Bunch v. USC — Court rejects COVID-19 tuition refund claims
The South Carolina Court of Appeals held that USC did not promise face-to-face instruction and that students showed no recoverable damages from the spring 2020 move online.
The South Carolina Court of Appeals held that USC did not promise face-to-face instruction and that students showed no recoverable damages from the spring 2020 move online.
The Court of Appeals dismissed for lack of appellate jurisdiction. Orders granting or denying discovery are interlocutory and do not become immediately appealable merely because they arise in a post-divorce contempt proceeding. The panel expressly recognized the force of the husband’s argument and concern about inconsistent family-court practices, but precedent required review to wait until a final appealable order. A concurrence emphasized the need for eventual guidance on discovery in complex contempt matters.
The Court of Appeals affirmed the probate and circuit court orders with a modification to the fee award. The record supported rejection of the purported will, a finding that Hasian converted estate assets, and an award of litigation expenses under the Probate Code’s authority to allocate costs as justice and equity require. The court clarified the proper legal basis and scope of recoverable fees rather than treating every requested theory as interchangeable.