Court Opinion

ID: 9854280
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 06:04:19.640001+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:23:00.009158
License: Public Domain

Bell, Judge
(concurring):
I concur. The abuse of discretion is established by two factors: (1) the husband’s suit was patently frivolous and (2) the wife has no ability to pay her attorney. In these circumstances, the equities demand that the husband, who put a destitute wife to the unfair and unnecessary burden of litigation, pay her reasonably incurred attorney’s fees. See Gore v. Gore, 288 S. C. 438, 343 S. E. (2d) 51 (Ct. App. 1986). There is no good reason the wife should be forced to bear a major part of these expenses as the family court decreed.
*17The husband cries that he cannot afford to pay the wife’s fees. One who intends to build a tower should first count the cost, whether he has sufficient to finish it. Luke 14:28. This court does not sit to relieve self-inflicted wounds. See Gore v. Gore, supra (relief denied where husband’s predicament is one of his own creation).
I would reverse and remand with directions to award an attorney’s fee based on the number of hours reasonably spent defending the action at the customary hourly rate for family court matters prevailing in Lexington County.