The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-08-03
WILL OFFER BILL
TO GRANT DIVORCES
Representative Stafford Is Preparing
Measure for Introduction at Next
Session of General Assembly.
Gl eenville Piedmont.

Gleenville Piedmont
A bill to permit divorces in South
Carolina-the only state in the unior
which does not now have such a la7
will be introduced in the next ses.
sion by the South Carolina Genera
assembly by Representative Walter B
Stafford member of the Greenviil'
county delegation, according to :
statement from Mr. Stafford today.
Mr.. Stafford says that he las made
a conscientious study Of the divorce
question and South Carolinas need
for such law and is thoroughly con-
v;nced that South Carolina cannot af-
ford to delay her entrance into the
divorce column of domestic cond.-
tions that unquestionably exist and
can only be solved by the enacting o:
a divorce law"
Mr.. Stafford plans to make his pro-
posed divorce law stringent enough
to emphasize tie seriousness OF the
marriage oath and sufficiently lax to
prevent it from being Ineffective and
useless
All of the details of the law have
not been workd out as yet, but Mr.
Stafford has decided on the general
principles and provisions that he will
INCORPORATE in his divorce bill.
His bill will provide that the action
for divorce shall be by petition and
process as in ordinary suits, filed and
served as in other cases, unless the
defendant be a nonresident o. this
State. when service shall be perfected
as prescribed by the South Carolina
code in causes of equity.
Grounds for Divorce.
Mr.. Stafford's bill would proVloe
the following ground as sufficient tc
warrant the granting of divorce:
l. Mental incapacity at the time o.
marriage.
Force. menaces, Or fraud in OBJ
tanning marriage.
9. Adultery in either OF the parIies
after marriage.
a. Wilful and continued desertior
nv either Of the parties for the 'perioS
of three years.
s The conviction Of either OF TN
parties OF moral turpitude-
6. Cruel treatment.
z Mutual agreement on separation
between both parties.
Question Of Alimony.
The question of alimony present
an interesting feature of divorce da7
and Mr. stafford's bill would. haV'
nermanent alimony granted to the a'
~orced wife in cases Of voluntae'
sanaration, in cases of desertion' am
IN cases.. of moral turpitude. Ho"
over he thinks that the court snoai'
+sta into consideration the pseuha
financial necessities OF the wife "
each case and govern his aliotmeh
~ alimony accordingly. This Woai'
involve the question of whether or no
the wife had an estate that aHoroe'
her an income, and the compara'lV
;ncone of the husband would ais
he taken into consideration. :,
The terms of Mr.. stafford's bill VII
stimulate that the custody Of the chill
aren. shall be given to the party no
in default The court for special rea
sons however, could make a dlneren
d:sn,sition of the children, Wltadra"
no them from the possession o
either partv and give them to spec
ial guardian to oe appointed OS 'D
court. ;fl
1r. Stafford thinks that the wiz
should be granted the restoration o
the name she bore before her mar
riage if she so desires. 80: Il.
MT.. Stafford is confident that MS uf u.
7orce bill will become a law as easi,
as the legislative process will PERM
and that Gin less than a years , WOW,
tbe people of South Carolina won ..
hovo 70 crowd the Georgia courts WIZ
divorce petitions.