A court will look to do what is in the child’s best interests when determining custody in a divorce. It is a vague concept that will vary from family to family. Yet there are some general guidelines for how a court will assess this. Both parents have an important role...
Family Law
Is it possible to adopt your stepchild in North Carolina?
When you marry someone who already has a child, that child becomes your stepchild. You’re in a kind of precarious position as their new parent because you don’t necessarily have the same rights or responsibilities as the biological parents. In some cases, it makes...
Circumstances under which you may not receive alimony
After years of trying to make your marriage work, you and your spouse may be headed toward a divorce. You may have filed the papers, or your spouse filed the paperwork on you. However it happened, you know that, because you are the dependent spouse, you may qualify...
What is your separate property in a North Carolina divorce?
Your separate property won't get split up by the North Carolina family court when you divorce. Figuring out which assets are your separate property is an important part of the divorce process. If you were to start making a list of your separate property, you might...
What should North Carolina stepparents know about adoption?
When you marry someone with children from a previous relationship, you aren’t just recognizing your relationship. You are also taking an important step toward building a family. For some stepparents in North Carolina, supporting that family involves another important...
How to start the decade off right following a divorce
The beginning of a new year provides divorcees a chance for a fresh start. After persevering through the difficulties of divorce, now you have the opportunity to set off in a new direction in life. Emotionally processing a divorce is no simple task and everyone’s...
Protecting your small business during a divorce
You’ve worked hard to build a successful business but are having marital struggles. You don’t want to lose the business you’ve put your tears and sweat into as part of a divorce settlement. Luckily, North Carolina is like most U.S. states in that it divides marital...
Is your social media discoverable in a court of law?
In the new world of social media, the law doesn’t need to request you as a friend. Social media is discoverable and can be used as evidence in a court of law. Updating your privacy settings cannot keep the law out. In a recent survey, 52 percent of lawyers interviewed...