Articles Posted in Appellate

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It can be such a relief to find common ground with your child’s other parent, especially if you disagree on just about everything else. And if you both tell a judge equal custody is best, you might expect the final order to reflect that agreement. Continue reading →

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Can someone with millions of dollars in assets still need nearly $15,000 a month in alimony?

That’s exactly what the North Carolina Court of Appeals upheld in Allport v. Allport over the objections of the husband that his former wife had the wealth and education to support herself. Continue reading →

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In many divorces, at some point the conversation shifts from what went wrong during the marriage to what each person can afford after it. Then the court may have to go through paychecks, monthly bills, unpaid support, and legal fees and turn all that into a dollar amount. Continue reading →

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The previous blog discussed the facts of Jay v. Jay.

What Did the Courts Decide in Jay v. Jay?

Both the Court of Appeals (in 2025) and the North Carolina Supreme Court (in March 2026) upheld the initial order. Continue reading →

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You traveled to court, told the judge your testimony under oath, and walked out with a domestic violence protective order. Then the other side appeals – not by arguing that the abuse you reported never happened, but by claiming that the judge filled out the order incorrectly. Can a technicality like this truly undo your protection? Continue reading →

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Few family law questions are more personal than deciding who gets to spend time with a child. Things become even more complicated when someone who is not a biological or adoptive parent has filled a parental role. Continue reading →

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If a custody dispute exists, the involvement of children in a juvenile neglect case can put that dispute on hold. That pause may be necessary while the juvenile court considers safety issues. But what happens when the juvenile case is effectively over? Continue reading →

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For children caught in the middle of a divorce, few things feel more uncertain (or more frightening) than not knowing what their daily life will look like going forward. Continue reading →

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Our last blog covered the facts of Williamson v. Smith (909 S.E.2d 926).  Father argued that the custody order was permanent, while the mother argued that it was not. Continue reading →

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The term “permanent” in a custody order holds extra weight at first glance. After all, if the title says “Permanent Custody Order”, it’s easy to assume that the arrangement can only be changed if something occurs that is substantial enough to garner the court’s attention. Continue reading →

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