State senator admits forging first wife's signature on divorce papers

Web posted December 5, 1997

Associated Press

SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- State Sen. Ty Courtney has admitted forging his first wife's signature on a Dominican Republic divorce document. However, Courtney said he had her permission and three of his children back him up, according to sworn statements.

Carole Lynn Courtney said she never agreed to the foreign divorce granted in January, but three of their six children said she did, The Herald-Journal of Spartanburg reported Thursday.

The children said Ms. Courtney told them she is challenging the divorce because she wants custody of her three minor sons.

Courtney, R-Cowpens, launched the complex divorce and custody fight in April, claiming physical cruelty.

His wife also filed for divorce in April on the grounds of adultery because Courtney remarried a Chesnee woman 13 days after a Dominican Republic judge issued the foreign divorce.

The couple's 16-year-old son, John William Courtney, said in a sworn statement that he heard his parents arguing about getting a Dominican Republic divorce.

``Dad told Mom that he could get a divorce there if they both agreed, but she would have to sign a form for him to get it started,'' the teen-ager said. ``Mom told Dad to just go ahead and sign the form for her and start the divorce.''

The Courtneys' daughters, Amanda Cox and Ashley Edsberg, testified they had shouting arguments with their mother about the foreign divorce. They said their mother said Courtney would be in trouble for signing her name to get the foreign divorce.

``But you agreed to him signing your name,'' Edsberg said she told her mother in September. She said her mother answered: ``Yes, I did, but that does not matter. He is still a bad father.''

Cox and her husband said they had a similar conversation in September with Ms. Courtney. Matt Cox said they heard Ms. Courtney admit during a three-way call she asked Courtney to sign a power of attorney for her.

Courtney did not mention the foreign divorce or his marriage to Ada Ledbetter during a hearing in April.

Family Court Judge Roger Henderson said in August that he was concerned the senator was ``being less than candid,'' but did not qualify as contempt of court. However, he ordered Courtney to pay $1,000 to his ex-wife's lawyer because of his actions.