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Relocation and Child Custody: Can I Relocate With My Child to Another City or State?

When a parent who has (or is seeking) custody of a child decides to relocate to another city or state, disputes regarding child custody or visitation may arise, especially if...
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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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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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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...

Equal or Unequal? Should One Spouse Receive More Than 50% of the Marital Estate?

In actions for equitable distribution, North Carolina law requires that the court distribute the net marital and divisible property equitably between the parties. Equitably, however, does not mean equally. There...

How Is Property Valued for Purposes of Equitable Distribution?

In North Carolina, the court ordered or agreed-upon division of assets and debts that occurs when spouses separate is called equitable distribution. For purposes of equitable distribution, the parties’ marital...
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Truth or Consequences: The Impact of Lying in Your Domestic Case

There are many reasons why people lie – tell an intentional untruth – during domestic cases. When the stakes are high, such as when someone is faced with losing custody...
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How Does Mediation Work?

Mediation can take place over a series of sessions. But, more often than not, it is scheduled for a continuous amount of time to keep the negotiations going. Sessions are...
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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...

Attorney’s Fees Awards in Actions for Postseparation Support and Alimony

A spouse who is dependent upon another spouse for financial support may find herself/himself with little or no income and limited financial resources when the parties separate. Financial constraints can...
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Divorce in the Digital Age: How the Internet Can Be Useful In Your Divorce Case

Unquestionably, the Internet has changed the way we access information and the volume of information that is available. It has also made it more difficult to keep our personal lives...
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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...