A California woman is experiencing divorce in a way that has her fearing for her life. Patricia and Ronald Dunn are residents of Los Angeles and are in the process of getting divorced. However, Ronald is less than happy with the idea of divorcing Patricia. To say this is a…
Colleen Hoover is unstoppable. To say she is a best-selling novelist is an understatement. In 2022, Hoover held six of the top ten spots on The New York Times’ paperback fiction best-seller list. She has sold more than 20 million books. Her social media presence reaches far and wide. She…
Becker Williams, F. Supp. 3d , 2016 WL 878492 (W.D. Wash. 2016) Facts: Husband and wife were married and in 2002, the husband designated the wife as survivor beneficiary of his retirement plans with Xerox. Husband and wife were divorced in 2006. In 2007, the employer received several telephone calls…
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…
Can you be awarded alimony when your spouse abuses alcohol to the point that your life has become unbearable? Like all issues in the legal field, it depends. What Does the Law Say? North Carolina General Statute § 50-16.3A states that, upon the court determining that one party is the…
As family law attorneys, we are regularly asked by clients if they can record their spouse. In fact, in some cases, they are asking if we want a copy of the recording that they have already made. Yes, these recordings can possibly prove something was said or not said; there…
Price v. Price, 2022-NCCOA-928 (unpublished). Facts: In April of 2020, Mother filed a motion to modify child support. A hearing on that motion was eventually calendared for November of 2020. In the meantime, Father had fired his attorney. Father did not show up for the modification hearing, and the trial…
BOYLES V. ORRELL, 2022-NCCOA-916 (unpublished). Facts: Mother and Father married in 2014 and separated about four months later. The couple had a daughter together, who is eight years old. The parties entered into a consent custody order and the mother had primary physical custody. In March of 2020, the trial…
December 30th is National Bacon Day. I assume it is a day to glorify and celebrate the many epicurean triumphs that bacon has brought to our society. Well, bah humbug. I for one, shall not be celebrating such a day. Bacon, Anyone? Bacon itself is not at all unpalatable. In…
In the same vein as a previous post about starting new holiday traditions after separation, here are some fun ways Christmas is celebrated in other countries! Holiday Celebrations Around the Globe Japan: Kentucky Fried Chicken, the Christmas dinner of champions. Thanks to a marketing campaign in the mid-1970s, Japanese children…