South Carolina is among a fraction of the states that recognizes common law marriage. As a result, our family and probate courts are able to declare whether a marriage exists even if the couple was not formally married. A few of the things courts look at are: how long the couple lived together, whether they intended to marry, and whether they presented themselves as a married couple. When a court is left to determine whether a common law marriage exists (or existed), the consequences of that decision are usually substantial. My experience with common law marriage matters allows our clients to address the issue with confidence
