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South Carolina Families at Risk of Losing Generational Land Due to Heirs’ Property Issues

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South Carolina Families at Risk of Losing Generational Land Due to Heirs’ Property Issues


Across South Carolina, land that has been passed down for generations may be at risk and many families don’t even realize it.

The issue centers around what’s known as heirs’ property, a legal situation in which land remains in the name of a deceased relative, sometimes for decades. Without proper documentation or a clear transfer of ownership, these properties can become vulnerable to legal and financial complications.

Because there is often no updated public record identifying current owners, the longer a property remains in this state, the more difficult it becomes to manage or protect.

“There’s no public record about who inherits,” Walden explained. “And the longer that goes, the more problematic it can become,” said attorney Josh Walden with the Center for Heirs’ Property.

While there are no exact figures on how many heirs’ properties exist across the state, experts say the impact is significant — particularly when it comes to maintaining generational wealth.

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“The majority of everyone’s wealth is made up primarily of land they own,” Walden said.

Without clear ownership, families can lose that wealth — sometimes unexpectedly. In some cases, developers can purchase a share of the property from a single heir and then petition the court to force a sale of the entire parcel.

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“They can say we can’t come to an agreement, so I’m requesting the court sell the property,” Walden said.

That process can result in land that has been in families for generations being sold off, with proceeds divided among multiple heirs rather than preserving the property itself. The problem is especially pronounced in rural communities, where land ownership has historically been a key source of financial stability. However, experts emphasize that heirs’ property is not limited to one region.

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“It’s a problem that’s across the state — and across the country,” Walden said.

In rapidly growing areas, particularly areas like Georgetown and Pawley’s Island, rising property values and increasing taxes are adding pressure on families to sell.

To address part of the issue, South Carolina previously adopted the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act. The law is designed to make forced sales more equitable by requiring properties to be sold at fair market value and giving families the opportunity to buy out outside investors.

Still, advocates say prevention is the most effective solution.

“The primary avenue is preventative legal services that are trusted and affordable,” Walden said.

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That includes creating wills, maintaining accurate family records, and ensuring property ownership is clearly documented before complications arise. Organizations like the Center for Heirs’ Property are working to help families navigate these challenges by offering legal assistance and resources statewide.

Meanwhile, lawmakers are considering new legislation aimed at helping families reclaim property lost through tax sales. The proposed bill would prevent counties from reassessing property values when heirs clear or consolidate titles — a move supporters say could reduce financial barriers to keeping land in the family.



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Coroner: Toddler dies after being hit by vehicle in Upstate

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Coroner: Toddler dies after being hit by vehicle in Upstate


Driver charged with DUI after toddler hit, killed by vehicle in Anderson

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Driver charged with DUI after toddler hit, killed by vehicle in Anderson

Updated: 10:01 PM EDT Apr 13, 2026

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A toddler was killed after being hit by a vehicle in Anderson, South Carolina, on Monday night, according to the coroner’s office.We are told a toddler was hit by a vehicle on South Murray Avenue near El Latino Bar & Grill in the 1500 block of South Murray Avenue. The initial call came in around 8:15 p.m.Around 9:10 p.m., the Anderson County Coroner’s Office said that a toddler has died.The Anderson Police Department said that the driver has been charged with felony DUI involving death.The incident is currently under investigation by Anderson Police with assistance from South Carolina Highway Patrol.Stay tuned with WYFF News 4 as we learn more.This comes only a day after two children were hit and killed in another DUI crash in Spartanburg County.Keep up with what’s happening around our area by downloading the WYFF News 4 app on the App Store or Google Play.

A toddler was killed after being hit by a vehicle in Anderson, South Carolina, on Monday night, according to the coroner’s office.

We are told a toddler was hit by a vehicle on South Murray Avenue near El Latino Bar & Grill in the 1500 block of South Murray Avenue. The initial call came in around 8:15 p.m.

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Around 9:10 p.m., the Anderson County Coroner’s Office said that a toddler has died.

crash in anderson

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The Anderson Police Department said that the driver has been charged with felony DUI involving death.

The incident is currently under investigation by Anderson Police with assistance from South Carolina Highway Patrol.

Stay tuned with WYFF News 4 as we learn more.

This comes only a day after two children were hit and killed in another DUI crash in Spartanburg County.

Keep up with what’s happening around our area by downloading the WYFF News 4 app on the App Store or Google Play.

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What men in SC should know about the automatic draft registration

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What men in SC should know about the automatic draft registration


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  • The federal government will begin automatically registering eligible men for the military draft in December 2026.
  • This change is part of the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act signed into law by President Donald Trump.
  • The new process will use federal data from sources like the DMV instead of requiring manual registration.
  • The U.S. currently has an all-volunteer military, and the draft has not been used since the Vietnam War.

