Dear Carolyn, Visitation exchanges are almost always awful for my eight-year-old when the exchange is not at school. I am a Father with fifty-percent custody. I have Mondays and Tuesdays overnight. My ex has Wednesdays and Thursdays overnight. We alternate weekends. When school is out, we do the exchange at…
Articles Posted in custody
Letting the Child decide is more complicated than you may think
Dear Carolyn, I am in a custody battle with my ex-husband. My nine-year-old wants to live with me. Can my nine-year-old simply tell the judge this, and then we are done with this mess? I have heard a child can talk to the judge in “chambers,” but I am not…
Custody Evaluations Explained
Dear Carolyn, The court has just ordered me to participate in a child custody evaluation with a local psychologist. My children are seven and thirteen. I am a concerned Father, and the Mother has a new boyfriend that is “no good”. This new boyfriend is terrible around my children, and…
Permanent vs. Temporary Custody Orders on Appellate Review (King v. Giannini-King)
King v. Giannini-King, 784 S.E.2d 237 (N.C. Ct. App. 2016). Facts: In October 2001, Plaintiff (father) and Defendant (mother) were married and then separated, about seven years later, in early June 2008. Two minor children were born to the parties’ marriage. After the separation, Defendant relocated with the minor children.…
Best interest of the Children?
Dear Carolyn, Triad parent here, contemplating divorce, but I feel compelled to stay together for the children. The children are ages ten and twelve. However, the marriage is quite bad; we argue all the time. We never do anything together, and sex—forget that. I work, and my wife does not work. Can…
Who Gets Custody of Man’s Best Friend?
When a couple decides to separate and end their marriage, there are often other issues that must be resolved along with the divorce. Family law attorneys in North Carolina often include claims for issues such as custody of the children and division of the marital property along with the divorce…
It Only Takes a Moment: Visitation Ideas for Triad Dads
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, love is in the air and it is a great time to express it to those who you care about most. It is important that during this festive season that you remember that your children are the ones who need your love the most…
Rights of Same-Sex Parents in North Carolina – Heatzig v. Maclean
When a marriage breaks down, the question of child custody becomes inevitable. This can often be the most emotionally charged and even contentious part of a divorce. At the Woodruff Family Law Group, our compassionate and hard-working North Carolina child custody attorneys will let you know your rights as well as…
What is Legal Custody in North Carolina? Diehl v. Diehl, Hall v. Hall and Gentry v. Gentry
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…
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…