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.…
Articles Posted in Equitable Distribution
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Dozier v. Dozier, 2022-NCCOA-307 (unpublished) (2022) In North Carolina, an Equitable Distribution (ED) judgment is a final court-ordered distribution of the marital assets.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…
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…
Home Appraisals and Equitable Distribution
Equitable Distribution in North Carolina is a legal process by which the court divides the marital property between the parties. It involves three steps: 1) classifying the property as marital or separate (or some mix); 2) assigning value to the property; and 3) distributing the property in an equitable manner…
Equitable Distribution Findings on Remand
Foxx v. Foxx, 2022-NCCOA-223 (5 April 2022) (unpublished). Some statutes and case laws in North Carolina have a time component. In modifications of child support and custody, the trial court is sometimes required to make comparisons between the old facts and circumstances with the current ones in order to find…
Stipulations of Fact and of Settlement
Maddukuri v. Chintanippu, 2022-NCCOA-128 (1 March 2022) Stipulations are often used to expedite portions of a case/trial so that there is no time wasted on them, allowing the court to focus on the issues that are actually in contention. The use of stipulations of fact is pretty common. It removes…
Willis v. Willis
Sam Willis and Sarah Willis were married in August 1981. Sam filed his Complaint on March 28, 1985, seeking a divorce from bed and board, alimony, and equitable distribution. Before the parties married, Sam sold Sarah a house and lot on Claremont Road. Throughout the marriage, the couple lived at…
Equitable Distribution and Support—Built-in Review
Harris v. Harris, 352 S.E.2d 869, 84 N.C.App. 353 (N.C. App. 1987) In the case above, the plaintiff was ordered to pay to defendant an Equitable Distribution (ED) distributive award in the amount of $23,706.82, but payment of the award was postponed until the parties’ youngest child reached age 18…
Oral Stipulations Still Not Binding
ZIMMERMAN V. ZIMMERMAN 2021-NCCOA-485 Previously, we have written about the use of stipulations in a case to maximize efficiency and what is required in an oral stipulation in the context of Equitable Distribution. (Our courts have held, for an oral stipulation on Equitable Distribution to be valid, that the parties…
The Problem with Equitable Distribution Delays
Wall v. Wall, 536 S.E.2d 647, 140 N.C. App. 303 (N.C. App. 2000) There are various legal mechanisms by which former spouses separate their personal and real property. One mechanism is Equitable Distribution (ED). Practically speaking, however, no division of property should be accomplished without first obtaining an Order/Judgment from…