Terms Used In South Carolina Code > Title 63 > Chapter 15 > Article 2 - Court-Ordered Child Custody

• Child: means a person under the age of eighteen. See South Carolina Code 63-1-40
• Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
• Joint custody: means both parents have equal rights and responsibilities for major decisions concerning the child, including the child's education, medical and dental care, extracurricular activities, and religious training; however, a judge may designate one parent to have sole authority to make specific, identified decisions while both parents retain equal rights and responsibilities for all other decisions. See South Carolina Code 63-15-210
• Judge: means the judge of the family court. See South Carolina Code 63-1-40
• Parent: means biological parent, adoptive parents, step-parent, or person with legal custody. See South Carolina Code 63-1-40
• Sole custody: means a person, including, but not limited to, a parent who has temporary or permanent custody of a child and, unless otherwise provided for by court order, the rights and responsibilities for major decisions concerning the child, including the child's education, medical and dental care, extracurricular activities, and religious training. See South Carolina Code 63-15-210