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Pet-Nups for Pet Ownership in a Divorce

Posted by Josh Valentine | Jan 23, 2020 | 0 Comments

Prenuptial agreements can be helpful for couples to plan for how property is treated if the couple ever gets a divorce. Increasingly, individuals are concerned about pet ownership in a divorce. So-called “pet-nups” could provide for pet ownership when a married couple separates.  If you have any...

Cost of Divorce in North Carolina

Posted by Josh Valentine | Jan 17, 2020 | 0 Comments

A recent article in USA Today ranked the average cost of divorce in each state. North Carolina comes in near the middle for the cost of an average divorce, with and without children. The costs of filing for divorce are not that high, generally coming to a few hundred dollars. However, the cost of...

Name Change After a Divorce in North Carolina

Posted by Josh Valentine | Jan 10, 2020 | 0 Comments

Many married couples keep with the tradition of changing the wife's last name to take the husband's last name after marriage. Other couples may keep their individual last names or add a hyphenated name. When a couple gets divorced, changing the last name can be more complicated.  After a divorce...

Drinking Habits and Divorce

Posted by Josh Valentine | Jan 03, 2020 | 0 Comments

Drinking alcohol is not uncommon for married couples. While some couples drink regularly, others abstain from drinking any alcohol at all. Alcohol use can impact marital satisfaction and divorce rates. According to a study by researchers at the University of Buffalo, when one partner drinks heavi...

Signs Your Spouse May Be Planning a Divorce

Posted by Josh Valentine | Dec 23, 2019 | 0 Comments

A divorce can still come as a big surprise for many spouses. A spouse may have been acting differently for months or years, or there could have been no obvious signs that there was anything wrong with the relationship. However, hindsight often provides clues that one spouse had been thinking abou...

Christmas and Child Visitation Disputes

Posted by Josh Valentine | Dec 06, 2019 | 0 Comments

Christmas is supposed to be a time for joy, family gatherings, and watching kids open presents under the tree. Unfortunately for parents involved in custody disputes, Christmas can be a stressful time and lead to fights between parents, family members, and children. If you are involved in a child...

New Teen Court and Juvenile Justice Laws

Posted by Josh Valentine | Nov 27, 2019 | 0 Comments

Earlier this month, we discussed North Carolina's new “raise the age” law for juveniles. The raise the age law would no longer automatically try suspects under the age of 18 as adults. However, the legislature has also signed a number of other laws that apply to juvenile justice and teen court ac...

Retirement Benefits in a Divorce Settlement Agreement

Posted by Josh Valentine | Nov 19, 2019 | 0 Comments

Retirement benefits are a unique asset in North Carolina divorce cases. Retirement benefits may consist of Social Security benefits, 401(k) savings, IRAs, a pension, or other types of retirement savings. These may have accumulated before and during the marriage. For people under the age of retire...

Unreliable DWI Breath Testing Can Put You in Jail

Posted by Josh Valentine | Nov 05, 2019 | 0 Comments

An article in the New York Times is telling readers what North Carolina criminal defense lawyers have known for years about breath testing for drunk driving: “These Machines Can Put You in Jail. Don't Trust Them.” Unfortunately, many drivers rely on these faulty tests and the claims of the prosec...

North Carolina's Raise the Age Law for Juveniles

Posted by Josh Valentine | Nov 04, 2019 | 0 Comments

North Carolina is the last state to adopt a “raise the age” law. Under the new law, teenagers under the age of 18 will no longer be automatically tried as adults in court. Session Law 2019-186 was enacted on August 1, 2019, and will go into effect on December 1, 2019. Changes Under the Raise the...

Divorce After a Health Scare or Illness

Posted by Josh Valentine | Oct 24, 2019 | 0 Comments

Divorce can be a time for major upheaval in your life. A divorce can result in changes to your living situation, support system, time with your children, and financial status. However, major life changes can also be the catalyst for deciding to get separated or divorced. Major life events, like s...

Is Alimony Tax Deductible?

Posted by Josh Valentine | Oct 21, 2019 | 0 Comments

Alimony can represent a significant post-divorce expense, possibly for decades into the future. In the past, alimony payments were deductible for the supporting spouse and helped offset the expense of providing monthly payments to the dependent spouse. However, after a change to the tax law, alim...

Hands-Free Driving Law Could Lead to Other Charges

Posted by Josh Valentine | Oct 18, 2019 | 0 Comments

A proposed bill would make it illegal to use a phone or other mobile device while driving. The Hands-Free NC Act, House Bill (HB) 144 has passed the House and now awaits approval in the senate. Using a phone while driving could lead to getting pulled over by the police. As with any traffic stop, ...

Divorce and Retirement

Posted by Josh Valentine | Oct 02, 2019 | 0 Comments

According to one survey, women who get married for the first time when they are aged 15 to 20 are more likely to be divorced. People who get married between ages 28 and 32 are more likely to be married for longer. However, people can get divorced at any age and it does not make the process any ea...

Child Custody on Halloween

Posted by Josh Valentine | Sep 24, 2019 | 0 Comments

When most couples are negotiating child custody and visitation schedules, they focus on family-oriented holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. However, other holidays can be just as important for children and Halloween is a favorite holiday of many kids.  Kids (and some adults) get excited ab...

Ignition Interlock After a DWI in North Carolina

Posted by Josh Valentine | Aug 20, 2019 | 0 Comments

Losing your license for a year can be devastating for many drivers in North Carolina who need to be able to drive to get to work, take kids to school, go to doctors' appointments, or buy groceries. However, the good news is that a driver convicted of driving while impaired (DWI) may still be able...

Traffic Checkpoints in North Carolina

Posted by Josh Valentine | Aug 09, 2019 | 0 Comments

When the police and law enforcement set up a checkpoint, they may be checking for all sorts of traffic violations. Traffic checkpoints and driving while impaired (DWI) checkpoints can check for anything from out-of-date registration to drivers with felony warrants. The courts have determined that...

Town of Shelby joins Watch for Me NC Program

Posted by Blake Caulder | Aug 08, 2019 | 0 Comments

In a deepening commitment to the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists, Shelby, NC has joined Watch for Me NC. The program among other strategies hosts workshops and trainings for law enforcement that focus on increasing the integrity of travel on sidewalks, crosswalks, and streets. Each year, ...

Child Custody: When Ex is Dating a Bad Influence

Posted by Josh Valentine | Aug 07, 2019 | 0 Comments

Dealing with child custody and visitation with an ex can be hard enough. When the ex gets remarried or starts dating a new partner, that new person can complicate how parents handle child custody. In some cases, the new partner could be a negative influence on the child and the other parent has t...

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