Summary: Title says it all. Courts have upheld it and the law firms are preaching it. Property is still divided however and only an enforceable prenup can protect against that.

2012 South Carolina Code of Laws Title 16 - Crimes and Offenses Chapter 15 - OFFENSES AGAINST MORALITY AND DECENCY Section 16-15-60 - Adultery or fornication.

Any man or woman who shall be guilty of the crime of adultery or fornication shall be liable to indictment and, on conviction, shall be severally punished by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars or imprisonment for not less than six months nor more than one year or by both fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the court.

http://law.justia.com/codes/south-carolina/2012/title-16/chapter-15/section-16-15-60/

2012 South Carolina Code of Laws Title 20 - Domestic Relations Chapter 3 - DIVORCE Section 20-3-130 - Award of alimony and other allowances.

(A) In proceedings for divorce from the bonds of matrimony, and in actions for separate maintenance and support, the court may grant alimony or separate maintenance and support in such amounts and for such term as the court considers appropriate as from the circumstances of the parties and the nature of case may be just, pendente lite, and permanently. No alimony may be awarded a spouse who commits adultery before the earliest of these two events: (1) the formal signing of a written property or marital settlement agreement or (2) entry of a permanent order of separate maintenance and support or of a permanent order approving a property or marital settlement agreement between the parties.

http://law.justia.com/codes/south-carolina/2012/title-20/chapter-3/section-20-3-130/

If a spouse commits adultery in South Carolina, he or she is not eligible to receive alimony. The only exception to the rule is when the faithful spouse knew about the affair and allowed it to occur.

Compared to most states, South Carolina is rather strict about preventing unfaithful spouses from receiving alimony that they would otherwise be entitled to. Even if a spouse needs the financial support, they can be barred from receiving alimony if there is clear and convincing evidence of infidelity.

http://www.masellalaw.com/Columbia-Law-Blog/2015/June/Does-Adultery-Affect-Alimony-in-a-South-Carolina.aspx

A spouse’s adultery is generally an absolute bar to alimony. ... However, adultery that has been condoned–conditionally forgiven–or is the result of connivance, does not act as a bar to an award of alimony.

http://www.gregoryforman.com/faqs/in-south-carolina-how-does-adultery-affect-alimony/

Lesson: Consider different places worth living in, especially during young and flexible time periods of your life. Property laws, tax laws, employment laws, marriage laws.

Am I going to move to SC when I repatriate back to U.S.? Probably not, it's about as likely as each of the other forty-nine states. But it certainly earned a few points here.

Pre-empt: If you want to get married, then obviously it's better to just have a spouse who doesn't even think about cheating. Strive to be better than your competition such that the thought doesn't even enter her mind, etc. This isn't necessarily a very helpful comment to make, however, because it's theatrical and subversive. I like this law. It's oldschool. I'm sharing it here to stir discussion.

Disclaimer: Insecurity is an incredibly unattractive trait. If your marriage is seriously in the situation where the woman wants to cheat but is afraid to because she'll lose alimony, then your life is fucked up.

Conclusion: Don't hide behind government. Just decide if it will be your enemy or your ally.