{"data":{"id":"us-sc/s.c.-code-ann.-63-17-10","jurisdiction":"us-sc","citation":"S.C. Code Ann. § 63-17-10","heading":"Purpose; definitions.","body":"(A) The purpose of this article is to establish a procedure to aid in the determination of the paternity of an individual.\n(B) As used in this article, \"child\" includes, but is not limited to, a person under the age of eighteen years.\n(C) An action to establish the paternity of an individual may be brought by:\n(1) a child;\n(2) the natural mother of a child;\n(3) any person in whose care a child has been placed;\n(4) an authorized agency, including, but not limited to, the Department of Social Services, pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 5 of Title 43, and any other person or agency pursuant to the provisions of Sections 63-3-550 and 63-17-340; or\n(5) a person who claims to be the father of a child.\n(D) If an action is brought under this article prior to the birth of a child, all proceedings must be stayed until after the birth of the child except the service of a summons and the taking of depositions or other discovery procedures.\n(E) Whenever an action threatens to make a child illegitimate, the presumed legal father and the putative natural father must be made parties respondents to the action. A child under the age of eighteen years must be represented by a guardian ad litem appointed by the court. Neither the mother nor the presumed or putative father of the child may represent him as guardian ad litem.","path":["Title 63 - SOUTH CAROLINA CHILDREN'S CODE","CHAPTER 17 Paternity and Child Support","ARTICLE 1 Paternity"],"source_url":"https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t63c017.php","current_through":"2025 Session of the General Assembly","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-02T08:09:49Z","sha256":"c169cc5947e83cc9300585388bbc427e5fd6adf7fb4d87ae43945e65ce27c589","source_id":"us-sc","stale":false,"prev":"us-sc/s.c.-code-ann.-63-15-690","next":"us-sc/s.c.-code-ann.-63-17-20"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}