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North Carolina Divorce: Temporary Orders

The decision to end a marriage is a hard and emotional one. Predictably, people who are experiencing a separation and divorce may not be at their best—to that degree, courts sometimes have to get involved. When family law issues arise…

How Separations Work in North Carolina

Separation & Divorce

North Carolina is an absolute divorce state. This is a “no-fault” divorce that does not look at why the marriage is ending. Rather, a court may grant a divorce decree if it finds that a couple has been separated for…

How Separate Property Works

Separation & Divorce

When a marriage ends, property division is an enormous issue that a couple must address to protect their rights and secure their financial future. Classifying and appraising property is no small task and the law can be complex. No matter…

Safely Accessing North Carolina’s Courts

Child Custody Domestic Violence Separation & Divorce

Despite our country experiencing a historic health crisis, many of us have legal issues that need to be addressed and resolved. However,some people are delaying moving forward with these important decisions. The COVID-19 pandemic has created a great deal of…

Reaching a Separation Agreement

Separation & Divorce

North Carolina is a no-fault divorce state, in which a court does not consider misconduct or the reasons for the end of a marriage when granting a divorce. Instead, courts can only look at whether a couple has been separated…

COVID-19 Update

Child Custody Domestic Violence Separation & Divorce

As businesses across North Carolina prepare to open under new guidelines and structure, the North Carolina Court System is doing the same. Below is a summary of what to expect for domestic court, but the full directive can be found…

How Does Unemployment Affect Child Support and Alimony?

Child Support Separation & Divorce

The COVID 19 pandemic and resulting stay-at-home orders have effectively shut down businesses and created a historic level of unemployment. In North Carolina, nearly 1 million people have filed for unemployment between March 15th and the end of April. The…

North Carolina Divorce: Preparing for Separation

Separation & Divorce

One of the unfortunate side effects of the COVID 19 crisis is that for some couples, the constant proximity has solidified that their marriages should end. This is also not an ideal time to separate or divorce, with stay-at-home orders,…

Equitable Distribution: Don’t Let Wealth Be Held Against You

Separation & Divorce Wealth

High net worth divorces are often highly contested, because there is so much at stake. Beyond the value of the property, the division of wealth can impact the future of a family-owned business and its employees. It can also impact…

Does a Divorce Mean I Have to Testify?

Separation & Divorce

A fear of courtrooms is an unfortunate hurdle that prevents people from seeking legal advice when they need help. Divorce is no exception to this, as many of us have witnessed hours of confrontation through the OJ Simpson trial, Judge…

North Carolina’s Alimony Laws

Separation & Divorce

Alimony, or spousal support, is usually awarded as payments made following a separation or divorce from a “supporting spouse” to a “dependent spouse” for a fixed duration of time. As you can imagine, this is a great source of controversy…

Important Update Regarding COVID-19

Child Custody Child Support Separation & Divorce

N.C. Supreme Court April 2nd Order includes updated COVID-19 directives that may affect your court case. Please review a quick note from New Direction Family Law regarding these changes. We hope that you and your family are safe and faring…

Equitable Distribution: High Net Worth Divorces

Separation & Divorce Wealth

When couples have wealth, there is a high likelihood that they own a range of different assets. This may include business interests, offshore investments, trusts, real estate, stocks, retirement accounts, educational savings accounts, luxury vehicles, and artwork. Couples with wealth…

High-Income Child Support in North Carolina

Child Support Separation & Divorce

How Child Support is Generally Determined North Carolina laws require that both parents financially support their children. When it comes to child support payments, a noncustodial parent is generally responsible for making payments to the custodial parent—who is assumed to…

How Equitable Distribution Agreements Work

Separation & Divorce Wealth

North Carolina divides property under an equitable distribution model. This method essentially takes the net market value of all property and debt attained between a couple’s date of marriage and date of separation and allows a court to make a…

When to Speak with a Divorce Lawyer

Separation & Divorce

The road to divorce is paved with intense emotions, uncertainty, and hard choices. While you know that you should end your marriage, the potential for disruption and change is a lot to wrap your head around. Because it all seems…

Separation for a Year: Prerequisite for a Divorce

Separation & Divorce

North Carolina offers divorcing couples an opportunity to a “no-fault” divorce. This is called an absolute divorce, which requires courts to grant divorces without asking why the marriage is ending. Instead, family courts only look to the date the couple…

Self-Care and Divorce: Your Mental and Physical Health

Separation & Divorce

One of the reasons that people take their time when deciding to divorce is because of how much work it takes to undergo such a dramatic change in your life. If you have recently separated from your spouse, you are…

Spying, Harassment, and Divorce

Separation & Divorce

Separations are hardly ever clean. However, when a marital relationship has issues of control or domestic violence, a separation can dramatically escalating these issues. New Direction Family Law has helped domestic violence survivors for years, and sadly, we have had…

Divorce and Dividing Retirement Plans

Separation & Divorce Wealth

For many, a person’s retirement accounts—as well as their house—constitute the lion’s share of their wealth. It is the sum of their hard work and thoughtfulness, their plan for the future, their “nest egg”. It is also their financial security.…

A Healthy New Year Following a Separation

Health Separation & Divorce

The end of a marriage is a challenging and uncertain phase of a person’s life. For people experiencing separation and divorce, the holiday season from Thanksgiving through the end of the year may intensify the many different emotions that divorce…

