H*3039(Rat #0176, Act #0132 of 2005)  General Bill, By Sinclair and Whipper
 AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 20-7-420, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
 1976, RELATING TO EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE FAMILY COURT, SO AS TO DELETE
 EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION TO HEAR AND DETERMINE ACTIONS AS TO THE VALIDITY OF
 MARRIAGES AND THE PATERNITY OF AN INDIVIDUAL, AND TO PROVIDE FOR CONCURRENT
 JURISDICTION OF THE PROBATE COURT WITH THAT OF THE FAMILY COURT TO HEAR AND
 DETERMINE CERTAIN MATTERS IN CONNECTION WITH ACTIONS PENDING BEFORE THE
 PROBATE COURT; AND TO AMEND SECTION 62-1-302, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO SUBJECT
 MATTER JURISDICTION IN THE PROBATE COURT, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR CONCURRENT
 JURISDICTION WITH THAT OF THE FAMILY COURT TO HEAR AND DETERMINE MATTERS OF
 PATERNITY, COMMON-LAW MARRIAGE, AND INTERPRETATION OF MARITAL AGREEMENTS IN
 CONNECTION WITH CERTAIN ACTIONS PENDING BEFORE THE PROBATE COURT. - ratified
 title

   12/08/04  House  Prefiled
   12/08/04  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary
   01/11/05  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-62
   01/11/05  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-62
   02/09/05  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Whipper
   04/14/05  House  Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Judiciary HJ-1
   04/15/05         Scrivener's error corrected
   04/19/05  House  Amended HJ-134
   04/19/05  House  Read second time HJ-136
   04/20/05  House  Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-31
   04/20/05  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-6
   04/20/05  Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary SJ-6
   05/25/05  Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Judiciary SJ-26
   05/26/05  Senate Amended SJ-332
   05/26/05  Senate Read second time SJ-332
   05/27/05         Scrivener's error corrected
   05/31/05  Senate Read third time and returned to House with
                     amendments SJ-27
   06/01/05  House  Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled HJ-78
   06/02/05         Ratified R 176
   06/03/05         Signed By Governor
   06/09/05         Copies available
   06/09/05         Effective date 06/03/05
   06/16/05         Act No. 132

(A132, R176, H3039)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 20-7-420, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE FAMILY COURT, SO AS TO DELETE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION TO HEAR AND DETERMINE ACTIONS AS TO THE VALIDITY OF MARRIAGES AND THE PATERNITY OF AN INDIVIDUAL, AND TO PROVIDE FOR CONCURRENT JURISDICTION OF THE PROBATE COURT WITH THAT OF THE FAMILY COURT TO HEAR AND DETERMINE CERTAIN MATTERS IN CONNECTION WITH ACTIONS PENDING BEFORE THE PROBATE COURT; AND TO AMEND SECTION 62-1-302, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION IN THE PROBATE COURT, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR CONCURRENT JURISDICTION WITH THAT OF THE FAMILY COURT TO HEAR AND DETERMINE MATTERS OF PATERNITY, COMMON-LAW MARRIAGE, AND INTERPRETATION OF MARITAL AGREEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH CERTAIN ACTIONS PENDING BEFORE THE PROBATE COURT.

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

Exclusive jurisdiction of the family court

SECTION    1.    The first undesignated line of Section 20-7-420 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"(A)     The family court has exclusive jurisdiction:"

Exclusive jurisdiction of the family court

SECTION    2.    Section 20-7-420(5) and (7) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"(5)     (Reserved)

(7)    (Reserved)"

Concurrent jurisdiction of the probate court with the family court

SECTION    3.    Section 20-7-420 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 361 of 2002, is further amended by adding at the end:

"Notwithstanding another provision of law, the family court and the probate court have concurrent jurisdiction to hear and determine matters relating to paternity, common-law marriage, and interpretation of marital agreements; except that the concurrent jurisdiction of the probate court extends only to matters dealing with the estate, trust, and guardianship and conservatorship actions before the probate court."

Exclusive jurisdiction of the probate court

SECTION    4.    Section 62-1-302 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 152 of 1997, is further amended to read:

"Section 62-1-302. (a)    To the full extent permitted by the Constitution, and except as otherwise specifically provided, the probate court has exclusive original jurisdiction over all subject matter related to:

(1)    estates of decedents, including the contest of wills, construction of wills, and determination of heirs and successors of decedents and estates of protected persons;

(2)    protection of minors, except that jurisdiction over the care, custody, and control of the persons of minors is governed by Section 62-5-201 and incapacitated persons, including the mortgage and sale of personal and real property owned by minors or incapacitated persons as well as gifts made pursuant to the South Carolina Uniform Gifts to Minors Act, Section 20-7-140, et seq., except that jurisdiction for approval of settlement of claims in favor of or against minors or incapacitated persons is governed by Section 62-5-433;

(3)    trusts, inter vivos or testamentary, including the appointment of successor trustees;

(4)    the issuance of marriage licenses, in form as provided by the Bureau of Vital Statistics of the Department of Health and Environmental Control; record, index, and dispose of copies of marriage certificates; and issue certified copies of the licenses and certificates;

(5)    the performance of the duties of the clerk of the circuit and family courts of the county in which the probate court is held when there is a vacancy in the office of clerk of court and in proceedings in eminent domain for the acquisition of rights-of-way by railway companies, canal companies, governmental entities, or public utilities when the clerk is disqualified by reason of ownership of or interest in lands over which it is sought to obtain the rights-of-way; and

(6)    the involuntary commitment of persons suffering from mental illness, mental retardation, alcoholism, drug addiction, and active pulmonary tuberculosis.

(b)    The court's jurisdiction over matters involving wrongful death or actions under the survival statute is concurrent with that of the circuit court and extends only to the approval of settlements as provided in Sections 15-51-41 and 15-51-42 and to the allocation of settlement proceeds among the parties involved in the estate.

(c)    The probate court has jurisdiction to hear and determine issues relating to paternity, common-law marriage, and interpretation of marital agreements in connection with estate, trust, guardianship, and conservatorship actions pending before it, concurrent with that of the family court, pursuant to Section 20-7-420.

(d)    Notwithstanding the exclusive jurisdiction of the probate court over the foregoing matters, any action or proceeding filed in the probate court and relating to the following subject matters, on motion of a party, or by the court on its own motion, made not later than ten days following the date on which all responsive pleadings must be filed, must be removed to the circuit court and in these cases the circuit court shall proceed upon the matter de novo:

(1)    formal proceedings for the probate of wills and for the appointment of personal representatives;

(2)    construction of wills;

(3)    actions to try title;

(4)    trusts;

(5)    actions in which a party has a right to trial by jury and which involve an amount in controversy of at least five thousand dollars in value; and

(6)    actions concerning gifts made pursuant to the South Carolina Uniform Gifts to Minors Act, Section 20-7-140, et seq.

(e)    The removal to the circuit court of an action or proceeding within the exclusive jurisdiction of the probate court applies only to the particular action or proceeding removed, and the probate court otherwise retains continuing exclusive jurisdiction."

Time effective

SECTION    5.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Ratified the 2nd day of June, 2005.

Approved the 3rd day of June, 2005.