Toussaint v. King, COA19-851 (2020) (unpublished). In North Carolina, a court has the ability to incarcerate a party for not following a court order. This procedure is called civil contempt. In order to send a party to jail for noncompliance, the court first must find specific facts. For one case…
Articles Posted in divorce
Harter v. Eggleston – What is an Inconvenient Forum?
No. COA19-493 (unpublished) Plaintiff-Father Alex Harter and Defendant-Mother Hayley Eggleston were never married but are the parents of one child, born in 2010. Father and Mother lived together from December 2009 until separating in September 2012. Since separating in September 2012, disagreements regarding the minor child’s custody have resulted in…
Choose Expertly: Expert Witness Was No Expert
Stowe v. Stowe, ___ N.C. App. ___ (2020). In North Carolina, Equitable Distribution (ED) is one of the mechanisms by which former spouses separate their personal and real property. What if the during the marriage one party opens a business? Unlike other forms of property, businesses have reputations that are…
Ex-Parte Domestic Violence Orders
As we proceed through the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, domestic violence incidents have increased in North Carolina. Isolation and lockdown likely have exacerbated conditions that may have already been present in a rocky relationship. Financial woes and job losses have only added to the stress. Domestic violence and violence against intimate…
Family Service of the Piedmont
The Greensboro and High Point area is fortunate to be served by Family Service of the Piedmont, a local non-profit agency providing families and individuals affordable services in dealing with domestic violence, mental health, child abuse, and financial stability issues. Family Service of the Piedmont (FSP) offers services in court…
Intimate Partner Violence
One form of domestic violence occurring between current or former dating partners or spouses is intimate partner violence. Intimate partner violence (IPV), according to the CDC, affects one out of every four women and one out of every seven men. IPV includes psychological or emotional abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse,…
An Overview: National Domestic Violence Hotline
October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Although many find comfort and sanctuary within their own home, others do not because of physical violence by a partner. By U.S. Department of Justice estimates, approximately 1.3 million women and 835,000 men endure physical violence by the action of a partner every…
Celebrities and Divorce
Divorce is no stranger among the stars and starlets in Hollywood. Lately, it appears that celebrity couples are finding difficulty navigating the unknowns brought about by COVID-19. Divorce rates in the U.S. have spiked during the coronavirus pandemic as couples find themselves together at home around the clock with nowhere…
Can My DVPO Be Re-Argued in Child Custody Court?
Doyle v. Doyle, 176 N.C. App. 547 (2006) Sometimes, what kicks off a divorce is not a slow descent into a frustrating marriage, but instead a jarring and violent incident that cannot be reconciled. Domestic Violence Protective Orders (DVPO) can be granted to spouses that fear for their or their…
Separation Agreements: Lack of Disclosure Countered by Ratification
Rolls v. Rolls, 706 S.E.2d 842 (2010) (unpublished) In North Carolina, Equitable Distribution can be settled without ever needing to step into the courthouse. Separation Agreements and Property Settlements are common ways to resolve the issues incident to a divorce. They are the will of the parties in a separation,…