Articles Tagged with custody

Published on:

In Price v. Boccardy, the North Carolina Court of Appeals, in an unpublished opinion, reviewed Defendant’s appeal from the trial court’s order denying Defendant’s Rule 60(b) motion to set aside a final custody order.

Price v. Boccardy,  COA20-127 (N.C. App 2020).

Facts:  Plaintiff and Defendant were the parents of a minor child, three-year-old A.B. Plaintiff Mother filed a verified complaint seeking custody, claiming that the minor child was at substantial risk for bodily injury and sexual abuse. Plaintiff received an ex parte order awarding her temporary legal and physical custody. Defendant filed an answer denying Plaintiff’s allegations and a counterclaim seeking temporary and permanent legal and physical custody. The trial court’s March 7, 2018 order included that the ex parte order would remain in effect, with Defendant Father receiving at least one supervised visitation per week until the permanent hearing was scheduled. Continue reading →

Published on:

Ward v. Halprin, ___ N.C. App. ____.

Child custody has the potential to be heavily contested. In some cases, one parent wants to be able to have sole decision-making authority. In North Carolina, the ability to make these decisions is termed “legal custody.” Courts often grant parents joint legal custody. This means that either parent can make major life decisions regarding their children (usually education, religion, and non-emergency healthcare), often requiring the parents to make a good faith attempt at resolving issues in the decision-making process and providing legal recourse should they not resolve. However, the court can grant sole legal custody in some circumstances. Below is a case that did just that. Continue reading →

Published on:

In the Matter of R.D.B., A Minor Child (No. COA19-1019)

 

Many children in Guilford County have guardians appointed by the court for a variety of reasons. A child who no longer has any living biological parents is a common example of when a court will appoint an adult to step in and make decisions on behalf of the minor child. In the Matter of R.D.B. addresses how petitioners Ruby and Caleb Harkness—maternal grandparents of the minor child—appealed from the order appointing Raymond Mann to serve as the guardian of the minor child R.D.B. (“Robert”). Continue reading →

Published on:

In Reece v. Holt, the North Carolina Court of Appeals, in an unpublished opinion, reviewed N.C.G.S. Chapter 50 for child custody and subject matter jurisdiction. Plaintiff Father claimed that an ex parte order established a “presumption” supporting a claim for domestic violence under N.C.G.S. § 50B. This article will focus on the domestic violence action only. Continue reading →

Published on:

Koufman v. Koufman, 330 N.C. 93, 408 S.E.2d 729 (NC 1991)

 

Child support orders are modifiable in North Carolina when there is a substantial change in circumstances. But what happens when your child moves to a school away from home, such as a boarding school or preparatory academy? These institutions have dormitories where students live for most of the school year. They get breaks for holidays and summer. Tuition covers most of their living expenses. Below we discuss how the Court analyzed the expenses. Continue reading →

Published on:

When does your obligation to pay court-ordered child support payments stop? Like most issues in the legal field, it depends.

Continue reading →

Published on:

Mims v. Parker, 839 S.E.2d 433 (N.C. App. 2020)

In North Carolina, dog owners can be liable for injuries caused by their dogs. We all love our friendly four-legged companions, but a dog is still an animal that can cause devastating injuries if it reacts poorly to a situation. We all have heard stories of how even the most kind and gentle ones can fly off the leash in a fit of madness. But our state limits liability for dog attacks to certain exceptions. Mims v. Parker is a case that addresses some of the liabilities. Continue reading →

Published on:

Suppose you are separated or divorced, or you have recently retired or been placed on disability, and are the parent of a minor child. If you receive dependent benefits through Social Security or the Veterans Administration, your child support obligation may be reduced or eliminated, provided you are not behind or delinquent on your current court-ordered payments. Continue reading →

Published on:

So you’ve moved to Guilford County from Florida and up until your move you and your ex-spouse have been operating under a child custody order that was entered by a judge in a district court in Florida.  Now what? North Carolina General Statutes § 50A-305 provides guidelines for registration of child custody determinations in North Carolina. This procedure is optional but may be of benefit to you and your situation. By registering a child custody order in this state, a parent can send a child to another state without concern that the state will not enforce the order if the parent in this state refuses to return the child.  Continue reading →

Published on:

No. COA19-493 (unpublished)

Plaintiff-Father Alex Harter and Defendant-Mother Hayley Eggleston were never married but are the parents of one child, born in 2010. Father and Mother lived together from December 2009 until separating in September 2012. Since separating in September 2012, disagreements regarding the minor child’s custody have resulted in contentious litigation. Plaintiff-Father initiated action in Moore County, North Carolina. After the court entered a consent order on January 31, 2013, Defendant-Mother and the minor child moved to Ohio. On November 5, 2018, Mother filed a verified “Motion to Remove” the case to the State of Ohio because North Carolina was an inconvenient forum. Plaintiff-Father appealed from the trial court’s decision that North Carolina was an inconvenient forum and that Ohio was a more convenient forum. Continue reading →