(A) The purpose of this article is to establish a procedure to aid in the determination of the paternity of an individual.
(B) As used in this article, "child" includes, but is not limited to, a person under the age of eighteen years.
(C) An action to establish the paternity of an individual may be brought by:
(1) a child;
(2) the natural mother of a child;
(3) any person in whose care a child has been placed;
(4) an authorized agency, including, but not limited to, the Department of Social Services, pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 5 of Title 43, and any other person or agency pursuant to the provisions of Sections 63-3-550 and 63-17-340; or
(5) a person who claims to be the father of a child.
(D) If an action is brought under this article prior to the birth of a child, all proceedings must be stayed until after the birth of the child except the service of a summons and the taking of depositions or other discovery procedures.
(E) Whenever an action threatens to make a child illegitimate, the presumed legal father and the putative natural father must be made parties respondents to the action. A child under the age of eighteen years must be represented by a guardian ad litem appointed by the court. Neither the mother nor the presumed or putative father of the child may represent him as guardian ad litem.
HISTORY: 2008 Act No. 361, Section 2.
Structure South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 63 - South Carolina Children's Code
Chapter 17 - Paternity And Child Support
Section 63-17-10. Purpose; definitions.
Section 63-17-20. Jurisdiction.
Section 63-17-30. Genetic tests; costs.
Section 63-17-40. Settlement and voluntary agreements.
Section 63-17-50. Verified voluntary acknowledgments.
Section 63-17-60. Admissibility of evidence.
Section 63-17-70. Court orders.
Section 63-17-310. Family Court authority to enforce orders.
Section 63-17-320. Enforcement and modification of orders.
Section 63-17-330. Temporary order for support pending paternity.
Section 63-17-340. Persons who may petition for support.
Section 63-17-350. Grandparent responsibility.
Section 63-17-360. Reconciliation efforts.
Section 63-17-370. Summons and rule to show cause.
Section 63-17-380. Hearing notices.
Section 63-17-390. Warrants for refusal to obey court order.
Section 63-17-400. Service of warrant.
Section 63-17-410. Form of arrest warrant.
Section 63-17-420. Out of session proceedings.
Section 63-17-430. Bond in lieu of punishment.
Section 63-17-440. Bond conditions.
Section 63-17-450. Information required in paternity and support actions.
Section 63-17-460. Medical bills as evidence of costs.
Section 63-17-470. Proceedings and awards.
Section 63-17-480. Social Security numbers.
Section 63-17-490. Employment program.
Section 63-17-510. Authority to revoke probation.
Section 63-17-520. Distribution of fines.
Section 63-17-610. Federal mandate for and implementation of State Disbursement Unit.
Section 63-17-620. State Disbursement Unit; operation and administration; court costs.
Section 63-17-710. Jurisdiction.
Section 63-17-720. Definitions.
Section 63-17-730. Notice of financial responsibility; order of default.
Section 63-17-740. Service of notice of financial responsibility.
Section 63-17-750. Negotiation conference; consent order; monthly support obligation.
Section 63-17-760. Failure to appear for negotiation conference.
Section 63-17-770. Order of financial responsibility; procedures.
Section 63-17-780. Objections to notice of responsibility.
Section 63-17-790. Establishment of paternity.
Section 63-17-800. Paternity testing.
Section 63-17-810. Qualified expert; admissibility of report.
Section 63-17-820. Out-of-state request to establish support.
Section 63-17-830. Modification of orders.
Section 63-17-840. Administrative change of payee.
Section 63-17-850. Issuance of subpoenas.
Section 63-17-1010. License revocation.
Section 63-17-1020. Definitions.
Section 63-17-1030. Exceptions.
Section 63-17-1040. Obtaining information.
Section 63-17-1050. Licensing entities to provide information.
Section 63-17-1060. Out-of-compliance procedures; notice.
Section 63-17-1070. Disclosure of information.
Section 63-17-1080. Social Security numbers to be provided.
Section 63-17-1090. Regulations.
Section 63-17-1210. Employer New Hire Reporting program.
Section 63-17-1410. Definitions.
Section 63-17-1420. Orders for support subject to withholding notice.
Section 63-17-1430. Petitioning the court.
Section 63-17-1440. Verified notice of delinquency.
Section 63-17-1450. Petitions to stay service.
Section 63-17-1460. Notice to withhold.
Section 63-17-1470. Termination or suspension of withholding.
Section 63-17-1480. Change of address notification.
Section 63-17-1490. Obligee's public aid status.
Section 63-17-1500. Notification upon employment.
Section 63-17-1510. Unemployment benefits notification.
Section 63-17-1520. Reporting receipt of payment toward arrearage.
Section 63-17-1530. Record of payments and disbursements.
Section 63-17-1550. Payor's wilful failure to withhold.
Section 63-17-1560. False proceedings; contempt.
Section 63-17-1570. Additional rights and remedies.
Section 63-17-1580. Centralized system of withholding.
Section 63-17-1590. Authority to promulgate regulations.
Section 63-17-1600. Recording arrearages.
Section 63-17-1810. Definitions.
Section 63-17-1820. Supplemental remedy.
Section 63-17-1830. Order to withhold income out-of-state.
Section 63-17-1840. Out-of-state order on in-state obligor.
Section 63-17-1850. Notice of delinquency.
