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Closeup image of a credit card with wedding rings on the top of it depicting marital debt.

Is Debt Incurred in the Name of One Spouse Considered Marital Debt?

Under North Carolina law, “marital” debt is considered debt that is incurred after the date of marriage and before the date of separation by one or both spouses for the...
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...
Image of a woman with her hands held together in front of her holding a small white package with a red bow.

Gifts during Marriage – When a Gift Is Not a Gift

Separate property is considered property (either an asset or debt) that belongs to one spouse individually. Separate property is not subject to equitable distribution and its value is not included...

Marital Fault and Alimony

Before mid 1995, for a court to order post separation support and alimony, there had to be a finding of marital fault. This is no longer required in North Carolina,...

Dividing the Household Furniture

Almost all couples have household furniture and other furnishings that they divide when they separate. Household furnishings that are marital property are subject to valuation and distribution like any other...
Image of an incomplete arbitration agreement on a wooden desk with lawyerly things, a pen, a stamp, reading glasses, a law book and a gavel.

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...

Issues to Consider Before You Separate

When parties separate, it is not unusual for their separation to be preceded by a heated argument or domestic violence. High drama often sets the stage for a separation to...
Single parent and two small children walking on the distant beach at dusk in silhouette.

What Are Factors That a Judge May Consider in Determining Child Custody?

In North Carolina, the legal standard that judges are required to apply in child custody cases is “the best interests of the child.” Thus, when parents cannot reach an agreement...

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...
Image of man alone in front of a window emoting sadness

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...
Vector drawing of man with a broken heart floating over his head behind a book entitled tips for surviving a breakup

Five Tips to Help You Survive Divorce

Marital relationships may take years to completely unravel. Spouses often make the final break after many unsuccessful attempts to salvage their marriage. Yet most people are surprisingly unprepared when the...
Image depicting children in a brightly lit school corridor.

Which Parent Gets to Choose Where the Child Goes to School?

The beginning of a new school year is a time when many parents are faced with making a decision regarding where their child should be enrolled in school. Where a...