South Carolina Lawyers Weekly

Apr 20, 2026

US Supreme Court rejects Massachusetts school gender-identity policy challenge

The U.S. Supreme Court declined on April 20 to hear a bid by parents to sue a public school district in Massachusetts over actions by teachers and officials to support the gender […]

Mar 9, 2026

Supreme Court backs parents in school gender policy case

A 9th Circuit panel should not have lifted a permanent injunction granted by a federal judge to parents who claimed a California policy preventing schools from telling them about […]

Oct 12, 2016

Order terminating parental rights vacated over jurisdiction ruling

After a woman with a troubled past was found sitting in the middle of the road with her child, a South Carolina family court judge terminated her parental rights. But […]

Jun 3, 2016

Domestic Relations – Parent & Child – Termination of Parental Rights – Drug Addictions

South Carolina Department of Social Services v. Spurill (Lawyers Weekly No. 011-047-16, 4 pp.) (Per Curiam) Appealed from Dillon County Family Court (Salley Huggins McIntyre, J.) S.C. App. Unpub. Holding: […]

Sep 15, 2014

Domestic Relations – Parent & Child – Termination of Parental Rights – Foster Care – Failure to Support – Deportation

South Carolina Department of Social Services v. Bertaud-Cabrera (Lawyers Weekly No. 011-109-14, 6 pp.) (Per Curiam) Appealed from Charleston County Family Court (Paul Garfinkel, J.) S.C. App. Unpub. Holding: During […]

Apr 4, 2014

Domestic Relations – Termination of Parental Rights – “Severity” or “Repetition” of Abuse – Constitutional – Standing – Void for Vagueness

S.C. Dep’t of Soc. Servs. v. Michelle G. (Lawyers Weekly No. 010-031-14, 8 pp.) (Donald W. Beatty, J.) (Costa M. Pleicones, J., concurring in result only) (Appealed from Anderson County […]

Aug 26, 2013

Domestic Relations – Parent & Child – TPR Proceeding – Insufficient Showing

South Carolina Department of Social Services v. Danielle L.H.A. Since two DSS caseworkers testified that the mother supported the child with money and in-kind support throughout the child’s stay in foster care, never going six consecutive months without paying support in some manner, and since the mother’s extensive counseling and drug treatment prevented her from overcoming her fina[...]

May 7, 2013

Domestic Relations – Parent & Child – Termination of Parental Rights – Mother-Child Bond – Lack of Adoption Options

South Carolina Department of Social Services v. Cameron N.F.L Based on the unique facts of this case – the child’s bond with the mother, evidence that he is not a viable candidate for adoption, and the fact that DSS has not identified a pre-adoptive home for the child – we hold the family court erred in finding termination of parental rights was in the child’s best interest.