Blog

May 28, 2024

Approximately half of all marriages end in divorce. For any number of reasons, what was once a close relationship has become distant or strained. Today, divorce is a straightforward solution to a common problem. The key to a divorce with minimal trauma is planning and preparation. Whether you are planning to part ways as friends or there is a conflict that you need to escape safely, planning can help ensure your divorce is completed as smoothly and quickly as possible. That's why having a divorce checklist can be invaluable in guiding you through the necessary steps to prepare for this major life transition.

May 28, 2024

Aside from child support and co-parenting, property division is one of the major issues during divorce. Disputes often arise, especially when partners have mixed non-marital and marital assets. North Carolina is an Equitable Distribution state. This means that splitting assets on a 50/50 basis is the primary approach. However, courts may allow unequal distribution where the former is considered unfair. Generally, commingled assets are treated as marital assets, subject to 50/50 distribution. However, under the equitable distribution theory, a spouse may be able to get more than 50% if they can demonstrate that a 50/50 allocation is unfair. In this post, I discuss commingled assets and how they affect property division in divorce.

May 21, 2024

If you follow the news, you may have heard about so-called "Revenge Porn," or non-consensual pornography. The term is associated with nude, intimate, or sexually explicit photos, shared by others, without their consent. Because several high-profile celebrities have fallen victim to "revenge porn," it's an issue that many across the country are familiar with, and, unfortunately, it could happen to almost anyone, no matter their age, income, or social status. Cell phone and social media use is almost universal and it's easier now than ever to distribute images across multiple platforms quickly and easily. According to one recent survey, around 35% of women and 38% of men reported sharing intimate photos of themselves with another person at some point in time. When these personal images are then shared with others, or distributed in any way without the consent of the person pictured, this could constitute a criminal offense.

May 6, 2024

For divorced parents, co-parenting is crucial. You want to maintain a healthy relationship not just with your children but with their mother too. That relationship provides security and comfort across the entire family. Working together, you continue to balance parental responsibility and each person's involvement in your children's lives.

April 30, 2024

Any new marriage is challenging. You're bringing together two entire lives and melding them into one. The challenges can be even greater when your new spouse is also now stepparent to your children. In order to help smooth the transition for your blended family, consider how you may be able to help your new spouse and your children engage and bond with one another.

April 19, 2024

March 19, 2024

When you're in the midst of a divorce, it can feel like the pressure is coming at you from every angle. Your boss may be breathing down your neck. Your soon-to-be-ex may be sending you nasty notes. You're not taking the time to care for yourself as you should, and if children are involved, you're wondering how all of this is affecting them. Even if your divorce is more or less amicable, the stress of separating from one life and the prospect of starting a new one is often quite daunting and ends up spilling over into your work life.

Jan. 16, 2024

Divorce is not frequently a neat transaction that is quickly resolved. Unfortunately, more than not, the process usually involves a lot of back-and-forth negotiations. And when children are involved, there are custody and child support considerations to hammer out.

Dec. 26, 2023

A divorce is a stressful event. There are no 'winners.' But if you are going through a divorce, there are ways you can make the best of it to have your best life now and going forward. This involves preserving the things that matter most, including your well-being, the health of your children, and your relationship with them.

Dec. 19, 2023

Fathers have rights. Back in the early days of North Carolina's custody law, when parents were separated or divorced, sole custody usually went to the mother. That left the father on the hook to pay child support, provide health insurance, and hope for visitation rights. We've come a long way since then! And modern dads have more rights than ever when it comes to child custody.