Court Opinion

ID: 9846280
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 03:38:33.355932+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:16:46.071131
License: Public Domain

Justice MOORE:
I respectfully dissent. Mother should not be penalized for her intention to move. As provided in S.C.Code Ann. § 20-7-420(30) (Supp.2002), a custodial parent cannot be prohibited from moving absent a compelling reason:
[T]he court may not issue an order which prohibits a custodial parent from moving his residence to a location within the State unless the court finds a compelling reason or unless the parties have agreed to such a prohibition.
The custody decision here essentially turned on the single factor of Mother’s expressed intention to move. Rather than prohibit the move, the family court simply denied custody, a *138decision that in my opinion violates the spirit of § 20-7-420(30).
The preponderance of the evidence does not indicate a compelling reason to deny Mother custody because of her intent to move. Accordingly, I would affirm the Court of Appeals and award Mother custody.
PLEICONES, J., concurs.