| Title 20 in the South Carolina Code of Laws contains | | | | parenting plan, because the plan is how the parents |
| the rules that guide domestic relations. Under this | | | | plan to continue to care and provide for the child. This |
| section, the state has child custody laws that govern | | | | section of the code gives authority to the court to |
| the custody proceedings. Parents in South Carolina | | | | make decisions about the care, custody, and |
| must become familiar with these laws as they create | | | | maintenance of the children after the parents |
| a custody agreement. The custody agreement must | | | | separate. The court can make these decisions at any |
| be accepted by the court, and in order for that to | | | | time after the separation, and they can also revise a |
| happen, the agreement must follow the law. Here are | | | | previous order. The law states that the court must |
| some of the laws that parents need to know for their | | | | make these decisions in the best spiritual and other |
| parenting plans. | | | | interests of the child. |
| Section 20-7 in the code used to contain what was | | | | Because the court must make every decision based |
| called The Children's Code. This code contained the | | | | on what is best for the children, parents need to make |
| law that the reasonable preference of the child should | | | | this the focus of the custody agreement. The parents |
| be taken into consideration when making the custody | | | | need to create a custody and visitation schedule that |
| agreement. This means that what the child wants is | | | | allows the child to have significant time with the mother |
| important to the court. Weight was given to the | | | | and father. The schedule should also allow the child to |
| preference of the child according to the child's age and | | | | participate in the community and other social events as |
| maturity. This law has recently been repealed, | | | | the child wishes. If a mother and father make an |
| however, parents should still consider aspects of it. If | | | | agreement that suits the child, the court will accept it. |
| the child is old enough and mature enough to have a | | | | Once the court has accepted the custody agreement, |
| reasonable opinion about custody and visitation, that | | | | it becomes the custody order and it is a legally binding |
| should be reflected in the parenting plan. | | | | document. The parents must abide by the order or |
| Section 20-3-160 of the law concerns the care and | | | | they can be held in contempt of court. |
| maintenance of the child. This is essential to the | | | | |