FAMILY LAW ARTICLES

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What Is Considered “Marital Property?”

In North Carolina, the court ordered or agreed-upon division of assets and debts that occurs when spouses separate is called equitable distribution. All assets and debts that the parties accumulate...
Image of a typewritten agreement for divorce on white paper with a pair of eyeglasses folded on top of it.

What to Expect During Your Initial Divorce Consultation

If you are considering divorce and unsure where to start, you are not alone. Most individuals are intimidated at the thought of consulting with a divorce attorney because the process...
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What is Alternative Dispute Resolution?

It is becoming very common for our clients to ask about alternative dispute resolution (ADR). In fact, in many judicial districts in North Carolina, the district court has adopted rules...

Who Took the Money in the Cookie Jar?

Many couples keep cash savings on hand for an emergency. Cash may be stored in a cookie jar, under the mattress, safe deposit box, or some other place for safekeeping....
Image of a typewritten agreement for divorce on white paper with a pair of eyeglasses folded on top of it.

Does My Separation Agreement Have To Be Approved by the Court?

“Separation agreement” is the term commonly used to describe a legally binding contract that spouses enter into when they reach an agreement regarding issues related to their marital separation. The...
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Under What Circumstances Can My Spouse Be Required to Pay My Attorney’s Fees?

North Carolina law allows a judge to order one party to pay the other party’s reasonable attorney’s fees in certain family related legal matters, including child custody, child support, post-separation...
Black and white image of an apple sliced in half with forks protruding from each of the halves denoting equal distribution and splitting of marital property

How to Protect your Inheritance from your Spouse During a Divorce

If you have received an inheritance, or a gift, or anticipate receiving either in the future, you may be wondering how you can protect it from your spouse in the...
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What Happens When a Marital Asset Is Titled in the Name of a Business or Third Party?

In North Carolina, property that is owned at the date of separation by either spouse, individually or jointly, is presumed to be marital property. But, what happens when a business...
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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...

What Can I Do If My Former Spouse Does Not Comply with Our Separation Agreement?

A valid written separation agreement is a contract. How a separation agreement is enforced depends on whether or not it has been merged into a court order. If a separation...

How Will Adultery Affect My Divorce Case?

What we generally think of as “adultery,” is referred to by North Carolina Gen. Stat. 50-16.1A(3)(a) as “illicit sexual behavior” which is defined as “sexual or deviate sexual intercourse, deviate...
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Domestic Violence Legal Advocacy

In North Carolina, domestic violence can be defined in simple terms as abuse, fear of abuse, harassment, or undue manipulation or control that occurs between two parties involved, or formerly...