What to Expect:

Approval of an Agreement

 

This information is not legal advice. Consult with an attorney for legal advice. Contact our Summerville Law Firm if you would like to request a consultation with one of our family law attorneys. 

 

Many South Carolina family law cases will end with a settlement agreement. At the end of the case, we "put the agreement on the record" and (hopefully) have it turned into an enforceable Court Order. We may also handle the divorce at the same hearing, depending on type of case and grounds for divorce. If you are resuming a maiden name, this may also be handled at the same hearing. 

 

Here is what you can expect if your case ends in a settlement agreement:​

 

• The Judge will put both parties under oath. The Judge will ask you to stand and raise your right hand. 

 

• Some judges ask that the attorneys question their clients about the terms of the agreement, but most judges will simply proceed with these questions. The Judge is looking for simple yes/no answers. If you have a question about how to respond, make sure to ask your Summerville family law attorney before the hearing. 

 

• The Judge will give each attorney the chance to ask any additional questions of the parties (usually none). 

 

• In almost all circumstances, the Judge will approve the agreement and make it an Order of the Court. If an Order was prepared in advance, the Judge will sign the Order, and one of the attorneys will walk the Order to the Clerk of Court's office to be filed. Most of the time, your attorney will instruct you to wait so that you can have a copy of the Order that day. 

​

Click here  to read about what to expect if you are proceeding with a no-fault divorce (one-year continuous separation) as part of your final hearing.

 

Click here to read more about what to expect if you are requesting to resume your maiden name as part of a divorce or separation (separate support and maintenance suit) in South Carolina. 

 

This page is not intended to be legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. This is provided for general information purposes only. If you have a specific question, you are invited to contact our Summerville Divorce & Family Law office to request a consultation. You should always consult with an attorney if you have questions about your specific case or issue. Our Summerville divorce attorneys practice throughout the Charleston, South Carolina area.