Probate Court’s role in marriage

Tiffany Provence — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:10:40 +0000

Unrelated to the other functions of the Probate Courts in South Carolina, this court is responsible for issuing marriage licenses. Therefore, if you want to (or just have to) get married in the state of South Carolina, you need to be aware of the following requirements.

First, the bride and groom must appear together at the Probate Court and file a written application. You do not have to be a resident of South Carolina to apply, nor do you have to apply in the county where you plan to marry. Cost vary per county but average around $40 – $70 (often required in cash). The application will ask for the full name, social security number, age, and place of residence of the bride and the groom. It is a sworn statement that must be signed by the bride and the groom and then notarized in the office of the probate judge. It’s important to bring proper identification (passport or a driver’s license is best) with you to the court. And, if you are under 18, you will have to drag a parent and birth certificate along as well.

Once the application is filed, you must wait 24 hours before picking up your license. So, plan ahead and don’t wait until the Friday prior to the wedding to apply. Judges in South Carolina can not waive the waiting period regardless of how much money you have spent on your upcoming nuptials.

In South Carolina, marriage licenses do not expire so there is no harm in getting your early. However, just like a driver’s license – just because you have it doesn’t mean you MUST use it. Marry with caution. Other interesting tidbits about marriage in South Carolina:

Despite rumors to the contrary, common law marriage does still exist in South Carolina.
Yes, it’s true. You can marry your cousin in South Carolina.
There is no minimum time between a divorce and remarriage; however, some counties will ask for a copy of the divorce decree if it’s been less than 1 year.
Blood test are not required.
You can be married by a notary or clergy member.
While the Probate Court may issue you the license to get married, it is the Family Court’s responsibility to help you get a divorce!

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Introduction

Tiffany Provence — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 08:00:28 +0000

I’ll address the question of WHY you have to go through probate when someone passes away in a future post. For today, I would just like to introduce myself and explain why I’ve chosen to blog about an otherwise uninteresting and often annoying area of the law.

My name is Tiffany Provence, an attorney living and practicing outside of Charleston, S.C. in Summerville. And, while I would love to blog about fashion, technology or exotic travel, I have little experience or knowledge in anything that exciting. However, after more than 10 years as a Probate Judge for Dorchester County, S.C., I have learned that there is a severe shortage of information on this topic for both the public and attorneys who need a primer on this area of the law.

And so, why would you need to know anything about probate law? Perhaps a family member has recently passed away – this is your court. Are you caring for a loved one and needing more information about making decisions on their behalf? Again, this is your court. Wanting to get married in South Carolina? Yep, they do that too. Want to get divorced? Well, that’s another court entirely.

In this blog, I hope to provide you with basic information on the myriad of issues that are raised in this area of the law and ensure you know when you need to seek legal assistance.

Dorchester County's New Courthouse

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South Carolina Probate Lawyer » marriage license

Probate Court’s role in marriage

Introduction