Blogs
Stepparent Adoption in North Carolina: What Families Should Know
Stepparent adoption is one of the more emotionally meaningful legal processes a blended family can go through, and it’s also one that families often assume is simpler than it turns out to be. In North Carolina, the process legally recognizes a stepparent as a child’s parent, but getting there generally depends on one factor more […]
Contested vs. Uncontested Divorce in North Carolina. What’s the Difference?
An uncontested divorce in North Carolina means both spouses agree on every major issue, including property division, child custody, child support, and spousal support. A contested divorce means the spouses disagree on one or more of those issues, which typically requires additional negotiation, mediation, or a judge’s decision at trial. The history of your marriage […]
What Is Mediation in a North Carolina Divorce and Do You Have to Do It?
In North Carolina, mediation is legally required before a judge will schedule a trial for contested child custody disputes and equitable distribution (property division) cases. Under N.C. General Statutes § 50-13.1(c) for custody and § 50-20(h) for property division, parties must attempt mediation before their case can proceed to a courtroom hearing, making mediation not […]
Can Divorce Actually Be… Healthy? (Yes, Really.)
By: Sodoma Law Belmont Caroline W. Strauss Senior Attorney | Certified Parenting Coordinator Divorce gets a bad rap — and honestly, sometimes it deserves it. But what if divorce could be done the right way? I recently joined a local therapy group’s podcast to talk about exactly that. Here’s what we came up with. Good Reasons to […]
How Long Does It Take to Get Divorced in South Carolina?
Most people assume divorce timelines work roughly the same way from state to state, but South Carolina and North Carolina handle the divorce process differently in ways that can catch people off guard. In South Carolina, a no-fault divorce generally requires spouses to live separate and apart for a full year before a court will […]
When Can a Custody or Support Order Be Modified in North Carolina?
A family court order is not a permanent contract frozen at the moment a judge signs it. Life changes: jobs are lost, families relocate, children’s needs evolve, and financial circumstances shift in ways no one could have anticipated at the time of divorce. North Carolina law recognizes this, and provides a legal path to revisit […]
What Can (and Can’t) Marriage Insurance Do in North Carolina?
Marriage Insurance in North Carolina, also called a prenuptial agreement, is a legally binding contract between two people planning to marry that determines how assets, debts, and spousal support will be handled if the marriage ends in divorce or death. Under the Uniform Premarital Agreement Act, codified at N.C. General Statutes Chapter 52B, valid Marriage […]
How Alimony Is Determined in North Carolina
Most people assume alimony in North Carolina works the way it does on television, one spouse earns more, so they pay the other. The reality is considerably more nuanced, and far more personal. North Carolina judges do not follow a fixed formula when awarding spousal support. Instead, they are required by law to weigh up […]
What Not to Do During a Custody Battle
Custody battles in North Carolina are rarely decided by who “deserves” more time with a child, but by how each parent behaves under pressure. Judges are not just reviewing facts—they are observing patterns of communication, decision-making, and emotional control over time. What often goes unnoticed is that small, repeated actions during conflict can quietly shape […]
Automation Is Not Advocacy: The Risks of AI-Drafted Separation Agreements
By: Senior Attorney Kelsey J. Queen Artificial intelligence has become remarkably good at producing polished, confident-sounding writing. It can draft emails, summarize documents, and generate “legal-looking” agreements in seconds. It can write polished sentences, make “legal” arguments, organize information logically, and generate documents that look professional at first glance. For many tasks, that’s incredibly useful. […]
How Child Support Is Calculated in North Carolina
Child support in North Carolina is often viewed as a fixed number, but in reality it is the result of a structured legal process designed to balance income, parenting time, and a child’s day-to-day needs. What many parents do not realize is that small details—like how overnights are counted or how irregular income is reported—can […]
You’ve Separated. Now What? A Practical Guide to Protecting Yourself and Your Future
By: Sodoma Law Raleigh Attorney Annelisse Velazquez A Legal Separation is one of the most emotionally and legally complex experiences a person can go through. Whether it came as a shock or had been building for years, the moment you and your spouse decide to live separately marks the beginning of a process that will […]