Comprehensive Family Law Solutions
Divorce & Private Family Law
Navigating life’s transitions with clarity and purpose.
Ending a marriage or restructuring a family is one of life’s most stressful events. We handle both contested and uncontested matters, ensuring your financial future and your relationship with your children are prioritized.
Divorce & Separation: Handling fault-based grounds (adultery, habitual drunkenness, etc.) and no-fault (one year’s separation) filings, as well as Separate Support and Maintenance actions.
Child Custody & Visitation: creating parenting plans that serve the best interests of the child while protecting your role as a parent.
Financial Resolution: Equitable division of assets and debts, alimony/spousal support, and child support calculations.
Post-Divorce Modifications: assisting with changes to custody or support when circumstances change significantly after the final order.
Because Family Law is rarely just one thing.
1. The “Defense” Advantage in Private Custody
In high-conflict custody battles, it is not not uncommon for one parent to weaponize false allegations or attempt to involve the Department of Social Services (DSS) to gain the upper hand.
The Advantage: Because we defend against DSS investigations daily, we know exactly how to spot, dismantle, and defend against manufactured allegations before they derail your custody case. We know the DSS “playbook” better than most, ensuring you are protected from unwarranted state interference during your private divorce.
2. A Higher Level of Courtroom Readiness
DSS and juvenile cases often move at a rapid pace, requiring immediate evidentiary hearings and aggressive trial advocacy.
The Advantage: We bring that same “trial-ready” intensity to your divorce or separation. While we always aim for amicable settlements, we prepare every case as if it is going to trial. This aggressive posture often forces better settlement offers because opposing counsel knows we are not afraid to litigate.
3. Comprehensive Protection for Your Future
Whether it is a juvenile delinquency charge threatening a child’s college prospects or a complex divorce threatening your financial security, the common thread is risk.
The Advantage: We are a boutique firm with a specific focus on risk mitigation. We don’t just process paperwork; we analyze how a decision today will affect your record, your reputation, and your family five years from now.
4. Deep Roots in the 14th Circuit
Family Court is local. Knowing the law is half the battle; knowing the local procedures and expectations of the bench is the other half.
The Advantage: With extensive experience across Beaufort, Jasper, Hampton, Colleton, and Allendale counties, we understand the nuances of the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit. We tailor our strategy not just to the law, but to the specific venue where your case will be heard.
Child Custody and Support; Order Enforcement and Modification
We prioritize your child’s well-being while helping you navigate custody agreements and support arrangements, striving to create a stable and nurturing environment for your family.
We also help parents enforce current valid agreements, including via contempt proceedings.
Modification & Enforcement: When the “Final” Order Isn’t Working
A Family Court Order is meant to provide stability, but life rarely stays static. As children grow, jobs change, and personal circumstances evolve, an order that worked three years ago may no longer serve your child’s best interests today. Conversely, a perfect order is useless if the other parent refuses to follow it.
At May River Family Law Solutions, we represent parents in the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit who need to modify an outdated agreement or enforce an existing one.
Custody & Support Modification
Adapting legal orders to real-life changes.
In South Carolina, you cannot simply request a new custody schedule because you “want” one. You must prove a substantial change in circumstances affecting the welfare of the child. We help clients evaluate whether their situation meets this strict legal standard and advocate for changes that reflect the current reality.
We handle modifications involving:
Relocation: When a parent intends to move more than 100 miles away or out of state.
Safety Concerns: If the other parent has developed substance abuse issues, criminal charges, or DSS involvement, immediate modification may be necessary to protect the child.
Income Changes: Seeking increases or decreases in child support and alimony based on job loss, promotions, or significant changes in the child’s needs.
Teenage Children: As children mature, their needs and preferences change. We assist in modifying visitation schedules to accommodate school, extracurriculars, and the child’s evolving relationship with each parent.
Enforcement & Contempt Actions (Rule to Show Cause)
When the other side breaks the rules.
A Court Order is not a suggestion; it is a mandate. When a co-parent habitually denies visitation, refuses to pay support, or makes major medical/educational decisions without consulting you, they are in Contempt of Court.
We aggressively pursue Rules to Show Cause to hold non-compliant parties accountable. Our goal in enforcement actions is twofold: to secure immediate compliance and, when appropriate, to seek reimbursement for your attorney’s fees and costs.
We handle enforcement for:
Denied Visitation: Recovering lost time with your children.
Non-Payment: Collecting back-due child support or alimony/spousal support.
Decision-Making Violations: Addressing situations where a parent unilaterally changes schools, doctors, or religious upbringing in violation of the order.
Property Division: Ensuring assets are transferred and debts are paid as originally ordered.
