, in fact, a religious institution.
I hereby ask that government invalidate every single marriage that was not ordained by a religious institution or minister.
Every marriage that was not signed by a pastor/priest/rabbi/whatever, or did not take place on religious grounds, or did not consult with a religious leader, or did not obtain permission from a religious institution, should be null and void.
All persons whose marriage was invalidated has 30 days to go to a religious institution of their choosing and obtain a document stating that their marriage is ordained.
As a result of this bill, however, ANY MARRIAGE WHATSOEVER that:
1) is between two or more consenting adults,
2) provides a document stating that their marriage is ordained by a religious institution (or “church” if you will),
3) signs a notarized document stating that they wish to be legally viewed as married,
will hereby be considered legally married by the United States government and will have full rights that any other married individual has.
Please tell me if you agree to this, because I’ll file whatever I need to make my new church an officially recognized one. The Church of Smirks will ordain any marriage, as it is almighty Zeus’ will. Belief in my church’s holy text or any other beliefs is entirely optional, all are welcome!
(Oh, and if your marriage was invalidated and you decide you don’t want to validate it, congrats! You’re free! Go smoke a blunt* and drink a beer and watch porn! Your marriage wasn’t really a marriage as considered by the religious nutters, so no losing half your shit either!)
*Applies only to residents of CO and WA.
Oh, I don’t think so. I won’t be forced to get married by a person who has a severe mental disorder (pastor, priest, whatever) My marriage is valid. No religious grounds necessary.
I always thought that drawing the distinction between the religious ceremony of being “married” and that of the government recognition of a “civil union” made complete sense.(a marriage license could become a civil union license and the marriage declaration/ceremony reserved for churches for example)
It would naturally defuse the whole situation, alas both sides seem to want to fight each other and will have none of it.
Yeah, it is all intentional conflation for reasons I can’t even understand. I can’t recall anyone suggesting who churches can or can’t wed. Issues like insuring workers of the church is a totally different issue.
For the life of me I can’t tell if that kind of talk is genuine paranoia that the gestapo are going to kick down the doors of First Baptist and force preacher to wed man and dog in a satanic orgy or if it just falls under “Government endorsement of X will cause us to lose God’s favor”. If it is the latter than we might as well make Fred Phelps UN ambassador to the Universe.
I had to listen to 15 minutes of bullshit from Russ Cassell on WORD this morning on this exact issue. He never talks about a particular issue; he merely takes the issue to the nth degree and the every redneck goober calls in to agree.
every redneck goober calls in to agree.
——
redneck goobers need love too
Makes me wonder why you’d continue to listen to Russ Cassell.
I can stomach the ad nauseum repetition of the same issue by Tara Servatious about once a month…for 5 minutes. Thats all it really takes to hear her whole show; the rest issports talk reject call-ins, her horrible subject delivery and inane ponderings of the same subject on repeat.
In France, and several other countries the process is separated, you have a civil ceremony which makes the union valid in the eyes of the state, and then if you wish you can have a religious ceremony to validate it in the eyes of your religion.
In this country the two functions are more intertwined, because we are descended from England, which has an established church as part of the state. Therefore the church functioned as a arm of the state and kept the records. We have largely continued the tradition as part of our culture. But many people forget that marriages can and do take place in not only churches, but courthouses, wedding chapels, and anywhere else that someone licensed to perform them officiates.
Marriage is an exclusive institution of Marduk, who passed down basic pre-vowel script via baked clay tablet to the people of Babylon.
Marduk was clear on the definition of marriage. It is a relationship between one man and one woman established via a dowry price based on current market value of the establishment of a household.
This is finalized by both parties gathering hands while male utters: “I am the son of nobles, silver and gold shall fill thy lap, thou shalt be my wife, I will be thy husband. Like the fruit of a garden I will give thee offspring.”
Divorce occurs when the male can afford to return the dowry to the bride’s father. So saith Marduk.
You should be required to wait 365 before you can get married.
I’d say two full years at a minimum with a proper courtship adn engagement period.
I want the job to inspect hymens.
But if you have proof of adultery, such as Sanford versus Sanford, isn’t less time?
You don’t even need proof…just once person admitting to it. Or, “alienation of affection” I think is the legal term. Also, if one or the other decides they want children and the other doesn’t (presumably before they have had children), then you are also out in 90 days.
The total number of days here is wrong. There is no minimum 450 day requirement in South Carolina. There is a 90 day total requirement to obtain a decree on a fault ground (like adultery). Otherwise as long as the couple has been separated for a year the divorce can go through without delay. Its even technically possible to do it in one day (if a judge will squeeze you in, there is a full agreement, and both sides appear in court and waive normal noticetime to respond).
