South Carolina General Assembly
108th Session, 1989-1990

Bill 3740

                    Current Status

Bill Number:               3740
Ratification Number:       673
Act Number                 548
Introducing Body:          House
Subject:                   Suit money and attorney's fees in
                           domestic matters; separate item
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(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

(A548, R673, H3740)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 20-7-420, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO FAMILY COURT JURISDICTION IN DOMESTIC MATTERS, SO AS TO SET FORTH THE PROVISIONS ALLOWING SUIT MONEY AND ATTORNEY'S FEES IN A SEPARATE ITEM.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Suit money and attorney's fees in domestic matters; separate item

SECTION 1. Section 20-7-420 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by an act of 1990 bearing ratification number 568, is further amended by adding an appropriately numbered item at the end to read:

"( ) To hear and determine an action where either party in his or her complaint, answer, counterclaim, or motion for pendente lite relief prays for the allowance of suit money pendente lite and permanently. In this action the court shall allow a reasonable sum for the claim if it appears well-founded. Suit money, including attorney's fees, may be assessed for or against a party to an action brought in or subject to the jurisdiction of the family court. An award of temporary attorney's fees or suit costs must not be stayed by an appeal of the award."

Provisions deleted

SECTION 2. Section 20-7-420(2) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 650 of 1988, is further amended to read:

"(2) To hear and determine actions:

For divorce a vinculo matrimonii, separate support and maintenance, legal separation, and in other marital litigation between the parties, and for settlement of all legal and equitable rights of the parties in the actions in and to the real and personal property of the marriage and attorney's fees, if requested by either party in the pleadings."

Time effective

SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Approved the 7th day of June, 1990.