alienation of affection

What is the Waiting Period for Divorce in North Carolina for?

Published on: April 19, 2023 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

What is the Waiting Period for Divorce in North Carolina?

Making the decision to divorce is likely one of the most difficult things you will ever do. Once you realize that you cannot make your marriage work, the next step is to begin the divorce process. In North Carolina, divorce is called absolute divorce. North Carolina requires couples to live separately for a period of one year before they can seek a no-fault divorce. The one-year period is required to ensure that you are ready to end your marriage. One partner will then file a petition for absolute divorce.

Waiting Period in North Carolina

Managing Your Credit Score During Divorce

Published on: April 12, 2023 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Managing Your Credit Score During Divorce

You work hard for years to maintain a good credit history and score. When you are married, you and your spouse are usually responsible for the debts that you incur. Although you may always pay your bills on time and keep a good credit to debt ratio, you could face some credit challenges during and after your divorce. Even when couples agree to end their marriage, they may disagree about finances. In North Carolina, when couples divorce their marital property, including debts are to be divided equally.

Marital Debts

What is a Custody Evaluation?

Published on: April 5, 2023 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

What is a Custody Evaluation?

When couples divorce, they need to resolve many settlement issues. Some divorces are amicable, but often, couples disagree about important matters such as child custody. Parents may both have legal custody of their child, which allows both parents to make important decisions about a child’s health, education, and religion, among other things. Physical custody refers to where a child will live most of the time. Disputes about child custody can be emotional and challenging to resolve.

Resolving Custody Disputes

How Can I Relocate With My Child After Divorce?

Published on: March 29, 2023 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

How Can I Relocate with My Child After Divorce?

Parenting is often difficult after a divorce. When parents go their separate ways, they still have responsibilities to their children. Usually, both parents share legal custody of their child in that they are both able to make important decisions regarding the life of their child. Some of these decisions revolve around the child’s health, education, and religion, among others. Often, children reside primarily with one parent while they enjoy regular visitation with the other parent. The custodial parent may want to move out of the area after a divorce. Before you relocate, you need to make sure that you do so in a way that is legal.

Are There Restrictions on Relocation After Divorce?

Five Common Questions About Divorce in North Carolina

Published on: March 22, 2023 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Five Common Questions About Divorce in North Carolina

Couples who are considering divorce may be unsure of what to expect. There are many issues to think about, and it can seem daunting. An experienced North Carolina divorce attorney will answer your questions and guide the process to make it easier and as stress-free as possible.

Can We Get a No-Fault Divorce?

How Does Marital Misconduct Affect Divorce?

Published on: March 15, 2023 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

How Does Marital Misconduct Affect Divorce?

The decision to file for divorce is never easy. Sometimes, a marriage does not go as planned, and you and your spouse are no longer able to make your marriage work. You are not alone because according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the divorce rate is about 2.5 out of every 1,000 total population. There were more than 689,000 divorces in 2021. In North Carolina, you can obtain a no-fault divorce. This means that you do not need to prove grounds for divorce other than that your marriage is irretrievably broken. But what happens when one spouse has committed some form of marital misconduct?

What is Marital Misconduct?

Gray Divorce

Published on: October 26, 2022 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Board Certified Family Law Specialist Matt Arnold answers the question: “How should I prepare if I intend to file for divorce in the near future?”

Divorce rates have been on the decline for the last decade or more. For those that end in divorce, the median length of the first marriage is about 12 years. While the divorce rate on average is going down, the divorce rate among older individuals is actually rising. Baby boomers are continuing to divorce at a higher rate than those who are younger. Baby boomers are those people who were born between 1946 and 1964. If you are ending your marriage, you may want to seek guidance from a knowledgeable divorce attorney.

How to Prove Adultery in a North Carolina Divorce Case?

Published on: January 6, 2021 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Board Certified Family Law Specialist Matt Arnold answers the question: “Does adultery affect my divorce case?”

If you are getting divorced because your spouse engaged in an extramarital affair, you probably want to prove adultery in your divorce case. While North Carolina is a no-fault state for divorce, which means spouses are not required to prove fault to get a divorce, you could potentially benefit from proving that your spouse committed adultery.

Does Cheating Affect Alimony in North Carolina Divorces?

Published on: December 23, 2020 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Board Certified Family Law Specialist Matt Arnold answers the question: “Does adultery affect my divorce case?”

When a marriage ends because one of the spouses cheated, the parties may wonder how adultery affects alimony in their North Carolina divorce. Is the spouse who had an extramarital affair entitled to alimony? Will the paying spouse be ordered to pay more alimony because they cheated on their partner during the marriage?

Survey Reveals Why People in Charlotte Get Divorced

Published on: June 24, 2020 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Board Certified Family Law Specialist Matt Arnold answers the question: “Does adultery affect my divorce case?”

Have you ever wondered why married couples are getting divorced in Charlotte, North Carolina? A new survey has revealed the “real reasons” why people in Charlotte file for divorce.