When the parents of minor children split up, they need to figure out how and if they will share custody of their children. North Carolina parents are free to agree upon any custody and visitation agreement they deem best for the family. If the parents decide on an agreement, they…
Articles Posted in children
Relocation from North Carolina to Another State: Ramirez-Barker v. Barker
When parents decide to split up, it can be extremely difficult for the child to adjust to the change. When a parent decides to move to another state, the change can be even harder to deal with. At the Woodruff Family Law Group, our skilled North Carolina child custody attorneys…
Substantial Change in Circumstances for North Carolina Parents in Child Custody Cases: Hibshman v. Hibshman
Life after divorce can be difficult and made even more challenging when custody disputes are involved. North Carolina law was designed for the reality that people’s circumstances can change from time to time, and they may need to modify existing custody orders accordingly. When parents cannot agree on which changes are appropriate, the…
Substantial Change in Circumstances in North Carolina Child Custody Agreements – Pulliam v. Smith
If you have an existing child custody order that you want to change, the process can be quite complex. A North Carolina parent cannot just unilaterally change any type of child custody agreement. At the Woodruff Family Law Group, our seasoned family law lawyers can help you determine if your…
Child Abuse and Spousal Privilege
by Jennifer Crissman, Woodruff Family Law GroupAs a parent, it is a nightmare even to imagine your child being harmed. But for some families in the Piedmont, this is a grim reality. The scenario turns even darker when there are allegations that your spouse harmed the child. This places the parent in a terrible position: trying…
He Said, She Said: Admission of Hearsay Statements Regarding Child Sexual Abuse in Custody Cases: Part 12 of 12 Parts
By: Jennifer Crissman, Attorney, Woodruff Family Law GroupIn the final installment of our twelve-part practical series for attorneys practicing in Guilford and surrounding counties, we will review the case of State v. Deanes. In our hypothetical situation from Part 1, there were multiple hearsay statements made by the children to various family members, social workers, medical practitioners…
He Said, She Said: Admission of Hearsay Statements Regarding Child Sexual Abuse in Custody Cases: Part 11 of 12 Parts
by Jennifer Crissman, Attorney, Woodruff Family Law GroupIn this installment of our series for family law practitioners in Guilford and surrounding counties, we will discuss the case of State v. Burgess. In our hypothetical scenario, the two children made statements to their grandmother about the abuse by their uncle. Although the timing and circumstances surrounding the statements…
He Said, She Said: Admission of Hearsay Statements Regarding Child Sexual Abuse in Custody Cases: Part 10 of 12 Parts
By: Jennifer Crissman, Attorney, Woodruff Family Law GroupIn part 10 of our practical series for family law attorneys practicing in the Piedmont Triad, we will review the case Matter of Lucas which provides guidance on hearsay statements made to physicians regarding sexual abuse. In our scenario in part 1 of the series, the two children told their…
He Said, She Said: Admission of Hearsay Statements Regarding Child Sexual Abuse in Custody Cases: Part 9 of 12 Parts
By: Jennifer Crissman, Attorney, Woodruff Family Law GroupPart 9 of our continuing series for family law attorneys practicing in Guilford and surrounding counties focuses on the admission of hearsay from social workers and the Department of Social Services. When there is a case that has allegations of abuse, there will likely be intervention from the Department of…
He Said, She Said: Admission of Hearsay Statements Regarding Child Sexual Abuse in Custody Cases: Part 8 of 12 Parts
By: Jennifer Crissman, Attorney, Woodruff Family Law GroupIn this part of our continuing practical series, we will address the issues family law attorneys face when trying to admit DSS records and social worker’s testimony into evidence in Guilford and surrounding counties. Matter of Smith is a particularly useful case for when the child has made statements to…