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Articles Posted in Property Division

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Equitable Distribution and Separate Property

DONATI V. DONATI, 2023-NCCOA-________ (2023) (unpublished).  Facts: Husband and Wife separated and a claim for equitable distribution was filed by Husband, who claimed that he ought to receive more than fifty percent of all marital and divisible property. Husband contended that he sold his separate residence, a house owned before…

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Tiger Woods, His Girlfriend, and Oral Tenancy Agreements

Tiger Woods and Erica Herman were a couple for nearly six years.  The couple split in October 2022.  While together, the couple resided in Woods’ home in Jupiter, Florida.  Herman has sued the Jupiter Island Irrevocable Homestead Trust for at least $30 million after Woods asked her to move out…

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Inheritance and Equitable Distribution

Suppose you inherit money from a family member during your marriage. Is your inheritance subject to being divided under North Carolina’s equitable distribution statute? The brief answer: it depends. North Carolina General Statute § 50-20 defines marital property as all real and personal property obtained and currently owned by either…

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Marital v Separate Property in Equitable Distribution

It is not rare in this day and age that a spouse “brings” a home into a marriage. This means that one spouse was the owner of a home before they got married. It also likely means that the spouse bringing the home into the marriage was paying the mortgage.…

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Rule 60 – Reasonable Time to Amend a Judgment

Hicks v. Hicks, 2022-NCCOA-139. Facts: Plaintiff and Defendant attended a mediation to attempt to settle the Equitable Distribution and alimony parts of their case. In mediation, they reached a settlement and memorialized their terms in a consent order, entered in September of 2018. Among those terms, Defendant received a parcel…

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Reopening Evidence for Equitable Distribution

Shropshire v. Shropshire, 2022-NCCOA-441. Facts: Plaintiff and Defendant separated and initiated a case for Equitable distribution (ED). Pursuant to a pretrial Order, the parties filed affidavits for the ED trial. Both parties listed retirement plans under the “marital property” section of the affidavit. This included the Plaintiff’s 401(k) plan. Furthermore,…

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When the Court Grants Alimony and Unequal Distribution

Brady v. Brady, 2022 NCCOA 200 (N.C. Ct. App. 2022) Brady v. Brady came before the NC Court of Appeals on Defendant Husband’s appeal. ISSUE: What findings of facts are required to support awards of alimony, a distributive award, and the unequal distribution of assets. FACTS: Mr. and Ms. Brady…

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Disability Payments and Equitable Distribution

Wright v. Wright, 222 N.C. App. 309, 730 S.E.2d 218 (2012) Facts: Plaintiff and Defendant married in 2002 and subsequently separated in 2008. Defendant was a professional football player in the NFL. While playing football, Defendant suffered significant injuries, three of which were sustained while he was married to Plaintiff.…

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Equitable Distribution Judgments Are Not Modifiable

Dozier v. Dozier, 2022-NCCOA-307 (unpublished) (2022)   In North Carolina, an Equitable Distribution (ED) judgment is a final court-ordered distribution of the marital assets. Unlike child support, alimony, or custody, these are not modifiable upon showing the court that there has been a substantial change in circumstances. A rule 60…

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Fair Market Value and Equitable Distribution

In the previous blog, we covered appraisal as a method of valuation of property in the context of Equitable Distribution in a separation. Equitable Distribution (ED) in North Carolina is a legal process by which the court divides the marital property between the parties. The three steps in an ED…

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