If there's one thing that most people can agree on, it's that every family is different. We all have challenges and changes that we must go through. Sometimes, those changes are joyful, like the birth of a new baby. Other times, those changes involve loss, uncertainty, and ultimately end with divorce.
There's no doubt that divorces are unpleasant. Sometimes, they're unavoidable. According to recent statistics, there were 2.4 divorces per every thousand residents in South Carolina. If you're one of the many people suffering through the pain of a divorce, dealing with a custody issue, or trying to juggle a family-related legal problem, you're not alone. At Lauren Taylor Law, many of our family law clients have major questions about what lies ahead. Their uncertainty often leaves them extra stressed and over-worried. They have concerns about their marriage, their kids, or both. After being served confusing papers from their spouse, they're wrestling with the anxiety of the unknown.
If that sounds all too familiar, a divorce attorney in Spartanburg, SC, can help, whether you need a seasoned advocate in the courtroom or an unbiased moderator behind closed doors. Unsure whether a divorce attorney is truly necessary at this stage? Ask yourself these questions:
If the answer to any of those questions was "yes," Lauren Taylor Law is here to stand by your side during one of the most difficult times in your life. Our law firm in several areas of family law, including:
There are few events in your life more infuriating and traumatic than a divorce. If you're like most, it feels like you're on an emotional roller coaster with life-changing legal and family consequences around every turn. During this difficult time, it's crucial to have a divorce attorney in Spartanburg, SC, on your side. That way, you can overcome the hurdles of divorce, achieve the outcome you need, and move on with your life.
Whether you're the one seeking out a divorce or it's your spouse's choice, making the decision isn't ever easy. After all, divorce is painful. When you took your wedding vows, you expected a life with your partner until death separated you. You spent untold amounts of money on a beautiful wedding, caterers, musicians, and more. You invited your high school friends from South Carolina and spent time together with out-of-towners who flew in, especially for you.
Unfortunately, reality is starting to set in: You won't be married to the person who once told you, "I do." Truth be told, getting a divorce is a heartbreaking turn of events. But now, more than ever, it's important to retain experienced legal counsel to oversee your divorce proceedings. Having helped many clients through the process of divorce, we know you may think that everything is falling apart around you. But as successful divorce lawyers in South Carolina, we have the proverbial tools to help you pick up the pieces and start fresh.
During your first divorce consultation at our offices, our primary goal is to hear your story. We simply want to listen. We want to understand your desires, fears, needs, and questions about divorce. Once we've had the opportunity to understand your needs, we will continue to ask pertinent questions. Why? Because listening and understanding the nuances of your story helps us do the very best job possible. After all, as your divorce attorney in Spartanburg, SC, your best interests are our primary concern.
At Lauren Taylor Law, we find providing a personalized approach helps us better serve our clients. Unlike other divorce lawyers, we don't believe in "cookie-cutter" or "one-size-fits-all" solutions. Your divorce is unique, and your lawyer's strategy should be, too. Our team will help by:
By advocating for you during your divorce, Lauren Taylor Law will help you make the first steps toward reclaiming your life and securing your future.
It's safe to say that nobody goes into a marriage expecting to get a divorce. But for many couples, divorce proves to be in their family's best interest. Before you go through with such a serious choice, it's prudent to ensure that you and your spouse agree that divorce is best. Sometimes, therapy or marriage counseling can save marriages. That's especially important if you have kids with your spouse.
If you have made efforts to salvage your marriage and have concluded that divorce is the only option, our team of passionate divorce lawyers is here to help. Divorces are complicated and often contentious, but in South Carolina, getting a divorce is different than in other states.
For example, in other areas of the United States, judges are obligated to split marital assets equally between spouses. However, South Carolina is not classified as a community property state. The judge in your divorce case could award your husband or wife a larger portion of the marital property you once shared. That scenario is even more likely if the judge decides you were the ultimate cause of the divorce.
Similarly, divorce judges in South Carolina have a higher chance of making you pay more substantial alimony payments for longer periods of time when compared to other states. To make matters even more complicated, divorce laws and tax consequences in South Carolina change often. Additionally, our state does not recognize the concept of "irreconcilable differences," meaning you cannot use it as a reason to divorce your spouse (or vice versa).
