South Carolina H 3608: Family Court

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 3608 Text of Previous Version (Dec. 12, 2024) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 3608

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING 
SECTION 63-3-590, RELATING TO CONDUCT OF CERTAIN FAMILY COURT HEARINGS, SO AS 
TO REQUIRE A JURY TRIAL IN LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES.

Be it enacted by the 
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Section 63-3-590 of the S.C. Code is amended to read:

 Section 
63-3-590. (A) All 
cases of children must be dealt with as separate hearings by the court and 
without a jury. The hearings must be conducted in a formal manner and may be 
adjourned from time to time. The general public must be excluded and only 
persons the judge finds to have a direct interest in the case or in the work of 
the court may be admitted. The presence of the child in court may be waived by 
the court at any stage of the proceedings. Hearings may be held at any time or 
place within the county designated by the judge. In any case where the 
delinquency proceedings may result in commitment to an institution in which the 
child's freedom is curtailed, the privilege against self-incrimination and the 
right of cross-examination must be preserved. In all cases where required by 
law, the child must be accorded all rights enjoyed by adults, and where not 
required by law the child must be accorded adult rights consistent with the 
best interests of the child.

 (B) Notwithstanding the provisions of 
subsection (A), a hearing in a case involving children to decide a matter that 
could subject a party or witness to a term of imprisonment must be heard by a 
court with a jury of six jurors. 

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval 
by the Governor.

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This web page was last updated on December 12, 2024 at 04:46 PM