{"data":{"id":"us-sc/s.c.-code-ann.-63-15-342","jurisdiction":"us-sc","citation":"S.C. Code Ann. § 63-15-342","heading":"Inconvenient forum.","body":"(A) A court of this State, which has jurisdiction under this article to make a child custody determination, may decline to exercise its jurisdiction at any time if it determines that it is an inconvenient forum under the circumstances and that a court of another state is a more appropriate forum. The issue of inconvenient forum may be raised upon motion of a party, the court's own motion, or request of another court.\n(B) Before determining whether it is an inconvenient forum, a court of this State shall consider whether it is appropriate for a court of another state to exercise jurisdiction. For this purpose, the court shall allow the parties to submit information and shall consider all relevant factors, including:\n(1) whether domestic violence has occurred and is likely to continue in the future and which state could best protect the parties and the child;\n(2) the length of time the child has resided outside this State;\n(3) the distance between the court in this State and the court in the state that would assume jurisdiction;\n(4) the relative financial circumstances of the parties;\n(5) any agreement of the parties as to which state should assume jurisdiction;\n(6) the nature and location of the evidence required to resolve the pending litigation, including testimony of the child;\n(7) the ability of the court of each state to decide the issue expeditiously and the procedures necessary to present the evidence; and\n(8) the familiarity of the court of each state with the facts and issues in the pending litigation.\n(C) If a court of this State determines that it is an inconvenient forum and that a court of another state is a more appropriate forum, it shall stay the proceedings upon condition that a child custody proceeding be promptly commenced in another designated state and may impose any other condition the court considers just and proper.\n(D) A court of this State may decline to exercise its jurisdiction under this article if a child custody determination is incidental to an action for divorce or another proceeding while still retaining jurisdiction over the divorce or other proceeding.","path":["Title 63 - SOUTH CAROLINA CHILDREN'S CODE","CHAPTER 15 Child Custody and Visitation","ARTICLE 3 Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act","Subarticle 2 Jurisdiction"],"source_url":"https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t63c015.php","current_through":"2025 Session of the General Assembly","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-02T08:09:44Z","sha256":"ea9b020fe6855ec60796d65fdf44dc2451f2c9ec219491b9656592ad9a419ade","source_id":"us-sc","stale":false,"prev":"us-sc/s.c.-code-ann.-63-15-340","next":"us-sc/s.c.-code-ann.-63-15-344"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}