When a child is born to unmarried parents in North Carolina, one or both parents may seek to have the child legitimized. This will result in both parents having the same rights and obligations as if the child had been born to them in wedlock. This means that both...
Year: 2016
Divorce judges may make the final decision on homes
When North Carolina couples file for divorce, judges may exercise their right to divide property in a manner that they deem to be fair. Negotiating a settlement agreement can avoid this. Nonetheless, soon-to-be exes ought to bear certain factors in mind as they are...
Domestic violence, custody and the best interest of children
Myths abound when it comes to child custody cases in North Carolina and throughout the U.S. One common misconception is that a parent deemed to have committed domestic violence will automatically be precluded from obtaining child custody. The legal reality is that...
The relative speed of the divorce process
If you and your spouse have recently decided to divorce, you may be concerned about the amount of time it will take to resolve your case. If your divorce progresses too quickly, you may feel that you will not have enough time to resolve important matters before you...
Divorce basics at a glance
It is important to understand that while the emotional process of divorce is almost always complex, the legal aspects of the divorce process do not need to be. Unless you and your spouse fundamentally disagree on matters of property division or child custody, it is...
If I am marrying my ‘one’ do I need a prenuptial agreement?
In the song "Home Life" John Mayer insists that "I can tell you this much, I will marry just once and if it doesn't work out, give her half of my stuff. It's fine with me - we said eternity." If you are getting married to your one-and-only, you may feel much the same...
Paying for extra child support expenses
North Carolina parents who divorce might need to negotiate child custody and support. Usually, support covers the usual costs of raising a child such as clothing, medical care and education. However, there is often a provision in child support agreements that deals...
Custody and migration in North Carolina
Migration rates in the United States have been falling over the past 50 years, and one man believes he knows why. He spent the spring of 2015 on a Fulbright fellowship at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands researching the issue, and the answer may lie in...
Divorce: discerning conventional wisdom from facts
North Carolina couples contemplating or experiencing divorce may be given the wrong advice from friends and family who mean well, but who are not knowledgeable about state laws or the realities of divorce. Here are some fictitious ideas regarding divorce, and the...
The marital division of labor is related to divorce risk
It is an unfortunate fact that many North Carolina marriages end in divorce each year. While a number of different factors may lead to a divorce, division of labor issues remain as some of the most common causes.In a study completed by a sociology professor at Harvard...