South Carolina residents could soon see a change in how the nation manages military enlistment, as the federal government moves to automatically register eligible men for the draft pool.

Federal data sources such as department of motor vehicle or Social Security Administration will be used beginning in December to register men ages 18-25, according to the Selective Service’s agency website.

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The shift marks a departure from the previous requirement that eligible men manually register with the Selective Service within 30 days of turning 18 or face penalties for non-compliance.

The updated draft pool process marks the first significant change to Selective Service procedures in decades.

President Trump signs the 2026 NDAA

The revised registration process was enacted as part of the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, which President Donald Trump signed into law in December.

Original military draft 1948

The original Military Selective Service Act, established in 1948, provides the legal framework for the draft.

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It enables Congress to recruit eligible individuals into the armed forces while outlining provisions for exemptions, deferments, and religious objections.

The recent changes to the registration process aims to streamline the process.

Who is required to register for the draft?

As reported by the Selective Service website, all men are required to register for the draft within 30 days of turning 18.

This includes men who are “religiously or morally opposed to participating in war as religious or moral objectors,” according to the Selective Service System.

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Undocumented men residing in the United States also must register.

Men with disabilities and medical conditions are also required to register “in most cases,” though they may be considered for exemptions or deferments based on individual circumstances.

Women can enlist to serve in the military but are not required to register for the draft.

Military draft exceptions

Military draft exceptions are granted under specific conditions, according to the Selective Service website.

For instance, if a man is institutionalized in a hospital, nursing home, or similar facility from before his 18th birthday until his 26th birthday without any breaks of 30 days or longer, he is exempt from registration.

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Additionally, those confined to their homes who require medical assistance to leave are also exempt from the draft registration requirement.

Can you refuse to register for the military draft?

Refusing to register for the military draft is a serious offense under U.S. law.

According to the Selective Service, failing to register can result in a felony charge, punishable by fines up to $250,000 and imprisonment for up to five years.

Could the military draft return?

Currently, there is no active draft, as the United States relies on an all-volunteer military force.

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The draft system remains in place as a contingency, allowing the government to reinstate it in case of national emergency or significant military conflicts.

According to historical archives, the last time the draft was used was in December 1972 during the Vietnam War, after which the U.S. transitioned to a volunteer-based military system.

Travis Jacque Rose is the trending news reporter for the Greenville News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at trose@gannett.com.



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Criminal coercive control bill to appear before South Carolina lawmakers

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Criminal coercive control bill to appear before South Carolina lawmakers


HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — A yearslong push by domestic violence advocates to criminalize coercive control is taking major step forward this week, with a state Senate panel ready for input on the issue.

At 9 a.m. Wednesday, a Senate Judiciary subcommittee will take up S. 702, a measure co-sponsored by Republicans Stephen Goldfinch of Murrells Inlet and Larry Grooms of Bonneau.

Dubbed “Mica’s Law” by many before it was even filed, the bill outlines coercive control as:

  • Isolating the person from friends, relatives, or other sources of support;
  • Depriving the other person of basic necessities;
  • Monitoring the person’s communications, movements, daily activities and behavior, finances, economic resources, or access to services;
  • Frequent name-calling, degrading and demeaning of the other person;
  • Threatening to harm or kill the person or a child or relative;
  • Threatening to publish private information or make reports of defamatory or false claims to police or authorities;
  • Compelling the other person by force, threat of force, or intimidation to engage in conduct from which the other person has a right to abstain or to abstain from conduct in which the other party has a right to engage; or
  • Engaging in reproductive coercion which consists of control over the reproductive autonomy of a person through force, threat of force, or intimidation.

Goldfinch — who’s running for attorney general — has said he supports branding his bill as “Mica’s Law” in honor of Mica Miller.

The South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault put the measure on its 2026 legislative priority list.

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Police say Mica died by suicide in April 2024 at Lumber River State Park in Robeson County, North Carolina. Soon after, allegations from friends and family of hers surfaced accusing her husband at the time, Myrtle Beach pastor John-Paul Miller of coercive control gaining national attention.

Mica’s story has rippled across South Carolina and the country when it comes to raising awareness about domestic violence and coercive control. 

The committee hearing will be livestreamed on the General Assembly’s website.

A recently published report in the Richmond Journal of Law and Technology suggests that stronger coercive control laws are even more necessary as methods of contact become more sophisticated.

“As technology evolves, domestic violence law must adapt accordingly. Abuse is no longer confined to physical injury or shared spaces but is increasingly carried out through devices, networks, and digital surveillance. Recognizing coercive control, including its technological forms, is essential to providing meaningful protection to survivors,” the report says.

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Several states including California, Connecticut and Hawaii have adopted “coercive control” laws, while similar efforts are pending in Florida, Maryland, New York and Washington, according to the group Americas Conference to End Coercive Control.



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