Family law cases in North Carolina can be emotionally charged, and the legal landscape can be intricate. When parties involved in family law disputes feel that a decision is unjust or erroneous, the option of an appeal may provide a pathway to seek a reconsideration. This blog explores key issues surrounding appeals in family law cases in North Carolina and offers insights into the appellate process. When contemplating appealing a case in North Carolina, you must make a cost benefit analysis to weigh the cost of the appeal against the wrong you’re trying to address. It will cost thousands in ..read more

Raising children is never easy, even when they are your own.  Raising step-children is even more challenging.  Not being her father, how should you handle her disobeying you?  Not being her mother, how do you say the right things to encourage her?  It is challenging work but it helps if you can make the parent-child relationship permanent.  If you adopt your stepchild, you will have a permanent bond for the rest of your lives.  If you are interested in adopting your stepchild, read on to find out how. What Happens When You Adopt a Child? Legally, you become ..read more

If you need protection against the abusive, stalking or harassing behaviors of a neighbor, co-worker, or third-party, North Carolina law can provide help to you and your family. A civil no contact order, also known as a 50C, is designed to provide protection for victims against nonconsensual sexual conduct and stalking. To be granted a civil no contact order, the offender cannot have a personal relationship with the victim. A civil no contact order can be issued against strangers, neighbors, or acquaintances. The individual that you are seeking to have a no contact order entered against must ..read more

Who doesn’t have fond memories of hanging out at Nana and Pop Pop’s house growing up? Whether you spent your time outside fishing in the pond or had fun in the kitchen making cookies (or doing other things you and your grandparents enjoyed together), time spent with them might seem almost sacred, like it’s a right. And to a degree, the courts in the United States agree. The U.S. Supreme Court has even ruled in the past that grandparent visitation statutes aren’t unconstitutional on their face. But in a recent case, the North Carolina Court of Appeals made it clear that visitation with grandpa ..read more

North Carolina has several laws in place to protect children from abuse. If Child Protective Services suspects a child is being abused, they may file a petition with the court to have the child removed from their parents or guardians. But what rises to the level of abuse in North Carolina?   According to N.C.G.S. 7B-101, a child who is less than 18 years old is considered abused if they are a victim of human trafficking or if the child’s parent or caretaker:   Inflicts serious physical injury on the child by non-accidental means Creates a substantial risk of serious physical injury ..read more

The latest round of stimulus checks are making their way to millions of Americans this month. This time, individuals can expect to receive up to $1400 if they qualify under certain income restrictions—and families could receive even more. If you are recently divorced or in the middle of a divorce, you may have some questions regarding the stimulus checks. Read our answers to some common questions to learn more. Do I have to share my stimulus payment with my spouse or ex-spouse? The short answer is it depends. If you’ve finalized your divorce and have a valid separation agreement or court orde ..read more

One of the most important claims in a divorce case is spousal support because a judge can order one spouse to pay the other a large sum of money over the course of several years. While this can be a positive thing for the dependent spouse, the supporting spouse could see the award as a financial liability. Whether you are the dependent spouse or the supporting spouse, it’s important to know the defenses to a claim for alimony in North Carolina so you can be as prepared as possible in court. Waiver: In North Carolina, spouses can legally waive their right to spousal support in a valid separati ..read more

When it comes to maintaining connections with people, Facebook and other social media platforms have allowed us to keep in touch, share memories, and remember past events. It’s fun to share cute moments with our children, heart-warming family photos, and funny videos of our pets. But sharing too much during your divorce or custody dispute could end up harming your case. If you have an open court case, we recommend not posting on social media until your case is resolved. There are a couple of reasons for this. First, anything you post to your social media accounts could potentially become evid ..read more

If you’re going through a divorce and have stepchildren, you may wonder if you’ll owe child support payments after you and your spouse separate. Similarly, if you’re a grandparent, you may wonder if you could owe child support for one or more of your grandchildren. The answer to both questions is only in certain, limited circumstances. We’ve outlined those circumstances below. Stepparents: As a stepparent, you stand in loco parentis (meaning you’re acting as a parent) to your spouse’s children during the marriage. That status typically ends when the marriage ends. So, if you and your spouse d ..read more

If you need protection against the abusive, stalking or harassing behaviors of a neighbor, co-worker, or third-party, North Carolina law can provide help to you and your family. A civil no contact order, also known as a 50C, is designed to provide protection for victims against nonconsensual sexual conduct and stalking. To be granted a civil no contact order, the offender cannot have a personal relationship with the victim. A civil no contact order can be issued against strangers, neighbors, or acquaintances. The individual that you are seeking to have a no contact order entered against must ..read more