Charlotte

Michigan Moves To Make Joint Custody Mandatory

Published on: June 21, 2017 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Board Certified Family Law Specialist Matt Arnold answers the question: “What can I do to gain custody of my child in North Carolina?”

Everyone knows that custody and visitation are among the most contentious parts of many divorces. Parents are understandably motivated to secure as much time as possible with their children and fight hard to ensure they are granted authority to make decisions about how their children will be raised. Though this makes perfect sense, many wonder if the process could be simplified (and made much less stressful) by eliminating the fight over custody entirely.

How to secure your digital privacy during a divorce

Published on: June 14, 2017 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Board Certified Family Law Specialist Matt Arnold being interviewed on the Legal Forum. This was recorded in Charlotte, North Carolina.

It’s a question that few people think about until it’s too late: what happens if your electronic privacy is compromised? There are a lot of reasons for this. Some people think they just aren’t interesting enough to worry as they don’t have dirt worth digging up. Others (mistakenly) believe their password will serve as a fortress, shielding their secrets forever. For others, it never even crosses their mind that a significant other would try to do something like invade their privacy. The reality is that, in some sad cases, individuals learn the hard truth that privacy, especially online, is incredibly hard to maintain.

Supreme Court Sides With Veteran In Spousal Support Case

Published on: June 7, 2017 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Board Certified Family Law Specialist Matt Arnold answers the question: “How are military divorces different from a regular divorce?”

It’s rare that spousal support cases make their way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The justices are usually grappling with weighty issues involving constitutional rights, but occasionally make time for less headline-grabbing matters. Recently, that’s exactly what the Court did, hearing and then deciding a small case with an even smaller amount of money on the line. Though the ruling won’t go down in history, it does clarify an area of confusion in the law and will bring certainty to a number of other military divorces.

Change to Illinois Family Law Causes Concern

Published on: May 31, 2017 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Board Certified Family Law Specialist Matt Arnold answers the question: “How is the amount of child support decided in North Carolina?”

Family law is an aspect of our legal system that can sometimes seem immune to change. It can take years for the family law world to react to changes in society, and even longer for those changes to trickle down through the various states. One state that hasn’t changed its family laws in decades is Illinois. Legislators there have decided to finally tackle the outdated legal code and are in the midst of a multi-year overhaul.

Tennessee Judge Says Woman Has The Rights of a Husband

Published on: May 24, 2017 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Board Certified Family Law Specialist Matt Arnold answers the question: “What are my custody rights if the other parent moves?”

Though it’s gone smoothly in some places, other courts in more conservative states have had a bumpy road adapting to changed legal realities since the landmark same-sex marriage case decided by the Supreme Court in 2015. A good example of this is in Tennessee, where one same-sex couple has spent months and months fighting to get a divorce, something that has proven harder than many expected.

Insurance Company Offers Divorce Coverage

Published on: May 17, 2017 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Board Certified Family Law Specialist Matt Arnold answers the question: “How is the amount of child support decided in North Carolina?”

Most people know that it’s important to have health insurance. Same thing with car insurance or life insurance or homeowner’s insurance or renter’s insurance. We rely on insurance, in all its many forms, to protect us when things go badly and we encounter some financial setbacks that we aren’t able to cover on our own. It’s based on this premise that an insurance company recently announced it would begin offering divorce insurance, adding to the long list of insurance that a person could consider paying for.

Hiding Assets During A Divorce

Published on: May 10, 2017 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Board Certified Family Law Specialist Matt Arnold answers the question: “What is an Absolute Divorce?”

Anyone who knows anyone who has been through a divorce understands that the process can bring out the worst in people. The stress, emotional and financial, can cause the best of us to act in ways we otherwise wouldn’t. Emotions such as fear, anger and betrayal can lead to lashing out and other types of vindictive behavior. Though it’s understandable, there are limits that should be kept in mind to avoid running into trouble with the law.

Experts Say Postnuptial Agreements Are Increasing In Popularity

Published on: May 3, 2017 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Board Certified Family Law Specialist Matt Arnold answers the question: “How will the judge divide our property?”

Though you’ve likely heard of a prenup, either from a friend, a relative or in popular culture, postnups aren’t nearly as common. Though a much newer invention, experts in the family law business say they’re beginning to catch on, with large numbers of family law attorneys reporting an increase in interest from clients. What is a postnup? How does it work? Is there any value? To learn more, keep reading.

Louisiana Legislators Come Together To Ensure Divorce Process Remains Slow

Published on: April 26, 2017 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Board Certified Family Law Specialist Matt Arnold answers the question: “Do I need an attorney to get a Divorce in North Carolina?”

A routine complaint about divorce is that the process can be a time-consuming one. You have to jump through legal hurdles that take time and cost money, waiting each step of the way for the other side to have time to review and respond. You wait on court dates and on meetings. In some cases, you wait on mediation appointments or settlement negotiations. Bottom line, there’s a lot of waiting.

Do Certain Religions Lead To Higher Divorce Rates?

Published on: April 19, 2017 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Board Certified Family Law Specialist Matt Arnold answers the question: “What does a “No-Fault’ divorce mean in NC?”

Religious conservatism is almost always associated with an emphasis on family values, especially the creation of strong and stable marriages. Churches do what they can to encourage congregants to marry wisely and then remain in those marriages until death do they part. Though religion is usually seen as a force that contributes to stable marriage, studies have come back with numbers that don’t always support such a notion. One especially famous study even showed that certain religious traditions have noticeably higher divorce rates than others.