Reviewed by Carrie Warner, Attorney at Law, SC Bar No. 72836 · Last reviewed November 2, 2026
If your divorce belongs in Jasper County, it is filed in the Family Court for Jasper County in Ridgeland, the county seat. Jasper County is part of the 14th Judicial Circuit, which also includes Allendale, Beaufort, Colleton and Hampton counties. The county sits on the Georgia line across the Savannah River from the Savannah area, which affects many Jasper County divorces when one spouse lives or works in Georgia.
Use our South Carolina Divorce Guide for statewide rules. Below are the Jasper County specifics.
Jasper County at a Glance
- County seat: Ridgeland
- Population: 28,791 (2020 Census)
- Judicial circuit: 14th (Allendale, Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton, Jasper)
- Courthouse: Jasper County Courthouse, 265 Russell Street, Ridgeland, SC 29936, as listed by the South Carolina Judicial Branch
- Clerk of Court mailing address: PO Box 248, Ridgeland, SC 29936; phone (843) 726-7710
Which County? Applying the Venue Rule in Jasper County
Venue is set by S.C. Code § 20-3-60. You file where the defendant lives. If the defendant lives outside South Carolina or cannot be found, you file where you live. You can also file in the county where you last lived together as spouses, unless you, the plaintiff, live outside South Carolina.
- You and your spouse both live in Ridgeland. File in Jasper County.
- Your spouse moved to Savannah. Your spouse is now a Georgia resident, so you can generally file in Jasper County where you live, if you meet South Carolina residency. Read about divorcing a spouse in another state.
- You moved to Georgia and your spouse stayed in Ridgeland. As a nonresident plaintiff, you must file where your spouse lives, which is Jasper County.
- You live in Jasper County, but your spouse lives in Bluffton and you last lived together there. Bluffton is in Beaufort County, so that case would generally be filed in Beaufort County.
Mailing addresses can be misleading near county lines. If you are not sure which county an address is in, check county property records before you file.
Residency, Grounds and Timing
Residency matters a great deal in a border county. Under S.C. Code § 20-3-30, the filing spouse must have lived in South Carolina for one year, or three months if both spouses are South Carolina residents at filing. If you are the one who moved away, you can still file in South Carolina when your spouse has lived here for at least one year. Working in Georgia does not, by itself, make you a Georgia resident, but the question is where you actually live. See residency requirements.
The five grounds in S.C. Code § 20-3-10 are adultery, one-year desertion, physical cruelty, habitual drunkenness or drug use, and one year of living separate and apart. Our page on grounds for divorce explains each. Under S.C. Code § 20-3-80, adultery, cruelty and drunkenness cases have a three-month minimum before a final decree. One-year separation and desertion cases do not, once the defendant answers or defaults. Learn more about the waiting period.
Filing With the Jasper County Clerk of Court
The case begins when you file a summons and complaint with the Jasper County Clerk of Court. Our how-to-file guide explains what goes in each.
- Fee: currently $150 for a family court complaint statewide. Confirm with the Clerk of Court.
- Fee waiver: available on request if you cannot afford the fee.
- Service: by sheriff or a non-party adult, certified mail restricted delivery, or acceptance of service. Service on a spouse in Georgia follows South Carolina rules but involves out-of-state logistics.
- Answer: your spouse generally has 30 days after service to respond.
- Financial declaration: Form SCCA 430, due by the first hearing or within 45 days of service, whichever comes first.
If the case is a simple one-year separation with no children and no property or debt to divide, the South Carolina Judicial Branch has self-help forms.
Temporary Hearings, Mediation and What Comes Next
Contested cases often start with a temporary hearing on custody, support and the home. These are usually decided on affidavits and financial declarations under Family Court Rule 21. Parents who disagree about custody each file a parenting plan.
Mediation is required in most contested divorces statewide under ADR Rule 3. After discovery, the parties mediate. If they settle, a judge reviews the agreement. If they do not, the court sets a final hearing.
Military Families in Jasper County
Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort and Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island are in neighboring Beaufort County. Service members stationed in South Carolina can count that continuous presence as residence. Venue still turns on where each spouse lives. See our military divorce page for federal rules on retirement pay and deployment.
Working With a Lawyer From Columbia
Warner Law’s office is in Columbia. If your case is in Jasper County, contact us to ask whether we can help.
Frequently Asked Questions
My spouse lives in Savannah. Can I file in Jasper County?
Usually, yes. When the defendant lives outside South Carolina, you can generally file in the county where you live, as long as you have lived in South Carolina for at least one year.
I work in Georgia but live in Ridgeland. Am I a South Carolina resident?
Residency for divorce is about where you actually live, not where you work. If you have lived in South Carolina for the required time, working across the state line generally does not change that.
We lived in Bluffton before we separated. Which county is that?
Bluffton is in Beaufort County. If neither spouse now lives in Jasper County, the case would generally go to Beaufort County or the county where your spouse lives.
Where do I file a Jasper County divorce?
File with the Jasper County Clerk of Court in Ridgeland. Call (843) 726-7710 to confirm filing hours and the current fee.
Can I divorce without a lawyer in Jasper County?
Yes. The South Carolina Judicial Branch publishes self-help forms for simple one-year separation divorces with no children and no property or debt to divide. Cases with children, property or a spouse in Georgia are usually more involved.
Sources
- S.C. Code Title 20, Chapter 3 (Divorce), South Carolina Legislature
- Jasper County courthouse and Clerk of Court, South Carolina Judicial Branch
- Family Court filing fees, South Carolina Judicial Branch
Talk to Warner Law about your situation. If your divorce will be filed in Jasper County Family Court, contact us to ask whether we can help. Warner Law’s office is at 1405 Calhoun Street in Columbia. Call (803) 692-1072 or request a consultation.
This article is general information about South Carolina law, not legal advice for your case. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
