Columbia Family Law Attorneys
Columbia family law covers divorce, custody, child support, alimony, property division and the agreements that settle them. The Main Street office handles the matter in Richland County Family Court.
Columbia families often include state employees, university and healthcare professionals, and small-business owners. A family law matter can involve a pension, a deferred-compensation account, a professional practice or a home in one of the surrounding counties, and each asset needs to be valued before it is divided.
The office handles contested and uncontested cases, separation agreements, mediation and the related custody and support issues. The first meeting confirms venue, the grounds and the financial inventory before anything is filed.
Family law in Richland County
Richland County family cases are heard in the Family Court in Columbia. Probate matters are handled by the Richland County Probate Court.
The office is at 1332 Main Street, Suite 201, and serves Columbia, Forest Acres, Irmo, Lexington and the surrounding Midlands communities.
How South Carolina handles family law
A South Carolina family law matter can involve divorce, custody, child support, alimony, property division, a separation agreement or a prenuptial agreement. Those issues often arrive together: a separation agreement has to work for the children as well as the finances, and a custody schedule has to line up with the school year and each parent’s work.
South Carolina requires grounds for divorce, including one year of continuous separation. Marital property is divided equitably rather than equally. Alimony can be periodic, lump-sum, rehabilitative or reimbursement, and custody and support are decided on the best interests of the child and the income-shares guidelines.
Where a negotiated result is possible, the team uses mediation or a collaborative process; where it is not, the case is prepared for a contested hearing from the first meeting. The same office handles the related estate work — wills, trusts, powers of attorney and probate — when a family transition requires both.
What to bring to a first meeting
- Any prior separation agreement, court order or parenting plan.
- Recent pay stubs, tax returns and proof of self-employment, overtime or bonus income.
- A list of real property, vehicles, accounts, retirement plans and debts, with approximate values.
- The children’s current schedule, school and healthcare information.
- Records of the separation date and any safety or custody concerns.
Frequently asked questions
A divorce, custody or support case in Richland County is filed in the Family Court in Columbia. Venue depends on where the parties and the children live, so it is confirmed at the first meeting.
Adultery, desertion for at least one year, physical cruelty, habitual drunkenness or narcotics use, failure to provide support, or living separate and apart for at least one continuous year.
A pension or deferred-compensation account earned during the marriage can be part of the marital estate. The plan documents and a valuation are reviewed before the division is negotiated.
Prior orders or agreements, income documents, pension statements, a list of property and debts, and the children’s schedule if custody or support is in issue.
Last updated November 2026. General information, not legal advice.