You're getting divorced with a 15-year-old child. They still live at home and you're ordered to pay child support to help when you don't have custody. You're fine with it; you know that raising a child is expensive and you earn more than your ex.What you start...
Family Law
What should you expect in family court?
When divorce becomes a reality, it is often unanticipated, especially by first-time spouses. You may be reeling, with little else to reference against your experience than movies about screaming parents and awkward relationships between stepchildren. But this was...
Why go to family court in North Carolina?
Civil courts have been around for centuries as a way of helping people solve disputes that are not criminal complaints. Family court, however, is a relatively new creation by the judicial system. Operating as part of or along similar lines to a civil court, family...
Making co-parenting work for you and your teen
There is nothing quite like the experience of raising a teenager, which can be both challenging and rewarding. But some of those challenges can seem much bigger when you are divorced. Learning how to effectively co-parent with an ex-spouse might be one of the biggest...
What does family court rule on in North Carolina?
If it's time to go to family court, there may be a problem in your family. These things happen all the time, and no one should feel fear or shame inside a family courtroom. This goes double for children, who are almost always there due to circumstances out of their...
Greensboro family faces nightmare after botched immigration
Laws can break families apart. Although family courts must act in the best interests of children and others who cannot speak for themselves, laws can seem coldly deferential to parents and other concerned parties. That is why lawyers must sometimes work to keep...
What courts may consider “income” for support purposes
People in North Carolina who are getting a divorce and who expect to pay spousal or child support might wonder how courts calculate what that payment will be. A court will generally look at all sources of income and make a decision that is intended to keep the family...
The link between attractiveness and divorce
For the most part, individuals in North Carolina tend to marry or enter into relationships with those who are roughly the same level of attractiveness. This can be a good thing as those who marry people who are more attractive than they are could be at a higher risk...
3 holiday gifting tips for divorced parents
The holidays can be confusing and stressful during and after your divorce. If you and your ex are living in different homes and have some sort of custody or visitation arrangement, you may be wondering how you should handle the gift-giving process. Should...
How parents can guide their children through divorce
Separated parents in North Carolina may be able to take steps to help their children through the process of divorce. First, parents should try as much as possible to avoid disrupting the child's routine. Even if exes do not agree on all aspects of parenting, they can...
Child support and buying a home
North Carolina residents who owe back child support and are looking to purchase a home may be concerned about whether their delinquent child support payments will hinder their efforts to be a homeowner. They should be aware that delinquent child support can qualify as...
Collection of unpaid medical expenses from noncustodial parent
A child support agreement developed between parents in North Carolina sometimes addresses the expenses that could arise for a child's uninsured or unreimbursed medical expenses. These costs represent bills in addition to health insurance premiums, such as co-pays,...
The four different child support classifications
A child support case in North Carolina or any other state can have one of four designations. Each label begins with "IV" in reference to Title IV of the Social Security Act of 1975. If a case has an IV-D label, it means that a parent has asked for help from the Office...
National statistics for child support
Some commentators like to promote the misconception that single parents in North Carolina and the rest of the United States receive an inordinate amount of child support. According to the Custodial Mothers and Fathers and Their Child Support report released by the...
High number of wage garnishments for child support
Some North Carolina parents who are not receiving the child support they are supposed to get may turn to the court system for help. This could result in the parent who is not paying support being the subject of a wage garnishment. A study by the ADP Research Institute...