Many South Carolina children have for years suffered what some have called Court Ordered Child Abuse. But it would seem that several new State Legislators and old have now banded together to prevent this practice from continuing and giving our children their rights.
In South Carolina children are governed in the court system (Domestic Relations Courts) by what is called “Best Interest Of The Child” guidelines. But sadly in nearly all cases this best interest was brought down to “Winner Take All”!
The rights of children are hardly ever observed in Domestic Relations Courts nor are a child’s wishes ever heard. It has always been considered bad form to ask a child what they would like in Domestic Relations Courts. The winner take all mentality caused the mental and emotional abuse of a child by them losing access to a loving and fit parent, ordered by a stranger (Judge) who did not know their family but only went by what actors (lawyers) told them.
House Representative Stewart Jones prefiled H3481 on December 8th, 2022. H3481 is a partisan bill that would protect the rights of South Carolina Children to having both loving and fit parents in their lives equally, after a custody issue.
In summary the bill states:
“Amend The South Carolina Code Of Laws By Amending Section 63-15-220, Relating To Parenting Plans, So As To Create A Rebuttable Presumption That It Is In The Best Interest Of The Child To Spend Approximately An Equal Amount Of Time With Each Parent When Both Parents Are Willing, Able, And Fit; And By Amending Section 63-15-240, Relating To Child Custody Orders, So As To Require The Court To Take Into Consideration Certain Factors When Determining What Is In The Best Interest Of A Child, To Require That A Child Custody Order Include Findings Of Fact If The Time-sharing Schedule Does Not Allocate Approximately Equal Parenting Time To Each Parent, And To Provide Requirements To Modify Child Custody Orders.”
Similar bills have been raised and passed through the United States since 2018, when Kentucky was considered the first state to pass an Equal Parenting Bill. Since then over 20 States have passed similar bills guaranteeing Children’s rights to maintaining both loving and fit parents in their lives.
At current 60 House Representatives have Co-Sponsored this bill with more expected, both Republican and Democrats. Bills such as this have been called vital to not only the State but also to Society. Federal statics show that children are more susceptible to many aspects such as drugs, suicide, pre-teen pregnancy, mental depression, violence, alcoholism without both parents equally in their lives.
Percentages of children who have lived through the Domestic Relations Courts abuse:
- 70% have stated they knew the other parent wanted more time with them.
- 85% have stated they wanted more time with the Non-Custodial Parent.
- 93% of adult children who have lived with Equal Parenting Time have stated it was in their “Best Interest”.
- 7% have stated they knew the Custodial Parent wanted them to spend equal amount of time with other parent.
For many years the Domestic Relations Courts have been accused of ignoring a Parent and Child’s Civil Rights. This Court system has been considered one of the most corrupt in South Carolina, with Judges who are unqualified to determine the factual “Best Interest of a Child”.
Parents, Grandparents, and Adult Children who have lived through the abuse of the Domestic Relations Courts have rallied around this bill to safeguard the rights of future children.