N.C.G.S. § 50-6 is the statute in North Carolina that addresses absolute divorce. N.C.G.S. § 50-6 provides in part that “Marriages may be dissolved and the parties thereto divorced from the bonds of matrimony on the application of either party, if and when the husband and wife have lived separate and apart for one year, and the plaintiff or defendant in the suit for divorce has resided in the State for a period of six months. …a divorce under this section shall not affect the rights of a dependent spouse with respect to alimony which have been asserted in the action or any other pending action. Whether there has been a resumption of marital relations during the period of separation shall be determined pursuant to G.S. 52-10.2. Isolated incidents of sexual intercourse between the parties shall not toll the statutory period required for divorce predicated on separation of one year.”
The requirement that one of the parties to an absolute divorce, the plaintiff or the defendant, must have resided in North Carolina for at least six months before the filing of the divorce action is jurisdictional. Thus without one party having lived in North Carolina for the residency requirement of at least six months before filing for the divorce, the court will not have the jurisdiction to consider the divorce. The residency requirement has been defined as meaning one party is actually domiciled in North Carolina with an actual residence and the intent to remain permanently or for an indefinite period of time. The intent of a party to live in North Carolina at some future time is not enough, nor is it enough that a party have a residence in North Carolina – they must actually be domiciled at that North Carolina residence. The fact that a party is not a citizen of the United States is not required either. A party, for example, that is a German national and not a United States citizen, but that lives in North Carolina and intends to remains in North Carolina with no desire or intent to return to Germany, is a resident of North Carolina within the meaning of N.C.G.S. § 50-6. The requirement that the parties live separate and apart for one year is jurisdictional. Thus if the parties have not actually lived separate and apart for at least one year, the court lacks the jurisdiction to consider the divorce. Living separate and apart meaning actually, physically living separate and apart; not in different rooms within the same residence. The parties must live in different residences for at least one year, and at least one party must intend for the separation to remain permanent. North Carolina also requires that the divorce complaint be verified. This means that the party filing the action certifies and signs that they have read and understand the complaint, and intend to file the complaint. This is a jurisdictional requirement. Thus if a divorce complaint is not verified by the plaintiff, the court will lack the ability to consider the divorce. The complaint must be verified at the time of filing; it is not sufficient to obtain verification of the complaint before the complaint and summons are served on the defendant. When the plaintiff fails to verify the complaint, the trial court never obtains jurisdiction over the divorce action, and a divorce order entered in the action is void. So how do I get an absolute divorce from my spouse? As long as you have lived in North Carolina for at least six months with the intent of remaining in North Carolina, and have lived separate and apart with the intent of remaining separate and apart from your spouse for at least a period of one year, you may file a verified complaint seeking an absolute divorce from your spouse. Once the verified complaint is filed, it must be served on your spouse and they have the opportunity to respond. The defendant may respond, and the parties may request that the court enter an judgment of divorce, or if the defendant does not respond, the plaintiff may file a motion for summary judgment with the court and provide the court with a proposed judgment of divorce. The court then may enter the judgment of divorce, and the parties will legally be divorced.
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by: Jacqueline Keenan Do you feel that you are being threatened?
In North Carolina, it is illegal to try to stop a witness from testifying through threats or intimidation. Intimidation under this law can include threats of bodily harm or violence, cursing, vulgarity, or threatening language given the context of the statements as a whole. These statements can be explicit, like “if you testify I’m going to break your arm,” or can contain language that implies a threat, like “I’ll give you a taste of your own medicine”, or “I’ll make you regret this”. Threats made against a witness are a Class G Felony. In North Carolina, a Class G Felony alone can lead to a sentence of 8-31 months in prison. This is a serious crime! Who is affected by this law? The witness intimidation law protects any person who has been “summoned” or is “acting as a witness”. It punishes any person who threatens, intimidates, attempts to intimidate, or prevents the attendance of a witness from any North Carolina state court. The law also pertains to defendants in a criminal proceeding who threaten a witness in their case with the assertion or denial of parental rights. What to do if you’re being threatened If you are a witness and feel you are being threatened, it is important that you report the threat to the police or an attorney on the case, so they can take appropriate action. If you’re interested in more information about witness intimidation, contact Adkins Law! If you have gotten a traffic ticket we can help. Call us today to speak to Lake Norman and Huntersville attorney's that specialize in Traffic, Family and Estate Planning. Adkins Law looks forward to helping you!
