Even in South Carolina, corporal punishment is becoming highly problematic
November 7, 2018
When I first started practicing family law in South Carolina a quarter century ago, “Spare the Rod; Spoil the Child” was a biblically sanctioned cultural
Was there wisdom in the “tender years” doctrine
August 14, 2017
There is no doubt that the “tender years” doctrine–which favored granting mothers custody of young children–would not pass constitutional muster in the 21st century. Such
Charleston’s daily paper wins Pulitzer Prize for series on domestic violence
April 20, 2015
On April 20, 2015, the Charleston Post and Courier won the 2015 gold medal for public service, the most prestigious of the Pulitzer Prize awards
Why do mothers (more typically) get custody?
April 10, 2015
A college student, interested in a career in family law, interviewed me earlier this week for a school project. Mostly he asked questions related to
In praise of modest decision making in family court
February 1, 2015
With a new family court judge for Charleston County due to be elected this week, the issue of the candidates’ attributes, and the bigger question
January 19, 2015
Two recent news stories, one local and one national, highlight just how badly our society is doing caring for the majority of our children, especially
Marijuana use and child custody in South Carolina
March 25, 2014
One of my oldest and dearest friends was awarded custody of his two children and kept custody until they emancipated. Not only was he openly
The Burgess opinion and “The End of Men”
January 23, 2014
Every published opinion tells a story and the January 15, 2014 Court of Appeals opinion in Burgess v. Burgess, 407 S.C. 98, 753 S.E.2d 566
