South Carolina Counterclaim is a legal process that allows a defendant to assert a claim against a plaintiff in response to an original lawsuit. It is a procedural device used in certain civil cases in the state of South Carolina, and is separate from the defendant's answer to the plaintiff's complaint. There are two types of South Carolina Counterclaims: compulsory and permissive. Compulsory counterclaims are claims that arise out of the same transaction or occurrence that is the subject of the plaintiff's complaint, and must be asserted by the defendant or else be barred from later assertion. Permissive counterclaims do not have to be asserted in the same lawsuit and can be asserted at any time. Both types of counterclaims can be used to seek monetary damages, request equitable relief, or both.