North Carolina Divorce Lawyers Blog

Articles Posted in Custody

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By Kristina Pisano, Blog Writer, Woodruff Family Law Group
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On Thursday, May 5, I graduate from the University of North Carolina Greensboro! I am so excited and can’t wait for my close friends and family to watch as I finally get my bachelor’s degree. In the midst of all the graduation excitement, a friend of mine who is also graduating is dreading it. I know it sounds crazy, but, while she is thrilled to be getting her degree, she, unfortunately, has to deal with “the parent drama,” as she puts it. Her parents divorced when she was three years old, and ever since then, every birthday party, dance recital, big or small celebration there is always drama between her mom and dad. Continue reading →

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by Carolyn J. Woodruff, JD, CPA, CVA, North Carolina Family Law Specialist
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Emergency Custody in North Carolina is a tough topic. Under North Carolina law, there are really two times that the court can consider switching custody on an ex parte (hearing from one side only).  Continue reading →

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By Tina Ray, Legal Assistant, Woodruff Family Law Group
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“Mom, can I have the iPad?” “Dad, can I play on your phone?”  How many times a day do you hear that?  If you have kids, you’ve probably heard those exact words.  My grandson loves to come home with me.  Why? To play games on my phone. As you can imagine, I really feel loved.  Don’t get me wrong, when you’re having a conversation with someone, or driving, it can be very helpful to have the cell phone or iPad babysitter.  But, sometimes parents and grandparents let it go too far. Continue reading →

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By Dana Horlick, Attorney, Woodruff Family Law Group
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Most separated couples probably do not think about complex jurisdictional issues when they are deciding child custody issues. Maybe the schedule is one week on, one week off, with the parents alternating weeks wherein they have sole physical custody of the child for a particular week. Maybe one parent has to move cross-country for a job opportunity, so instead the schedule is split around school with the child living with one parent during the school year and the other on summer vacation. These seem to make sense, dividing the custody of the child in the way that allows both biological parents to take an active role in raising their child. When the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction Treaty is involved with parents in different countries, the issues become very complex very fast. Continue reading →

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By Carolyn Woodruff, JD, CPA, CVA
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My husband Dwight prides himself on liking sappy Christmas movies, and he rents a lot of them. Ho-hum, I thought, but I was pleasantly surprised by the many social messages in Paper Angel.  The movie starts with Mom (Lynn Brandt) moving far away from Dad with her two children—Sara and Thomas. Sara is younger than Thomas. While the movie doesn’t illustrate domestic violence, Mom has a black eye, and you know what happened.  Dad loves nothing but his beer and his sports on television, and while Dad is oblivious to everyone and everything that his narcissistic soul in not entrenched in, Mom quietly gets the two children in the car and escapes with them without any of their belongings.  Mom was right to leave. Continue reading →

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In court-ordered child custody mediation in North Carolina, agreement is the polar star.  Both parents are applauded for entering a parenting agreement.   The question is whether agreement is always in the best interests of the child.  Certainly, we all want parents to agree, but there are certain times when agreements should be entered into with caution.  Certainly, the majority of parenting cases end with the parents agreeing to terms.  Quite frankly, many of these parents would have agreed on custodial arrangements for the children, with or without mediation. Such agreements by parents are simply parents putting children first and naturally looking after their offspring.  The majority of parents can and do put the children first. Continue reading →

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By: Dana M. Horlick, Attorney, Woodruff Family Law Group
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The time you spend with your children is precious and the upcoming Halloween weekend should be no exception. Here are a few fun ideas to make the most of this holiday. Activities for this spook-tacular holiday should be age appropriate. Also take into account the personalities of your children. A child easily scared may not enjoy the same activities as one who is a thrill seeker. Taking these factors into consideration should make it easy to determine the best activity for your child this Halloween. Continue reading →

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Dear Carolyn,

I am a mother of girls ages six and ten. I am separated, and I have half custody. I work hard, and the girls sometimes create havoc. I spanked the six-year-old with a belt, just like my mother did me. My church belief is “spare the rod and spoil the child.” Child Protective Services showed up at my house to investigate. Should I be concerned?

~Scared

 

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Many prospective clients come to us with the question about “what does it really take to win my custody case in North Carolina?”  This raises the interesting question of what is a “win” in custody of a minor child.  “Winning” means different things to different parents.  For some parents, it is quality visitation.  For others, it is primary responsibility for the physical well-being of the child.  For some, it is fifty-fifty or bust!  The goal for all parents should be to keep the best interests of the child as the polar star—a guiding light.  Another valuable goal is to reduce the conflict surrounding the child in this time of change in the family.  A premise of this blog is that both parents are good people and good parents.  Future blogs will address unfit parents, grandparents and social services issues. Continue reading →