In order to get a divorce in the state of South Carolina, a person must have legal grounds to do so. As such, you have two options:
Many couples opt for a no-fault divorce, but in order to qualify, you and your spouse must prove that you haven't been living together for at least a year. Choosing this option is popular because it often helps couples avoid getting in a fight when one spouse blames the other for the marriage breakup.
Apart from one year of continuous separation, which is grounds for a no-fault divorce, the legal grounds for divorce in South Carolina include:
Each fault-based reason listed above can play a part in the outcome of your divorce case, including decisions on child custody, alimony, division of debts, and division of marital property. When you account for the unique nature of divorces in Spartanburg and the rest of the state, foregoing a divorce attorney is a poor decision.
It's possible to get divorced in South Carolina without needing a lawyer. However, we've encountered situations where clients come to Lauren Taylor Law because they tried the process on their own with no success. When it comes to divorces in South Carolina, there are many procedural requirements to meet.
Your paperwork must be correct across the board. For instance, you and your spouse must both file accurate financial declarations in family court. If you've come up with a divorce agreement, the family court must still decide whether it's equitable and fair for your spouse and in the best interests of your kids.
If you choose to try and get a divorce in South Carolina on your own, we strongly recommend that you schedule a consultation at the very least. That way, you know your rights and have a minimum understanding of the divorce process in South Carolina.
Some of the most common benefits of hiring a divorce lawyer include:
Child custody cases present unique challenges for you, your spouse, and your family law attorney. They are almost all resolved through mediation or settlement conferences.
Unfortunately, when two parents have disagreements about child custody, calm discussions often devolve into quarrels and contentious disputes. If you and your spouse do not agree about visitation and custody rights for your child or children, a divorce judge will make those tough decisions for you. In this circumstance, child custody is determined by what the judge deems as the best interests of your children.
Fortunately, contrary to urban myth, divorce laws in South Carolina do not favor mothers of fathers or vice versa when it comes to child visitation and custody. There is also no "standard" schedule presented for child visitation. Factors that your divorce judge will pay close attention to include:
At the end of the day, children have the right to love each parent freely. However, protecting children during a custody battle is crucial. At Lauren Taylor Law, our team works closely with you, your children's Guardian Ad Litem (who represents the children in the legal case), their school teachers, and any third party working with your children. Advocacy for the best interest of your children requires deep understanding, legal skills, and years of relevant experience. With the Lauren Taylor Team in Spartanburg, SC, you can rest easy knowing your child's future is of utmost importance.
If you're getting a divorce, and you have a child or children with your former spouse, there's a good chance you're worried about how much child support you'll have to pay. You may be wondering, "How is child support in South Carolina determined?"
The amount of child support you must pay is dictated by the child support guidelines in South Carolina. These guidelines not only calculate temporary child support but permanent support as well. These guidelines are applied to any case where the parent's gross combined income is less than $15,000 a month. According to the law, child support amounts are calculated with these factors in mind:
Without a divorce attorney in Spartanburg, SC, navigating the turbulent waters of child support is nearly impossible. With years of experience, we have the tools and resources to protect your rights and guide you through the child support process. To get a rough estimate of how much child support you will need to pay in your divorce, contact Lauren Taylor Law today.
Alimony is financial support that you must pay to your former spouse. In South Carolina, there are different types of alimony. Permanent, periodic alimony is paid on a set schedule over time. However, alimony terminates when you or your spouse dies or when a receiving spouse begins to cohabitate with another person or chooses to remarry. Alimony in South Carolina can be modified based on a showing of a substantial change in circumstances.
In some cases, spouses choose to pay a lump sum alimony. The amount is agreed upon by both parties. This can usually be paid all at once or in a schedule of payments. It should be noted that spousal support may be ordered, pending your final divorce.
South Carolina law requires Family Law Courts to consider a number of factors in making a ruling on an alimony request. Those factors include:
To learn more about laws and factors regarding alimony in South Carolina, call or click to speak with someone who can help at no obligation to you.
There's no way around it - divorce is an unpleasant and sometimes unavoidable part of being an adult. As you consider taking this major step, you must consult with a seasoned divorce lawyer who knows the intricacies and challenges of divorce law in South Carolina. If you have given the subject plenty of thought and diligence and decided that divorce is your best option, the time to act is now. Contact Lauren Taylor Law today so that you can proceed with confidence tomorrow.
SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S. C. (Friday, ET) — A shooting at a Spartanburg County motel has escalated from an on-scene response into a broader search effort after authorities issued an AMBER Alert tied to the incident. deputies were sent to the Rodeway Inn on New Cut Road around 11: 36 a. m., where one person was injured. As of the latest official update, no one is in custody, underscoring that the situation remains active as investigators work to develop leads in spartanburg sc.What officials have c...
SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S. C. (Friday, ET) — A shooting at a Spartanburg County motel has escalated from an on-scene response into a broader search effort after authorities issued an AMBER Alert tied to the incident. deputies were sent to the Rodeway Inn on New Cut Road around 11: 36 a. m., where one person was injured. As of the latest official update, no one is in custody, underscoring that the situation remains active as investigators work to develop leads in spartanburg sc.
The Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office said it is responding to a shooting at a motel on Friday. Deputies said one person was hurt at the Rodeway Inn on New Cut Road around 11: 36 a. m. (ET). Authorities also stated that no one was in custody at the time of the update.
Shortly before 3 p. m. (ET), authorities issued an AMBER Alert connected to the incident. The alert included a vehicle description: they are looking for a white 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander with South Carolina tag 669BMX.
The decision to issue an AMBER Alert several hours after the initial call signals that investigators are treating the incident as more than an isolated shooting scene. While officials have not released additional details in the publicly available update, the alert indicates law enforcement is seeking rapid public awareness around a specific vehicle believed to be relevant.
In practical terms, an AMBER Alert changes the operating tempo of a case: it extends attention beyond the motel property, focuses the public on an actionable identifier, and can widen the search area as tips and sightings are evaluated. At this stage, officials have not announced an arrest, and the lack of a person in custody keeps the outcome uncertain in spartanburg sc.
Authorities have not publicly provided the condition of the injured person beyond confirming that one individual was hurt. Officials also have not disclosed information on a suspect, a motive, or the circumstances that led to the shooting at the Rodeway Inn. The AMBER Alert announcement did not include additional narrative details in the available statement.
Key developments that would clarify the scope of the event include any official confirmation of who is connected to the white 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander with tag 669BMX, whether investigators have a description of a person of interest, and whether additional safety guidance is issued. For now, the confirmed facts remain limited to the response time, the location, the injury, the absence of custody, and the AMBER Alert vehicle information connected to the case in spartanburg sc.
Jaylin Nicole Simpson was born February 11, 2018 to Jacosha Simpson and Jamarcus Wade. In her 8 years of life, she found many joys in her family, her friends and her faith. Jaylin loved attending church with her grandmother at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, her great-grandmother at Greater New Hope, and even would join her grandfather at Greater Target AME Church in Hollyhill, SC.Aside from her faith, Jaylin enjoyed all things creative, girly and cats. She drew pictures and made dolls out of everything she could find. Her love f...
Jaylin Nicole Simpson was born February 11, 2018 to Jacosha Simpson and Jamarcus Wade. In her 8 years of life, she found many joys in her family, her friends and her faith. Jaylin loved attending church with her grandmother at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, her great-grandmother at Greater New Hope, and even would join her grandfather at Greater Target AME Church in Hollyhill, SC.
Aside from her faith, Jaylin enjoyed all things creative, girly and cats. She drew pictures and made dolls out of everything she could find. Her love for music was just as strong. She loved to record videos of her and her friends doing day to day things. She spent the most time with her cousins. She was a very bright student as well and although she didn't like school, she excelled. She loved to travel and see new places, on her list of must sees was New York and Paris.
Jaylin knew how to be the boss and even had a couple of babies of her own: Hailey, Bailey, Kaylie, Aylie and Lolie.
In addition to her parents, left to cherish fond and loving memories are: maternal grandparents, Rita Simpson and James (Renee) McKissick; paternal grandparents, Jamie Fuller and Marcus Wade; great-grandparents, Deloris and Henry James and Lettie Fuller; aunts, Markesha Fuller, Tynesha (Jaylin) Hynes and Klarke McKissick; brothers, Kace and Koree McCreary; cousins, Angela Wallace and Cameron Fuller; godmothers, Briana McCreary and Mariah Chapel; and a host of cousins and extended family members she also loved dearly.
