Child Custody Lawyers Near Me

When it comes to your children, nothing matters more than their safety, stability, and well-being. When family dynamics shift through divorce, separation, or changing life circumstances, determining what is best for your children can become complicated. That is why you need help from experienced child custody lawyers near you. At Indigo Family Law, we help families across Georgetown with our child custody lawyers near me law firm and throughout the Lowcountry navigate the challenging child custody process.

Whether you are trying to work out a parenting plan during a divorce or seeking full custody because of safety concerns, we bring decades of combined experience to the table, along with compassion, honesty, and a thorough understanding of what matters most. We will help you understand your rights, advocate for your children, and find solutions that make sense for your unique family.

The Indigo Way: Why Georgetown, SC, Families Trust Us

We know you are not just dealing with a legal case. You are dealing with your life. That is why our law firm does not treat you like a file number. We treat you like family. Attorneys Brana Williams and Ryan Stampfle lead Indigo Family Law with a simple yet powerful philosophy we call The Indigo Way. It is how we approach every custody dispute, client phone call, and courtroom appearance.

We tell you exactly what you can expect: We do not sugar-coat or use confusing legal jargon. We just provide clear, honest advice because we care about your outcome.
We call you back: You should never feel ignored or left in the dark. If you have questions, we have answers, and you will hear from us when you need to.
We understand; we all have families, too: Family law is personal to us. We know what is at stake, and we never take that lightly.

Clients across Horry County, Georgetown County, and the surrounding Lowcountry have told us they appreciate our straight-shooting style and genuine interest in their well-being. We do not just handle your case. We walk with you through it. And when life throws you a curveball, we are ready to help you adapt and move forward.

Understanding Child Custody in South Carolina

Child custody laws in South Carolina are centered around the guiding principle of the child’s best interests. This means that courts will consider various factors when deciding custody, including the child’s relationship with each parent, home environment, health, safety, and emotional needs.

Here are the two primary types of custody arrangements:

Legal Custody

Legal custody refers to the right to make significant decisions on your child’s behalf, such as those involving education, healthcare, religion, and extracurricular activities. Joint legal custody is when both parents share the decision-making responsibilities. Sole legal custody is when one parent has the exclusive right to make these decisions, often due to concerns about the other parent’s fitness or involvement.

Physical Custody

Physical custody addresses where the child lives on a day-to-day basis. Joint physical custody is when the child splits time between both parents’ homes, though it does not always mean a perfect 50/50 split. Sole physical custody is when the child primarily resides with one parent, and the other parent typically has visitation rights.

When a Court May Grant Full Custody

While courts generally favor shared custody whenever possible, there are certain situations where the court may award full legal and physical custody to one parent. These situations usually involve serious concerns, such as:

Inability to co-parent: If parents demonstrate a failure to communicate or cooperate on major decisions for the child without significant conflict, leading to a detrimental environment, the court may award sole legal custody to one parent to provide stability and clear decision-making.
Domestic violence: If there is a history of domestic violence by one parent, even if it did not directly involve the child, the court will take this very seriously. The safety and well-being of the child and the other parent are paramount, and the court may award sole custody to protect them. It will consider the impact of such violence on the child.
Substance abuse issues: If one parent has ongoing substance abuse problems that impair their ability to care for the child safely and consistently, the court may award sole custody to the sober parent. It may require the parent with substance abuse issues to undergo testing or treatment before allowing unsupervised visitation.
Child neglect or abuse: Any documented history of child neglect or abuse by a parent will almost certainly result in the court awarding the other parent sole custody. The court’s priority is to remove the child from any dangerous or harmful environment.
Parental unfitness: If a court deems a parent unfit due to severe mental health issues, incarceration, or other factors that significantly impair their ability to provide a stable, safe, and nurturing environment, it may award sole custody to the other parent.
Child’s preference: While not the sole determining factor, the court will consider the child’s reasonable preference for custody, giving weight to it based on the child’s age, maturity, judgment, and ability to express their wishes. If an older, mature child strongly expresses a desire to live with one parent over the other, and there are valid reasons supporting this preference, it can influence the court’s decision.
Parental relocation: If one parent needs to move a significant distance, making a joint physical custody arrangement impractical or disruptive to the child’s life, the court may award sole physical custody to the parent who remains in the child’s primary community.

If you believe full custody is your child’s best and safest option, our child custody attorneys near you will help you gather the evidence and present a compelling case to the judge.

Visitation Laws in South Carolina

Even when one parent has sole physical custody, the non-custodial parent almost always retains the right to visitation, unless the court has terminated parental rights or there are severe safety concerns. South Carolina law mandates that non-custodial parents receive a minimum amount of visitation, typically including one weeknight visit and overnight visits every other weekend, along with shared holidays and extended summer time.

