Kristina L. Jarvis

For more than twenty-six years, I have practiced exclusively in Family Court. I began my career in Chicago, Illinois, and now represent clients throughout Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester Counties.

I represent clients in divorce, custody, child support, alimony, equitable division of marital property, business valuation, relocation, contempt actions, and the modification and enforcement of existing Family Court Orders. Every case is different, but almost every client comes to me worried about the same things: their children, their financial future, and whether the other side is going to take advantage of them.

I believe preparation is the foundation of effective advocacy. Whether a case ultimately settles or proceeds to trial, the outcome is often influenced long before anyone walks into a courtroom. The strongest position at the negotiating table belongs to the lawyer who is fully prepared to try the case if necessary.

One of the most important stages of a Family Court case is the Temporary Hearing. In South Carolina, those hearings are ordinarily decided on written affidavits rather than live testimony. The resulting Order often determines custody, support, possession of the marital home, and other issues that remain in place until trial or settlement. I prepare those hearings with the same care and attention that many attorneys reserve for trial because they frequently shape everything that follows.

Clients deserve candid advice, even when it is difficult to hear. My responsibility is not to tell clients what they want to hear. It is to explain the law, evaluate the facts, identify both the strengths and weaknesses of the case, and provide the information clients need to make sound decisions.

Family Court litigation is about more than legal issues. It affects families, finances, and futures. I never lose sight of that responsibility. Whether a case resolves through settlement or proceeds to trial, my approach remains the same: prepare thoroughly, provide candid advice, and advocate effectively.