She was preceded in death by: her aunt, Victoria Fuller and her uncle, Jeremiah Gilliam.
Jaylin lived a wonderful 8 years and was loved by everyone she held dear, and she loved us all as well. Please keep Baby Jaylin ,"Sugar Sugar", our sweet girl in your thoughts and prayers.
Funeral Services will be held on Sunday, March 22, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, Spartanburg, SC. Burial will be in the Heritage Memorial Gardens, Roebuck, SC.
Public Viewing will be held on Saturday, March 20, 2026 from 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at The John Stinson Woodward Memorial Chapel.
In Honor of Jaylin's love for tea parties, the family kindly requests tea party attire for her homegoing celebration.
Severe storms are possible Sunday and Monday across the Upstate of South Carolina, western North Carolina, and northeast Georgia, with threats including damaging straight-line winds, isolated tornadoes, large hail, and heavy rain.Live radar:Severe threat Monday:MONDAY: Impact Day due to severe storm potentialKeep up with what's happening around our area by downloading the WYFF News 4 app on the App Store or Google Play....
Severe storms are possible Sunday and Monday across the Upstate of South Carolina, western North Carolina, and northeast Georgia, with threats including damaging straight-line winds, isolated tornadoes, large hail, and heavy rain.
Live radar:
Severe threat Monday:
MONDAY: Impact Day due to severe storm potential
Keep up with what's happening around our area by downloading the WYFF News 4 app on the App Store or Google Play.
*** A burst of snow is likely in WNC by the afternoon as the front departs. Light accumulation, mainly on elevated surfaces, is possible. ***
The wind will pick up behind Monday's powerful cold front. A Wind Advisory is in place for the highlighted areas above 3500 feet in western North Carolina. Wind gusts of 50-60 mph are expected.
TUESDAY: Impact Day due to frigid temperatures & wind chills
WEDNESDAY: Impact Day due to another cold morning. Lows in the teens & 20s.
The WYFF News 4 weather team has been independently certified for having the most accurate forecast in the Greenville-Spartanburg-Asheville-Anderson market for the second year in a row.
"Our goal every day, in every forecast is accuracy," said WYFF 4 President and General Manager Blake Bridges. "Our expert weather team is dedicated to giving viewers a forecast they can trust to be right. We are also the only station in the market with our own 24/7 live radar, Live Super Doppler 4. It’s clear that WYFF News 4 is the weather leader in this market."
The certification comes from WeatheRate, an independent research firm that tracks forecasts from every station in multiple markets across the country.
"Everyone knows that forecasting the weather around here is difficult with the Upstate and mountains," said WeatheRate President Bruce Fixman. "The station that gets the forecast right more than anyone else is Chief Meteorologist Chris Justus and the WYFF News 4 weather team."
GREENVILLE, S.C. —Severe storms are possible on Monday in the Upstate of South Carolina, western North Carolina and northeast Georgia.Storms may produce damaging, straight-line winds, isolated tornadoes, large hail and heavy rain.Live radar:Severe threat Monday:MONDAY: Impact Day due to severe storm potentialDownload the free WYFF News 4 App to receive weather alerts. Be sure your notifications are turned ON.*** A burst of ...
GREENVILLE, S.C. —
Severe storms are possible on Monday in the Upstate of South Carolina, western North Carolina and northeast Georgia.
Storms may produce damaging, straight-line winds, isolated tornadoes, large hail and heavy rain.
Live radar:
Severe threat Monday:
MONDAY: Impact Day due to severe storm potential
Download the free WYFF News 4 App to receive weather alerts. Be sure your notifications are turned ON.
*** A burst of snow is likely in WNC by the afternoon as the front departs. Light accumulation, mainly on elevated surfaces, is possible. ***
The wind will pick up behind Monday's powerful cold front. A Wind Advisory is in place for the highlighted areas above 3500 feet in western North Carolina. Wind gusts of 50-60 mph are expected.
TUESDAY: Impact Day due to frigid temperatures & wind chills
WEDNESDAY: Impact Day due to another cold morning. Lows in the teens & 20s.
The WYFF News 4 weather team has been independently certified for having the most accurate forecast in the Greenville-Spartanburg-Asheville-Anderson market for the second year in a row.
