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…
Articles Posted in family law specialist
Custody Modification and Prior Events
Blackwell v. Blackwell 2021-NCCOA-537 Facts: Mother and Father began a child custody action. Mother subpoenaed numerous mental health documents from healthcare providers. These documents would have purportedly been used at trial to establish Father’s mental health and substance abuse. In 2016, the parties had consented to a custody schedule in…
Surrogacy and Custody
There is a mess of a custody case in Massachusetts (MA) that arose from a very reckless surrogacy situation. Apparently, a same-sex couple posted to social media asking for help having a baby. A friend then offered to conceive with her boyfriend (read: the baby would be biologically unrelated to…
Covid and Imputation of Income
Snowden v. Jaure, (Wyoming Supreme Court) With Covid-19 raging for over a year now, many families have been affected and often negatively. Job loss is just one consequence of the pandemic. This has caused a loss in income for many individuals. In families going through a custody case, it means…
How Dogs Help with Divorce
October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month. Dogs are our best friends. Some seem to be made entirely of boundless energy and unconditional love. Studies have shown that in the presence of our four-legged friends, stress lowers, our happiness-promoting hormones increase, our blood pressure lowers, and our self-esteem increases. During…
Deepfakes: Technology’s Dark Side
In case you have not heard, deepfake videos are multiplying online. “Deepfake” is a term coined in late 2017 by a Reddit user of the same name. With origins in pornography, the use of deepfakes has transcended well beyond the explicit. A deepfake generally refers to media manipulation where a…
Custody with Facetime and Contempt
There have been phones and computers around for decades now, and in the child custody context they have been instrumental in providing access to children for noncustodial parents. But since Facetime has come around, we are beginning to see some court documents, specifically custody orders, reference Facetime when crafting custodial…
Hunger Action Month and PTI Run on the Runway
September is Hunger Action Month. During September, members of the community can take a stand against hunger by sharing, volunteering, pledging, fundraising, or donating to help end hunger in America. Although hunger is a nationwide problem, the Piedmont Triad struggles with food insecurity throughout the community. In recent years, Greensboro-High…
Don’t Wait to Obtain a QDRO
By: Carolyn J. Woodruff, JD, CPA, CVAPatterson v. Chrysler Group Addendum Shortly after the Sixth Circuit decided Patterson v. Chrylser Group, 845 F.3d 756 (2017), I first wrote about this case. Based on some recent comments, updating the blog with dates for clarification is necessary. The issue is when the statute of limitations starts on the…
Sports Betting and Reckless Spending
North Carolina will soon decide whether to make gambling on sports legal. There are two bills, one in the North Carolina House, the other in the Senate. House Bill 631 of the 2021 Session is a bill to authorize and regulate sports wagering. Senate Bill 688 looks to be a…