Opinion ID: 1217215
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Surviving Spouse

Text: Section 62-2-201 provides that the surviving spouse has a right of election to take an elective share of one-third of the decedent's probate estate. The children argue that Murray is not entitled to the elective share as he was not the legal spouse of Mildred because the divorce decree from his second marriage was not finalized until after his marriage ceremony with Mildred. We disagree. The final hearing for the divorce of Murray's second marriage was held on April 30, 1971 and the divorce decree was signed by the judge and filed with the family court on the same day. The order, however, was not forwarded to the Court of Common Pleas from which jurisdiction had been transferred until May 10, 1971. This situation may be distinguished from decisions such as Case v. Case , 243 S.C. 447, 134 S.E. (2d) 394 (1964). The decision in Case stands for the proposition that a complaining party may rescind or withdraw a request for a divorce even after a hearing has been held and an oral decree has been rendered. Once the order is signed by the judge and is filed with the court, the decision may not be changed and therefore is final. We find that Murray's divorce was final on April 30, 1971, when the order was signed by the judge and filed with the Family Court. Accordingly, we find that Murray was the legal spouse of Mildred and therefore entitled to the elective share.