Supreme Court reverses denial of grandfather adoption: finds adoption more stable than custody
January 5, 2022
The January 5, 2022, Supreme Court opinion in Swain v. Bollinger, 435 S.C. 280, 866 S.E.2d 923 (2022), reversed a family court and Court of
In apparently close decision, Supreme Court reinstates termination of parental rights/adoption
September 26, 2021
On September 22, 2021, a unanimous South Carolina Supreme Court reversed the Court of Appeals and reinstated a family court’s granting of a termination of
November 6, 2019
In the November 6, 2019, case of Cooper v. SCDSS, 428 S.C. 402, 835 S.E.2d 516 (2019), the South Carolina Supreme Court found that the
May 9, 2018
The May 9, 2018 Supreme Court opinion in SCDSS v. Smith, 423 S.C. 60, 814 S.E.2d 148 (2018), reverses a 2017 Court of Appeals opinion, terminates father’s
Supreme Court issues slightly modified opinion in Ex-Parte: Carter
April 11, 2018
On April 11, 2018 the Supreme Court issued a slightly modified opinion of its March 21, 2018 decision in Ex-Parte: Carter, 422 S.C. 623, 813 S.E.2d
Supreme Court authorizes collateral attack on adoption due to significant procedural irregularities
March 21, 2018
N.B. the opinion discussed below was subsequently slightly modified. See Supreme Court issues slightly modified opinion in Ex-Parte: Carter. The phrase Kafkaesque is an overused cliche
Lessons from my first contested termination of parental rights prosecution trial
March 30, 2017
Last week I represented a mother and step-father in a contested termination of parental rights(TPR)/step-parent adoption case. I have been a licensed attorney for over
