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Terms Used In South Carolina Code 63-9-720

  • Adoptee: means a person who is proposed to be or who has been legally adopted. See South Carolina Code 63-9-30
  • Adoption: means the judicial act of creating the relationship of parent and child where it did not exist previously. See South Carolina Code 63-9-30
  • Child: means any person under eighteen years of age. See South Carolina Code 63-9-30
  • Court: means any family court in this State. See South Carolina Code 63-9-30
  • Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
  • Guardian: means a person who legally has the care and management of a child. See South Carolina Code 63-1-40
  • Pleadings: Written statements of the parties in a civil case of their positions. In the federal courts, the principal pleadings are the complaint and the answer.
Before any hearing is held on the adoption or any matter related to the adoption, the court shall appoint a guardian ad litem for the adoptee as in other family court actions, and the adoptee must be served with a copy of the pleadings. However, if the adoptee is fourteen years of age or younger, the child may be served by service upon his guardian ad litem or other person with whom he resides.