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Can I Withhold Visitation If the Other Parent Doesn’t Pay Child Support?

The unequivocal answer is “no.” Under North Carolina law, child support and visitation are separate matters and a parent's failure to pay child support is not a legal justification to...
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How Can I Resume My Maiden Name or Former Surname Following Divorce?

North Carolina General Statute § 50-12(a) authorizes a woman whose marriage is dissolved by divorce to change her name to any of the following: “(1) Her maiden name; or (2)...
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What Is Cohabitation and How Will It Affect My Alimony?

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]When alimony is paid pursuant to the terms of an order entered by a North Carolina Court, then North Carolina law governs the conditions under which the alimony terminates. Under...
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How Separate Property Can Become Marital Property

Transmutation is a term used in family law to describe property that has been transformed from a party’s separate property into marital property. In the context of equitable distribution, the...
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10 Tips to Minimize the Impact of Divorce on Your Child

Divorce can be a sad, scary and stressful experience for any child. Not surprisingly, a large part of a child’s reaction to divorce has to do with how the parents...
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Can a Stepparent Be Required to Pay Child Support for a Current or Former Stepchild?

Under North Carolina law, the legal parents (either biological or adoptive) of a child are deemed to be primarily responsible for the child’s financial support. As such, a stepparent has...
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Mental and Emotional Abuse – Domestic Violence Isn’t Always Black and Blue

When we think of domestic violence, images often come to mind of black eyes, bruises, busted lips, or broken bones. However, domestic violence encompasses much more than that. Domestic violence...
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How Your Health Insurance Coverage May Be Affected by Divorce

If you are separated and are relying on your estranged spouse to provide you with health insurance coverage through an employer’s group health insurance plan or other policy maintained by...
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About the Unified Family Courts in North Carolina

FAMILY COURT: If your domestic lawsuit is filed in Buncombe County, it will be sent to Family Court. The 28th Judicial District (Buncombe County) is presently one of several judicial...
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Can My Spouse and I Use the Same Divorce Attorney?

When spouses separate, there may be many legal issues that arise in connection with their marital separation, including child custody, child support, spousal support, and equitable distribution of marital property...

Emergency Child Custody Orders

Under current North Carolina law, a judge may issue an emergency custody order changing the living arrangements of a child or awarding one party temporary custody if there is sufficient...
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Costs

Just as it is impossible to predict exactly how long your case will take, it is difficult to realistically estimate the total cost of your litigation, even when your attorney...