When a Spouse Does Not Want to Divorce

Separation & Divorce

The decision to end a marriage is not always mutual. This should not come as a surprise—the relational dynamics and events that lead to a break up are not always clean, peaceful, or smooth. However, the fact that one spouse…

Modifying or Terminating an Alimony Order

Separation & Divorce Wealth

Alimony, or spousal support, is a subject that douses lighter fluid on the already lit flame that burns when a marriage ends. To put it mildly, obtaining an agreement or order that requires the continued payment of money can stoke…

Establishing Healthy Boundaries During a Separation

Separation & Divorce

Divorce is a painful time for couples, as a final decision is made to end a relationship that was supposed to last the rest of their lifetimes. But it is hard to make a clean break, as there are healthy…

How Marital Misconduct Factors into a Divorce

Separation & Divorce

North Carolina offers no-fault divorces, referred to as “absolute” divorces. To grant a divorce order, a court can solely consider whether a couple has been separated for an uninterrupted year and cannot consider why the marriage is ending. As a…

Steps to Prepare for Your Divorce

Separation & Divorce

The prospect of ending a marriage is rife with feelings of uncertainty, fear, and discomfort. It is a major life shift and undeniable trauma. However, there are ways to feel more comfortable and confident leading into the divorce process. Some…

Your Equitable Distribution Inventory

Separation & Divorce

If you and your spouse intend to divorce, it is essential to take a smart, thoughtful approach to divide your property. You have significant legal rights that were created when you got married, which will have a long-term effect on…

Addiction, Divorce, and Child Custody

Child Custody Separation & Divorce

Addiction to drugs or alcohol are serious, lifelong struggles that can consume a person’s entire being unless they can find a path to recovery. Unfortunately, addicts do not struggle in a vacuum and it is their families and children who…

Alimony and a New Partner

Separation & Divorce

Alimony payments are intended to financially support dependent spouses after a marriage has ended. These payments recognize the duration of a couple’s marriage, their marital standard of living, the disparity in wealth and opportunity between the spouses, and the numerous…

Modifying Court Orders When Your Circumstances Change

Child Custody Child Support Separation & Divorce

When a marriage ends, couples typically obtain court orders that resolve issues like property division, alimony payments, child custody arrangements, and child support obligations. These orders serve as a snapshot of that moment in time. The orders should reflect the…

Seeking a Prompt Resolution to Your Divorce

Separation & Divorce

When a marriage ends, there is a lot that a couple has to pack up both literally and figuratively. Couples must resolve questions about arranging child custody schedules, selling or refinancing the marital residence, dividing marital property when spousal support…

Five Things to Know About Equitable Distribution in North Carolina

Separation & Divorce

When a marriage ends, couples must sort through numerous complex issues before they can move forward with their lives. One big issue is determining how property will be divided between the former spouses. In North Carolina, this is accomplished through…

The Advantages of Filing for Divorce in North Carolina

Separation & Divorce

There are a lot of factors to consider when it comes to getting divorced. There is the emotional toll, the uncertainty looking forward, the timing, the impact on children, how property will be split, and the costs of getting divorced.…

How Domestic Violence Can Impact Your Divorce

Domestic Violence Separation & Divorce

Domestic violence is a dangerous and toxic element to any relationship. When it comes to marriage, unaddressed domestic violence issues don’t have happy endings. While death, injury, protective orders, and imprisonment are the most palpable outcomes; there are several legal…

Is There a Right Way to Grieve a Divorce?

Health Separation & Divorce

The end of a marriage is a traumatic event for even the most toughened people. Regardless of the reasons that led a couple to this point, divorce is a sad event and it is completely natural for any spouse to…

Five Facts About Alimony

Separation & Divorce Wealth

When couples divorce, one of the issues that often generates the most contention is alimony. For a spouse seeking spousal support, these payments are seen as essential, as he or she does not make sufficient income to meet his or…

Dividing Luxury Goods When You Divorce

Separation & Divorce Wealth

You have probably seen some recent headlines about the massive divorce settlement of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Bezos after they split due to allegations of his infidelity. Beyond the sad end of a long marriage and the sordid…

Avoiding Money Mistakes after Separation

Separation & Divorce Wealth

Separation is an incredibly stressful time in a person’s life. Even the most Zen and disciplined of people can make regrettable decisions during this time. This is especially true when it comes to money and budgeting in the midst of…

Understanding Debt and Equitable Distribution

Separation & Divorce Wealth

When you think of the concept of property division when couples divorce, it is easy to think that it literally refers to the division of property. As in, who takes what property with them when the dust settles? However, property…

When is Police Intervention Appropriate for a Family Law Dispute?

Domestic Violence Separation & Divorce

When you are having a really difficult time with your spouse during the midst of a separation, you may find yourself in situations where you feel scared or powerless. Some people contact relatives and friends for support, while others call…

Do Alimony Payments Ever End?

Separation & Divorce Wealth

Spousal support, also known as alimony, is a mandatory payment that a dependent spouse receives from a supporting spouse when a couple separates. It can be a significant obligation for many supporting spouses, and they have a natural financial interest…

Finding a Mental Health Provider

Health Separation & Divorce

Coping with the stress, anxiety, loss, sadness, and anger that come with the end of a marriage is a lot for anyone to handle. No matter how strong you are, or how you have faced prior adversity, there is no…

Home For Sale Sign in Front of New House

Selling a Home During a Separation

Separation & Divorce

The period of separation with the intention of divorce can be a really uncertain time. Even the most amicable of separations present logistical and financial challenges. One of these challenges is figuring out what to do with the family home.…

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