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Family law deals specifically with the familial unit; spouses, parents and minor children. There are times where extended family members (i.e., grandparents, cousins, etc.) and interested parties (i.e., foster parents) are brought into family law matters, but the majority of cases are focused on the immediate family. Family law covers divorce, divorce from bed and board, equitable distribution, alimony, Read More

One of the most frequently asked questions we have encountered in real estate law is, “Why does my spouse have to sign?”  The answer to that question is, because North Carolina recognizes the existence of marital rights in real property.   Many couples today choose to keep their individual property separate, especially property owned before marriage.  But in North Carolina, real property spousal rights are written Read More

If you have found yourself responsible for administering an estate, you will undoubtedly have many questions. Acting as the executor of a will is a great responsibility that should not be taken lightly. Executors are held to a high standard of fiduciary duty and can be held personally liable if they do not uphold the integrity of an estate.  As executor, your responsibilities include:Managing the estate assets. Read More

Introduction Whether you are buying, selling, or refinancing real estate, an attorney is a required part of the process in North Carolina. You may have received a referral for an attorney from your real estate agent, lender, or even a friend. Perhaps you have reached out to an attorney that you have worked with before. No matter how you have chosen your attorney, most likely the first person you will talk to within Read More

A new Court of Appeals ruling allows LGBTQ North Carolinians to get domestic violence protections under state law.   The Court of Appeals issued an opinion on December 31, 2020 in M.E. v. T.J., a domestic  violence case from Wake County. The trial court denied Plaintiff's request for a DVPO because  she and defendant were a same-sex couple in a dating relationship. The trial court found that Read More

In the Fall of 2020, the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in a case involving faith-based adoption agencies and same-sex couples.This Fall, the Supreme Court will review the case of Fulton v. City of Philadelphia. The case centers on a taxpayer-funded religious foster care agency that refused to license same-sex couples to be foster parents based on the agencies’ religious beliefs in Read More

Adoption is the social, emotional, and legal process in which children become full and permanent legal members of another family.  Adoption may be an option for stepparents, relatives, or same-sex couples who want to create a more unified family unit. Adoption law in North Carolina is complex and can be found in Chapter 48 of the North Carolina General Statutes. Each adoption situation has unique circumstances, but Read More