Section 63-17-1880. Income withholding; applicability to out-of-state order.
Section 63-17-1890. Receipt of payments by State Disbursement Unit; effect of support order.
Section 63-17-1900. Amendment of withholding order.
Section 63-17-1910. Voluntary income withholding.
Section 63-17-1920. Applicability of state law; foreign law.
Section 63-17-2110. Contents of order.
Section 63-17-2120. Duties of employer or health insurer.
Section 63-17-2130. Notice of order to employer.
Section 63-17-2140. Withholding by employer.
Section 63-17-2150. Proof of compliance.
Section 63-17-2160. Priority of order.
Section 63-17-2170. Withholding to reimburse medical expenses.
Section 63-17-2180. Employer prohibited actions against employee.
Section 63-17-2190. Penalties.
Section 63-17-2320. Information from financial institutions.
Section 63-17-2330. Immunity from liability.
Section 63-17-2510. Reporting to credit reporting agencies.
Section 63-17-2710. Child support arrearage liens.
Section 63-17-2720. Written notice to obligor; administrative review.
Section 63-17-2730. Notice of a lien, filing, expiration.
Section 63-17-2740. Levy upon property; refusal to surrender; discharge of obligation.
Section 63-17-2750. Written notice of perfecting a lien, executing levy, or seizing property.
Section 63-17-2760. Judicial review.
Section 63-17-2770. Full faith and credit.
Section 63-17-2780. Authorization to promulgate regulations.
Section 63-17-2900. Short title.
Section 63-17-2910. Definitions.
Section 63-17-2920. Tribunals.
Section 63-17-2930. Remedies cumulative.
Section 63-17-2940. Application to Resident of Foreign Country and Foreign Support Proceeding.
Section 63-17-3010. Personal jurisdiction of nonresident.
Section 63-17-3020. Continuing, exclusive jurisdiction.
Section 63-17-3030. Initiating or responding tribunals.
Section 63-17-3040. Concurrent filings for support.
Section 63-17-3050. Continuing, exclusive jurisdiction to modify order.
Section 63-17-3060. Tribunal to enforce or modify.
Section 63-17-3070. Multiple tribunals.
Section 63-17-3080. Multiple registrations of orders.
Section 63-17-3090. Credit for out-of-state collections.
Section 63-17-3100. Evidence from another state.
Section 63-17-3110. Continuing jurisdiction for spousal support.
Section 63-17-3210. Applicability of law.
Section 63-17-3220. Initiating proceeding.
Section 63-17-3230. Governing law determination.
Section 63-17-3240. Forwarding of petition.
Section 63-17-3250. Responding tribunal powers and duties.
Section 63-17-3260. Inappropriate tribunal to forward petition.
Section 63-17-3270. Duties of support enforcement agency.
Section 63-17-3280. Duty to provide services.
Section 63-17-3290. Private counsel.
Section 63-17-3300. Department of Social Services as state information agency.
Section 63-17-3310. Petition contents.
Section 63-17-3320. Sealing petition.
Section 63-17-3330. Fees and costs.
Section 63-17-3340. Immunity of petitioner.
Section 63-17-3350. Nonparentage defense.
Section 63-17-3360. Nonresident party proceedings.
Section 63-17-3370. Communication with other tribunals.
Section 63-17-3380. Discovery powers of tribunal.
Section 63-17-3390. Disbursement of payments.
Section 63-17-3410. Issuance of order.
Section 63-17-3420. Proceeding to determine parentage.
Section 63-17-3510. Mailing order to employer.
Section 63-17-3520. Employer duties.
Section 63-17-3530. Multiple income-withholding orders.
Section 63-17-3550. Failure to comply.
Section 63-17-3560. Contesting withholding order.
Section 63-17-3570. Enforcement of orders.
Section 63-17-3610. Registration of out-of-state order.
Section 63-17-3620. Registration procedures.
Section 63-17-3630. Filing order.
Section 63-17-3640. Applicable law.
Section 63-17-3710. Notification of registration.
Section 63-17-3720. Contesting validity of order.
Section 63-17-3730. Defenses; burden of proof.
Section 63-17-3740. Confirmation.
Section 63-17-3810. Registration to modify.
Section 63-17-3820. Prerequisites to modification.
Section 63-17-3830. Conditions for modification.
Section 63-17-3840. Enforcement of modified order.
Section 63-17-3850. Enforcement of modification with in-state parties.
Section 63-17-3860. Filing order.
Section 63-17-3870. Modification with no consent filed.
Section 63-17-3880. Procedure to register child-support order of foreign country for modification.
Section 63-17-3910. Definitions.
Section 63-17-3915. Applicability of part.
Section 63-17-3920. Designated agency.
Section 63-17-3925. Support proceeding.
Section 63-17-3930. Direct request.
Section 63-17-3935. Registration of convention support order.
Section 63-17-3940. Contest of registered convention support order.
Section 63-17-3945. Recognition and enforcement of registered convention support order.
Section 63-17-3950. Partial enforcement.
Section 63-17-3955. Foreign support agreement.
Section 63-17-3960. Modification of convention child-support order.
Section 63-17-3965. Personal information.
Section 63-17-3970. Records in original language; English translation.
Section 63-17-4010. Extradition.
Section 63-17-4020. Prerequisites to compliance with extradition.
Section 63-17-4030. Construction of law.