DSS Defense and Juvenile Defense
DSS Defense & State Intervention
Aggressive protection of your parental rights.
When the South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS) becomes involved in your life, the stakes are incredibly high. Unlike a private custody dispute, you are facing the resources of the state government. We provide immediate and aggressive defense to keep families together.
DSS Investigations & Safety Plans: Legal counsel during initial investigations to prevent unnecessary removal of children.
Removal Hearings (EPC): Representation at Emergency Protective Custody hearings to advocate for the immediate return of children or placement with family.
Abuse & Neglect Defense: Defending against findings of abuse or neglect in the Central Registry.
Termination of Parental Rights (TPR): Vigorous defense against the permanent severance of parental rights.
Juvenile Defense
Protecting your child’s future.
When a minor is accused of a crime, their future opportunities—education, employment, and reputation—are on the line. We handle cases in the Family Court juvenile system, focusing on rehabilitation and defense rather than punishment.
Delinquency Proceedings: Representation for minors facing criminal allegations, from status offenses to serious felonies.
School & Disciplinary Issues: Assisting families when legal issues bleed into the school environment.
Expungements: Helping young adults clear their records to move forward without the burden of past mistakes. We also routinely assist adults with past convictions clear their records via the expungement process.
Mediation and Guardian ad Litem Services
Family Court Mediation Services
Resolving disputes with the insight of a veteran litigator.
May River Family Law Solutions offers professional Family Court Mediation services for represented and self-represented litigants across the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit.
Mediation is a mandatory step for most Family Court cases in South Carolina, but it is also a powerful opportunity to control your own outcome. Dustin Lee brings a unique perspective to the mediation table:
The Litigator’s Edge: Because Dustin has litigated hundreds of contested cases, he offers a realistic “reality check” to both sides. He can accurately assess the risks of going to trial, helping parties bridge the gap and avoid the uncertainty of a judge’s ruling.
Neutral & Impartial: As a mediator, Dustin does not represent either side. His role is to facilitate productive communication, identify common ground, and draft a binding agreement that resolves the litigation.
Why Choose Dustin Lee as Your Mediator? Effective mediation requires more than just passing messages between rooms. It requires a mediator who understands the nuances of the local bench, the complexity of financial division, and the emotional weight of custody disputes. Dustin leverages his years of trial experience to help families close the chapter on litigation and move forward.
Guardian ad Litem Services
A focused, investigative voice for the child’s best interests.
In high-conflict custody cases, the Judge cannot be in the home to see the daily reality of a child’s life. That is where the Guardian ad Litem (GAL) steps in. At May River Family Law Solutions, Dustin Lee serves as a private Guardian ad Litem for contested custody and visitation actions across the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit.
The Role of the Guardian ad Litem As a GAL, I advocate for the “best interest of the child.” My role is to be the neutral eyes and ears of the Court. I conduct a thorough, independent investigation into the circumstances of the family and provide the Judge with an objective view to help the Court decide (I do not decide) what custody arrangement will best serve the child’s physical and emotional well-being.
The Litigator’s Advantage Not all Guardians approach a case the same way. As an attorney who has defended over 500 DSS hearings and litigated complex private custody battles, I bring a distinct level of scrutiny to my GAL investigations:
Detecting False Allegations: My background in DSS defense gives me a sharp eye for distinguishing between genuine safety concerns and strategic maneuvering or “alienation” by a parent.
Evidence-Based Reporting: My reports to the Court are not just opinions; they are grounded in facts, witness interviews, and documentation, ensuring they stand up to cross-examination and provide the Judge with a solid foundation for their ruling.
Solution-Focused: While my primary duty is to investigate, I also look for practical solutions. My experience as a Mediator allows me to often identify creative options that resolve the conflict without the need for a traumatic trial.
What Our GAL Services Include
Comprehensive Interviews: Meeting with the children, parents, and relevant collaterals (teachers, doctors, therapists, neighbors).
Home Visits: Observing the home environment to ensure safety and suitability.
Record Review: Analyzing criminal backgrounds, medical records, school reports, and previous court filings.
Court Testimony: Providing clear, unbiased testimony and written reports to assist the Family Court in making the final custody determination.
Service Area Dustin Lee accepts Guardian ad Litem appointments in Beaufort, Jasper, Hampton, Colleton, and Allendale counties.
Appointing Dustin Lee as GAL Dustin Lee is available for appointment by consent order or court selection in private custody, visitation, and modification cases. He brings a reputation for neutrality, thorough investigation, and prompt reporting. Please contact our office to confirm availability and hourly rates prior to submitting your order.