You misread the article. It doesn’t say there is a minimum day requirement. It says minimum total processing time. These are distinct things.
Maybe this is why SC is number 1 in deaths to women at the hands of their spouse. SC “Won out” over Utah this year after running 2nd for the last few years. Yes, explains a lot.
A lot of Gay women are VERY violent. That may explain a lot.
Men who profess to be straight and are in fact gay tend to post bullshit replies to my posts.
I think you’re delusional.
So only members of a church could get married or divorced?
Yeh and if you’re an atheist or agnostic?
You’re out of luck!
Very “libertarian ” of you Fits!
Henny Youngman refused to be either an atheist or an agnostic because he wouldn’t have any holidays…..
It’s a real bitch to get divorced here. Not sure that I’m entirely opposed to that. Took 4.5 years for my ex wifes filing to be finalized.
Not reading through all these comments but thought I would note that the infographic is very misleading. the infographic is supposed to be listing reasons why it is difficult to get a divorce in SC. It lists one that I can see.
1. The number of factors considered when calculating alimony has nothing to do with the amount of time it takes to get divorced. If there’s cause the divorce is granted. Presumably that is when alimony comes into consideration and that is a basic math problem.
2. The number of days required to be separated prior to filing for a no fault is irrelevant. Lawyers and women write down whatever they want when there are no grounds, wait a year and change the filing. done.
3. The number of issues recognized by the state of SC as a reason for cause has nothing to do with the amount of time it takes for the divorce to proceed. An individual reason of cause may in fact require more time to try, but that is an effort of the parties and attorneys and has nothing to do with any function of government. CYA takes time and that’s time you’re spending, not the government is spending.
4. The number of states that recognize or do not recognize something is irrelevant to the amount of time it takes a divorce to wind through the courts in SC.
As to the infographic, it is to be expected that an attorney would come up with drivel to attempt to persuade people via emotion instead of actual facts.
Respectfully FitsNews this is a poor article at best. Typically, in my opinion, Fitsnews is right on point when it sticks to the real meat of the story. Of any story. Money. Follow the money trail. Every additional nickel paid to an attorney is another 2 cents paid into the government coffers in protectionist fees and an additional penny into the crony capitalist status quo machine.
Don’t go soft Sic. Stick to the facts. Don’t get caught up in playing MSM games just to fill space.
Want to fill space? Fill it with the $120 tax charged by the city of Columbia so that you can feed the homeless.
EDIT: Briefly perused the comments. I’m the only one that caught any of this? Really?
My ex-wife was, and still is, frugal with money. Our divorce was timely and efficient. We met weekly around the swimming pool to resolve one issue at a time. I drafted the agreement and she reviewed and typed it. We gave it to an attorney who changed only one word. Total cost —- $475.00.
marriage and divorce predate modern civilization, to the period of the Old Testament. The states’ interests in marriage are precluding bastardy, miscegenation, consanguinity (with the exception of parts of Arkansas and the north), incest and the control of venereal diseases. Constitutional violation of an establishment of religion, as marriage is sacrament of the church, runs rampant, but the erosion of the US’ moral fiber on the slope to socialism is another sad sign of that erosion.
Exactly why SC leads the nation in spousal abuse & murders.
Keeping people together long enough to kill each other: therefore, divorce problem solved.
Lexington County minimum time for divorce is 1.5 years = 1 year separation + .5 year to get a court date.
Plus: Desertion is not grounds for divorce in SC. Which is insane.
In New York and New Jersey it takes 30 days, and costs less than $500.
Any truth to the rumor about a Charleston Law grad getting served with a restraining order at the Bar exam? Rumor has it that the person requesting the restraining order also is taking the Bar, also graduated from Charleston Law, and is sitting two seats or two tables away.
Well historically we were one of the last states to allow you to get divorced. While it was made legal under Republicans after the Civil War, our redneck constitution of 1895 prohibited it until 1949, and then only on grounds.
A great article with great points. I totally agree with the writer. The bible thumpers don’t like divorce and make couples suffer in misery and add costs b/c of it. We must get religion out of gov’t. and gov’t out of religion.
I also totally agree with the notions of marriage and divorce falling under the auspices of the church and civil unions and annullments (the actual legal stuff that counts) falling under the auspices of the gov’t.
You can get out of it 90 days if you’ll admit to cheating on your spouse.
I knew a girl once who grew to hate her husband so much she made up an elaborate story about cheating on him, grabbed her suitcase of clothes, her dog, and ran out the door. 90 days later she was a free woman.
Damn religious crap. It’s 2014, wake up. Jesus is a fairy tale and just as real as the tooth fairy. Damn schizos.