What happens if you were evicted in North Carolina? At this point you have been served with either a summons or a complaint. This means that you as the tenant are being noticed for not paying the rent, you have violated the lease agreement with your landlord. This is where you have a couple options as the tenant. Most of the times a tenant will move out after receiving notices like this. Sometimes a tenant will fight the eviction in court.
If you are wanting to fight an eviction with your current landlord in court. Then you may need to speak with a lawyer in Huntersville, NC. Adkins Law serves the Lake Norman area. NC GS § 42-33 Upon receiving a notice to quit for nonpayment of rent and at any time before a final judgment is rendered, a tenant may pay the rent due in full in addition to any accrued late fees. However, the landlord may not be obligated to accept the payment. North Carolina law allows waiver of the ten-day notice provision if the waiver is conspicuously stated in the lease agreement (this is called a “forfeiture clause”). If an appropriate waiver exists, the landlord may proceed with the eviction even after tender of payment. Adkins Law would be happy to help in this matter. Huntersville lawyers here to represent you. If you need assistance in your eviction case or would like to schedule a free consultation with an eviction attorney in Mecklenburg County, please contact Adkins Law. Adkins Law is If you need assistance in evicting a tenant or would like to schedule a consultation with an eviction attorney in Mecklenburg County, please contact Adkins Law. Adkins Law is located in Huntersville and primarily serves Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson, Charlotte, and Mecklenburg County. Call (704) 274-5677 to arrange a consultation. We wish you a Happy Holidays! Adkins Law located in Huntersville NC is proud to offer services in Estate Planning, Traffic, and Family Law. Call us at 704-274-5677 to set up a consultation.
When a married couple has a baby, North Carolina law states that both parents are automatically the legal parents of the child. This gives both mother and father all the rights and responsibilities of parenthood. This is not, however, the case with unmarried couples. When an unmarried couple has a child, the relationship between the father and the child is not immediately recognized. If an individual is in this type of situation and desires to have the obligations and benefits of having that parent-child relationship, one must establish paternity.
How to Establish Paternity There are four basic routes to establishing paternity in the State of North Carolina. The first and most common way of establishing paternity is already being married prior to the time of the child’s birth. The second route to establishing paternity is also in regards to marriage. If the father and mother marry after the child is born, their child is legitimated retroactively, meaning going all the way back to birth. The two other routes used to establish paternity that do not involve marriage are the following: Sign an Affidavit of Parentage Signing the affidavit is a totally voluntary process. An affidavit of parentage is a legally binding document that is very difficult to overturn. Many unmarried couples prefer to sign the affidavit at the hospital or birthing center. Because an affidavit is a sworn statement, the mother and father must sign it in the presence of official witnesses. By signing an affidavit, the mother and father are agreeing that the father is the biological and legal father of the child. This affidavit also establishes the father’s obligation to pay child support and the child’s right to inherit from the father. An affidavit of parentage provides the father with standing to seek a custody order from the court. Lastly, both parents must agree in the affidavit if the father’s name should be added to the birth certificate. Judicial Process A paternity action can be presented in court by either of the parents, or by a lawyer for Child Support Services (CSS). The parties can settle the case on their own time or they can go to trial. If they choose to proceed into trial, the judge will decide whether the supposed father is the child’s legal and biological father. Either of the parties or the judge may request genetic testing, upon which everyone involved must submit to testing. If the results show a 97% probability of paternity or more, the court will establish paternity. Lastly, the judge will issue a final paternity order and make decisions regarding custody, visitation, and residency. 5 Benefits of Establishing Paternity o The parents can work together to make decisions that are in the best interest of the child. o Signing the affidavit secures the father’s right to go to court to ask for custody and visitation. o The child’s birth certificate will include the mother’s and father’s name. o The child is guaranteed the ability to access medical records from both sides of the family. o A child with a legal father has access to benefits, through the father, such as, social security, medical insurance, and other state, federal, and inheritance benefits. An eviction is a process that allows a landlord to lawfully remove a tenant from the leased premises. In North Carolina, this can be a long and/or tedious process. There are four basic reasons that permit the eviction of a tenant:
