Filing for Divorce in Richland County, South Carolina

Reviewed by Carrie Warner, Attorney at Law, SC Bar No. 72836 · Last reviewed November 2, 2026

Divorces for Richland County residents are generally filed in the Family Court for Richland County, which sits in Columbia, the county seat and the state capital. Richland County is part of South Carolina’s Fifth Judicial Circuit, which it shares with Kershaw County. Warner Law’s office is in Columbia. This page explains when a divorce belongs in Richland County, how filing there usually works and a few issues that come up often for Richland County families. It is part of our South Carolina Divorce Guide.

When Your Divorce Belongs in Richland County

The county that hears a divorce is called the venue. South Carolina sets it in S.C. Code § 20-3-60. A divorce may be filed in:

• the county where the defendant (the spouse being sued) lives;
• the plaintiff’s county, if the defendant lives outside South Carolina or cannot be found after a diligent search; or
• the county where the spouses last lived together, unless the plaintiff lives outside South Carolina, in which case it must be the defendant’s county.

A Columbia mailing address does not always mean Richland County

This is the most common venue mix-up in the Midlands. The City of Columbia extends into Lexington County, and many addresses with a “Columbia” mailing city sit outside Richland County altogether. West Columbia and the town of Lexington are in Lexington County. Irmo straddles the Richland and Lexington county line. Chapin is in Lexington County. Before you file, confirm the county for your spouse’s address and for the home where you last lived together, for example through the county property records or a tax bill.

Some examples:

• Your spouse lives in Forest Acres, Blythewood, Eastover or northeast Columbia. These are Richland County addresses in most cases, so Richland County is the defendant’s county.
• You lived together in Irmo, and your spouse moved to Lexington. Lexington County is now the defendant’s county. Whether Richland County is also proper depends on which side of the county line your Irmo home was on.
• Your spouse moved from Columbia to Camden. Camden is in Kershaw County. If you last lived together in Richland County and you live in South Carolina, Richland County may still be proper. Both counties are in the Fifth Circuit.
• Your spouse moved out of state. If you live in Richland County, you can generally file here as the plaintiff’s county. Orders about support and property against an out-of-state spouse raise separate jurisdiction questions.

Residency, Grounds and Waiting Periods

• Residency (S.C. Code § 20-3-30): the filing spouse must have lived in South Carolina for at least one year, or three months if both spouses live in the state when the case is filed. If you live outside South Carolina, you can still file here if your spouse has lived in South Carolina for at least one year. See South Carolina residency requirements.
• Grounds (S.C. Code § 20-3-10): adultery, desertion for one year, physical cruelty, habitual drunkenness (including narcotic drug use), or one year of living separate and apart without cohabitation, the only no-fault ground.
• Waiting periods (S.C. Code § 20-3-80): in adultery, physical cruelty and habitual drunkenness cases, no final decree until three months after filing. One-year separation and desertion cases can be heard once the defendant answers or is in default.

Fort Jackson and Military Families

Fort Jackson, the Army’s largest initial entry training center, is in Richland County. Military divorces follow the same South Carolina grounds and venue rules, with some added points:

• An active-duty service member stationed in South Carolina is treated as a resident for the residency rule because of continuous presence here.
• Military retired pay can be divided as property under the federal USFSPA. Direct payment of the former spouse’s share by DFAS generally requires at least 10 years of marriage overlapping 10 years of service. Federal law also has its own jurisdiction test for dividing retired pay: the member’s domicile, consent, or residence in the state for a reason other than a military assignment.
• If a spouse is serving overseas, S.C. Code § 20-3-100 adds an affidavit requirement before a final decree.

Our page on military divorce in South Carolina covers these points in more depth.

Filing at the Richland County Clerk of Court

The SC Judicial Branch lists the Richland County Courthouse (the Judicial Center) at 1701 Main Street, Columbia, SC 29201, and the Clerk of Court’s office phone as (803) 576-1950. Confirm with the clerk where family court filings are accepted and current hours before you go.

A divorce filing usually includes:

• a summons and a complaint stating your grounds and what you want decided, such as custody, child support, alimony, division of property and debts, or a return to a former name;
• any cover sheet or other forms the clerk requires; and
• the filing fee, which is currently $150 statewide. Confirm with the Clerk of Court. If you cannot afford it, you can ask the court to waive the fee.

Your spouse must then be served under SCRCP Rule 4: by a sheriff’s deputy or other non-party adult, by certified mail with restricted delivery, or by signing an acceptance of service. Your spouse has 30 days to answer. Each spouse also files a financial declaration on Form SCCA 430 by the first hearing or within 45 days of service, whichever comes first. Our step-by-step guide to filing for divorce in South Carolina explains each document.

Mediation, Temporary Hearings and the Usual Sequence

Under ADR Rule 3, mediation is required in most contested domestic-relations cases statewide, including Richland County. Exceptions include temporary relief, contempt and some domestic-violence situations. See Is Mediation Required in a South Carolina Divorce?

If you need decisions while the case is pending, such as temporary custody, child support or who stays in the house, you can ask for a temporary hearing. Under Family Court Rule 21, these are generally decided on affidavits and financial declarations, with page limits, and live testimony is not allowed without good cause. Each parent must also file a parenting plan at a contested temporary hearing.

A typical sequence: filing and service, the answer and any counterclaim, a temporary hearing if needed, exchange of financial information and discovery, mediation, and then a court-approved settlement or a final hearing. Richland County cases are heard by family court judges assigned within the Fifth Circuit.

About Richland County

Richland County had 416,147 residents in the 2020 Census. Besides Fort Jackson, it is home to the University of South Carolina and much of state government, so many divorcing spouses here have state retirement plans (SCRS or PORS) or federal benefits to address. Neighborhood guides on our site include Columbia, Forest Acres and Irmo.

Frequently Asked Questions

I have a Columbia address. Is my case in Richland County?

Not necessarily. Parts of Columbia, along with West Columbia and Lexington, are in Lexington County. Venue depends on the actual county of your spouse’s home or of the home you last shared.

My spouse moved to Lexington County. Can I still file in Richland County?

If you last lived together in Richland County and you live in South Carolina, Richland County may be proper. Lexington County, your spouse’s county, would also be proper.

I am stationed at Fort Jackson. Can I file for divorce in South Carolina?

An active-duty service member stationed in South Carolina is treated as a resident for the residency rule. Venue still follows § 20-3-60, so the county depends on where each spouse lives and where you last lived together.

How much does it cost to file in Richland County?

The family court filing fee is currently $150 statewide. Confirm with the Richland County Clerk of Court. A fee waiver can be requested. Attorney fees are separate.

Where are Richland County divorce cases heard?

The SC Judicial Branch lists the Richland County Courthouse at 1701 Main Street in Columbia. Confirm your hearing location on your notice and with the clerk.

Is mediation required in Richland County?

In most contested cases, yes, under ADR Rule 3. Exceptions include temporary relief and some domestic-violence situations.

Sources

• S.C. Code Title 20, Chapter 3 (Divorce)
• SC Judicial Branch: Richland County courthouse and Clerk of Court
• DFAS: Former Spouses’ Protection Act (USFSPA) legal overview