Visitation aims to ensure the child maintains a meaningful relationship with both parents. Visitation schedules can be highly customized to fit the family’s specific circumstances, including work schedules, school calendars, and the child’s extracurricular activities. Parents are encouraged to work together to create a practical visitation schedule that serves the child’s best interests.

When Visitation May Be Supervised

In some situations, unsupervised visitation is not deemed safe or appropriate for the child. In these cases, the court may order supervised visitation, meaning a third party must be present during visits between the child and the non-custodial parent. This third party can be a family member, a trusted friend, or a professional supervisor.

Reasons for supervised visitation often align with the reasons for awarding sole custody and include substance abuse issues, history of domestic violence, child alienation, lack of recent contact, mental health concerns, and high conflict between parents. The court will typically require the supervisor to provide regular reports on the visits, ensuring that the parent acts appropriately and the child is safe and comfortable.

Modifications to Custody Orders

Life is constantly changing, and what works for a family today might not work tomorrow. Child custody orders are not set in stone. They can be modified if there is a significant change in circumstances and the modification is in the child’s best interest. Common situations that may warrant a modification include:

Relocation of a parent: If one parent needs to move a significant distance for a job, family support, or other compelling reasons, the original custody and visitation schedule may no longer be feasible.
Change in children’s needs: As children grow, their needs evolve. A custody arrangement that worked for a toddler might not suit a teenager with different school, social, or medical requirements.
Changes in parental circumstances: A change in a parent’s work schedule, remarriage, or health issues can impact their ability to adhere to the original agreement.
Unsafe environment: A modification is crucial to protect the child if concerns arise about a child’s safety due to abuse, neglect, or substance abuse by a parent that developed after the original order was put in place.
Parental agreement: Sometimes, both parents mutually agree that changing the custody arrangement is in the child’s best interest. Even with an agreement, the court must approve the modification to make it legally binding.

To successfully modify a custody order, the requesting parent must demonstrate that a substantial change in circumstances has occurred and that the new arrangement serves the child’s best interests. Our child custody lawyers help clients request and oppose custody modifications. We will work closely with you to evaluate your options and take swift action when changes are necessary.

Why Indigo Family Law Is the Best Child Custody Law Firm Near You

At Indigo Family Law, we do things differently, and it shows. If you are looking for a child custody lawyer near you, here is why families in Georgetown, Georgetown County, and the surrounding Lowcountry trust us during some of the most challenging moments of their lives.

We are a team that has been in your shoes: We understand what you are going through because we have lived it. Our founding attorney, Brana Williams, a mother of six adopted children, knows firsthand how quickly life can change, having faced profound personal losses and the realization that her own children’s future needed clearer legal protection. That experience shapes how we approach every custody case with urgency and compassion.
We always put people first: We call it The Indigo Way, and it means you will always be treated with respect, honesty, and compassion. We know child custody disputes are never just legal problems. They are personal. We walk with you like we would with our own family, offering straightforward guidance, explaining your options clearly, and never pushing you to settle for less than your child needs.
We know South Carolina family law inside and out: We have been handling South Carolina child custody cases for decades. We understand the laws, local courts, and nuances of how Georgetown and Horry County judges approach custody decisions. That gives our clients a powerful advantage because we can craft legal strategies tailored to your local court’s expectations and preferences.
We are locals who truly care: Indigo Family Law is not a satellite office of a big, out-of-town firm. We live and work right here in the Lowcountry. Our team members have deep professional and personal roots in South Carolina, and we have built lasting relationships throughout the community.
We are here for the long haul: Some law firms disappear once the paperwork is done, but we do not. At Indigo Family Law, we stay connected. Many clients contact us years later for advice, referrals, or help with life’s next big step. We are always glad to hear from them because for us, it is not just about winning a case. It is about building a relationship you can count on for custody matters and beyond.

If you are searching for a child custody attorney near you who combines experience, compassion, and fierce advocacy, Indigo Family Law is here to help. We understand the emotional weight of custody disputes and will work tirelessly to protect your child’s best interests because that is what truly matters.

Contact Our Child Custody Lawyers Near Me Law Firm Today

We invite you to contact us if you are searching for child custody lawyers near you and are located in Georgetown, Georgetown County, or anywhere in South Carolina’s Lowcountry. We are ready to help, whether you need assistance negotiating a fair custody arrangement, modifying an existing order, or protecting your children in a tough situation.

Contact us today to schedule a confidential case evaluation with Indigo Family Law. You will get honest answers, a thoughtful strategy, and the peace of mind from having trusted allies on your side. At the end of the day, it is not just about winning custody. It is about protecting what matters most.