Public Notice Guide: Domestic Relations
Unlawful advertising for purpose of obtaining divorce
20-3-210
A person cannot publish a notice in a newspaper in context to advertisement with obtaining a divorce. Publication may be done if required or authorized by the laws of the state.
Section | Notice | Where | When |
|---|---|---|---|
20-3-210 | A notice of advertisement for obtaining divorce | A newspaper in the state of South Carolina | Cannot be published unless required or authorized by laws of the state. |
Exact wording:
“It shall be unlawful for any person to print, publish, distribute or circulate or cause to be printed, published, distributed or circulated any card, handbill, advertisement, printed paper, book, newspaper or notice of any kind offering or otherwise to advertise to procure, attempt to procure or aid in procuring any divorce either in this State or elsewhere. But this section shall not apply to the printing or publishing of any notice or advertisement required or authorized by the laws of this State.”
Publication of notice of the abandonment of an infant left at a safe haven
63-7-40
If the abandonment of an infant at a safe haven occurs a notice must be published by the safe haven that describes why the infant was left, a description of the infant, and the date, time and place of a “permanency planning hearing.” The notice shall be placed in a newspaper of general circulation within 48 hours after the infant is legally taken into custody.
Section | Notice | Where | When |
|---|---|---|---|
63-7-40 | A notice of abandonment of an infant at a safe haven | A newspaper with general circulation | Within 48 hours of retaining legal custody |
Exact wording:
“(E)(1) Within forty-eight hours after taking legal custody of the infant, the department shall publish notice, in a newspaper of general circulation in the area where the safe haven that initially took the infant is located, and send a news release to broadcast and print media in the area. The notice and the news release must state the circumstances under which the infant was left at the safe haven, a description of the infant, and the date, time, and place of the permanency planning hearing provided for in subsection (E)(2). The notice and the news release must also state that any person wishing to assert parental rights in regard to the infant must do so at the hearing. If the person leaving the infant identified anyone as being a parent of the infant, the notice must be sent by certified mail to the last known address of the person identified as a parent at least two weeks prior to the hearing.”
Find out more about public notices
SCPA offers a compendium of public notice/legal advertising laws including exact wording and details on when and where an ad has to be run. Organized by topic, this resource is the best way to navigate our state’s public notice laws.