If you are getting divorced in North Carolina, the answer is no, generally not. Property inherited by one spouse before or during the marriage is considered separate property, not marital property. Only marital property is divided in a North Carolina divorce....
Navigating the court system after experiencing domestic violence can be an incredibly challenging and overwhelming process. The unfortunate truth is that the American court system wasn't designed with the ease and support victims deserve. That does not mean, however,...
If Child Protective Services (CPS) has taken your child or children, you must be frantic with worry. Know that you do have rights. If you want to regain custody of your children, you will need to develop a plan, approved by CPS and the court, to solve the problems...
Yes. All 50 states, including North Carolina, have passed a law called the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA), which makes it possible to quickly enforce child support orders across state lines, when necessary. The UIFSA simplified the process for doing so,...
It’s much more common than you might think. One spouse hides a stash of money from the other – or incurs a debt the other spouse never agreed to. It’s called “financial infidelity.” The act of financial deception can not only undermine trust but also have long-term...
The answer is probably no, but it depends on what you mean by having full custody. In North Carolina, there are two types of child custody: legal and physical. You could have full legal custody and still owe child support if your ex has shared physical custody....
Not at all. Whether or not you get alimony (“spousal support”) depends on your financial position in the marriage and whether it would be fair, under the circumstances, to grant alimony. North Carolina’s alimony statute does not refer to spouses by their gender. It...
Parental alienation syndrome (PAS) is a somewhat controversial psychological term, but what it describes is real enough. PAS sometimes happens during or after a contentious divorce or custody case. PAS is when children “programmed by the allegedly ‘loved’ parent,...
Yes, but you’re probably going to be taking a paternity test if there is a question about whether you are the biological parent. A woman who claims an unmarried man is the father of her child can sue him for child support. If the alleged father’s paternity is not...
This may not come as a surprise to you, but there is significant reason to believe that social media activity harms marriages. For example, one study analyzed several different models of marriage and found a statistical link between social media use and a decrease in...