"Our goal every day, in every forecast is accuracy," said WYFF 4 President and General Manager Blake Bridges. "Our expert weather team is dedicated to giving viewers a forecast they can trust to be right. We are also the only station in the market with our own 24/7 live radar, Live Super Doppler 4. It’s clear that WYFF News 4 is the weather leader in this market."
The certification comes from WeatheRate, an independent research firm that tracks forecasts from every station in multiple markets across the country.
"Everyone knows that forecasting the weather around here is difficult with the Upstate and mountains," said WeatheRate President Bruce Fixman. "The station that gets the forecast right more than anyone else is Chief Meteorologist Chris Justus and the WYFF News 4 weather team."
SPARTANBURG — A jury delivered a $5.1 million verdict against BMW last month after determining the Spartanburg plant discriminated against an American employee on the basis of her nationality, in violation of federal Title VII protections.Kelly Dawsey of Greenville left her job in 2021 after learning of a reorganization that replaced her German boss with an American one, according to court records.BMW had a long-standing policy mandating alternate German and domestic positions among senior managers, court records said, wh...
SPARTANBURG — A jury delivered a $5.1 million verdict against BMW last month after determining the Spartanburg plant discriminated against an American employee on the basis of her nationality, in violation of federal Title VII protections.
Kelly Dawsey of Greenville left her job in 2021 after learning of a reorganization that replaced her German boss with an American one, according to court records.
BMW had a long-standing policy mandating alternate German and domestic positions among senior managers, court records said, where no two consecutive managers in the chain of command could be American.
For Dawsey, getting an American boss meant the company would have to replace her with a German. Indeed, the company had made plans to replace Dawsey with a German and transfer her to a new role, court records said.
She left before being offered any alternative position and filed the suit in October 2022. It went to trial this year, where a jury agreed that BMW discriminated against her because she was American.
The jury awarded her $100,000 in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages. But since the damages in employment discrimination cases are capped at $300,000, that’s likely all she will receive, plus possible economic damages in the form of lost or future wages.
“We were surprised and disappointed by the outcome,” BMW spokesman Steve Wilson said in an email. “While we disagree, we respect the jury’s decision. We are currently evaluating potential post-trial and appellate options.”
Dawsey’s attorney, Brian Murphy, did not respond to requests for comment.
But Jeremy Summerlin, a Greenville employment attorney who followed the case, said the verdict was a rare occurrence for several reasons.
Nationality-based discrimination claims are less common than sex-based, race-based, age-based or disability-based claims, according to U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission statistics. When they do occur, he said, they usually don’t come from Americans. And generally, employment cases are settled before they get to a jury.
“You don’t see a lot of cases like this go to trial,” said Summerlin, who wrote about the case in his own blog. “Something like 97 percent of cases are going to be settled or dismissed at summary judgment before trial.”
Dawsey began working at BMW in 1995 and had worked her way up to department manager for human resources planning and steering, which reports directly to the vice president of human resources.
Before a planned reorganization, the vice president was a German national. When the German left, an American was brought in to fill the role.
Dawsey learned that a reorganization was in the works in the spring of 2021. In early September, before she learned she would be replaced by a German national, she reached out to a recruiter to look for other jobs.
BMW argued in a motion for summary judgment that Dawsey didn’t have a case, in part because she was looking to leave her position before she learned who was replacing her, and that her job transfer would be a lateral move.
In a motion opposing BMW’s request for summary judgment, Dawsey said that she only began looking for other opportunities after communication about the changes became “chaotic” and she wanted “to see if there were alternatives if she was left out.”
Dawsey pointed out that she only accepted employment elsewhere after BMW told her she would be moved to a job that she considered a demotion.
Major questions left up to the jury included whether BMW’s policy of requiring a German in the chain of command violated Title VII and whether moving Dawsey to another role would have been a demotion that could be considered an adverse employment action.
“BMW’s position is that she was being moved laterally, but the testimony, the argument was that position was a lower classification and the plaintiff had worked there for a long, long time,” Summerlin said. “And she was aware that that job was basically a black hole and nobody got promoted out of that position. She knew ‘If they stick me there, that’s basically the end.’ ”
A judge ruled against BMW on its motion for summary judgment, and the case moved forward, eventually ending in a trial.
On Feb. 25, a jury in the Greenville federal courthouse sided with Dawsey.
A hearing on economic damages is scheduled March 13.