In our last post, we discussed North Carolina’s law that bans texting while driving. But how can such a law be effectively enforced on the road?
In today’s article, we discuss a few key pieces of information regarding the implementation of the texting ban.
Distracted driving from cell phone use is leading to a surge in car accidents across the country. Many states have responded by passing laws that ban various types of cell phone operation behind the wheel. These restrictions--and their penalties--vary greatly from state to state.
In today's post, we examine North Carolina's distracted driving laws--and their implications for long-term repercussions.
Celebrating the holiday season can be stressful, especially if you’re navigating it as a co-parent after divorce. We’re continually reminded that the holidays are a time for families to be together, which can add to the seasonal anxiety for families of divorce. Family time is important to everyone, especially time with extended family–an opportunity that might only come several times a year.
Creating a plan with your ex for holiday expectations can help alleviate potential conflict and reduce the amount of stress you and your kids might experience.
Thanksgiving a joyful time of year for many families. However, if your marriage has just come to an end, this time of year can be lonely—and a painful reminder of everything you’ve lost.
For your own sake—and for the sake of your children—it’s important to have a healthy strategy to get through the festivities. In today’s post, we outline some key guidelines for keeping your Thanksgiving cheery.
A new trend among millennials is to sign prenuptial agreements before marriage. In fact, the number of prenuptial agreements has increased over five times in the past 20 years.
According to a survey by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, over 60 percent of lawyers reported to seeing an increase in the number of millennials requesting prenuptial agreements. Researchers suggest four main reasons for this increase, including:
Infidelity is one of the most common factors that people cite when ending their marriages. And in this state, extramarital affairs can have serious consequences when they lead to alienation of affection claims. Currently, there are only seven states in America that allow a spouse to bring a claim for alienation of affection. These states include Hawaii, Illinois, Mississippi, New Mexico, South Dakota, Utah and North Carolina.
A spouse may bring an alienation of affection claim against a third-party for depriving him or her of the love and affection of the other spouse. The third-party can be any person, such as a family member, friend, coworker or therapist. However, spouses usually bring alienation of affection claims against someone who is having an affair with their spouse.
Not all married couples want to have children in their 20s. There are many personal and professional reasons that a couple may opt to start a family later in life. In such cases, couples are increasingly turning to embryo cryopreservation—i.e., the freezing of a woman’s fertilized egg. This process enables couples to start a family later on, when one or both parties may no longer be fertile. This in vitro fertilization (IVF) technology has redefined family planning—allowing couples to have children on their own timeline.
However, if a couple divorces and still has unused frozen embryos, the question of how to treat this shared property can become especially complicated. If each member of the couple is not in agreement on what should be done with the embryos, a lengthy and acrimonious legal battle is likely to ensue.
In a previous post, we discussed the trend in some states of treating pets as children in a divorce—and establishing custody arrangements accordingly. However, in most states—including North Carolina—pets are still considered marital property, which can be allocated to one party or the other, just like your house or your car.
While the prospect of losing your wedding china in a divorce may be easy to handle, losing a loyal friend and companion can be extremely difficult to endure. And when your divorce is contested—i.e., you and your ex can’t agree on the terms of your divorce—you lose the right to choose what happens to your pet. Instead, a judge makes this determination for you.
Last week, we posted about hopelessness as a predictor of divorce. We discussed how hopeless feelings sometimes stem from unrealistic expectations in a marriage.
This article seeks to prevent such feelings, by outlining ways to set—and adjust—expectations in your partnership. When both members of a partnership understand what to reasonably expect of the other—and are committed to fulfilling the other’s expectations—the relationship is on firmer ground from the start.
You’re probably familiar with the term “forensic” as it relates to crime. It’s a word used often in television shows and movies. You may be less familiar with how forensic science relates to divorce, but it can be a valuable tool for examining assets and financial accounts.
If your situation warrants it, a forensic accountant could help uncover valuable information when dividing property.
Lancaster and St. Louis, PLLC
891 Central Drive NW
Concord,
NC
28027
Phone:
704-743-4204
Fax:
704-792-1279
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