When filing for an eviction, as the landlord, it is important to understand that even if the eviction is justified, the tenants can always find some way to defend themselves. Because of this, it is best that the landlord do their research before beginning the eviction process in order to know what is coming their way. Nonpayment of rent If a landlord is looking to evict their tenant due to a nonpayment of rent, the landlord must give a 10-day “notice to quit.” This notice to quit is a demand for payment by the landlord. Beginning on the day the notice is brought to the attention of the tenant, he or she has 10 days to pay their rent before the landlord is allowed to follow up with an eviction. The landlord cannot file for eviction until after the 10-day notice has been given and the tenant has failed to comply. Holdover tenant When a tenant remains on the premises after their lease or rental agreement has ended, they are known as a holdover tenant. As a landlord, you are not obligated to renew a lease with your tenant at the end of the current lease. If the landlord does not choose to renew the lease with their tenant, the tenant must then surrender possession of the property at the end of the current lease. Although a landlord has every right to not renew a lease, they are required to provide a termination notice prior to the end of the current lease. The criteria of this termination notice is listed below:
This notice of termination is also called an unconditional notice to quit, which says when the lease expires and states a deadline by which the tenant must vacate. If the tenant does not comply with the above notice, the landlord may proceed with the eviction process. Violation of Lease As a landlord, you have the legal right to evict your tenant if you find that they have violated or breached a specific condition of the lease. Such breaches may be that they have a pet even though the lease clearly states that pets are not allowed, or they have damaged property without making any reparations. Any willful or intentional damages made to the property are subject to a misdemeanor in the state of North Carolina. In a situation where a tenant has violated the lease, the landlord has no legal obligations to provide a notice before evicting the tenant. Unless the lease requires notice and an opportunity to cure, the landlord can file eviction papers upon learning of a violation. Illegal Criminal Activity For landlords looking to evict their tenant due to illegal criminal activity taking place on the premises, the state of North Carolina has an expedited eviction process. Defense by Tenants There are seven main defenses tenants may use to fight an eviction in North Carolina. While some of these defenses only relate to one or two of the reasons for eviction, most of them are applicable to all four reasons to evict a tenant.
Serving Eviction Papers in North Carolina After providing the tenant with a required notice, the landlord may then file for the eviction process through either the small claims court or the district court. It is important that the summons and the complaint are filed in the county in which the rental property is located. A complaint is a legal document that states the reasons one party seeks legal action against another. A clerk will provide a form titled “complaint in summary ejectment.” When filling out this complaint, the landlord must list all tenants whose names appear on the lease or rental agreement. A summons is a legal document that notifies a defendant (the tenant) that an action has been commenced. The summons will state a date and time on which the tenant should appear at a specified location to answer the complaint. Once the landlord has filled out all of the necessary paperwork, the county sheriff will serve the tenant with the summons and a copy of the complaint. After receiving these papers, the tenant may do one of two things: vacate the premises or fight the eviction at the eviction hearing. The tenant is not required to appear at the eviction hearing, however, it is highly recommended. If the tenant does not appear in court, it is known as a default judgment, meaning that the landlord automatically wins. After winning the eviction hearing or appeal, the landlord will then file for a “writ of possession,” which allows the landlord to forcibly remove the tenant from the premises. If the tenant remains on the property, the county sheriff will accompany the landlord and padlock the premises within seven days of receiving the writ of possession. A guardianship is an important legal tool that allows the Clerk of Superior Court to appoint one person or entity to make decisions on behalf of an incompetent adult (the ward). Guardians are typically appointed in instances of incapacity or disability. Say for example, an individual suffers a tragic accident and is placed in a medically induced coma to sustain further injuries. For the individual to have their personal wishes fulfilled while in a coma, the person must have a durable power of attorney and medical directives already in place prior to the accident. If the individual does not have those documents already in place, the court will appoint a guardian to make both financial and personal decisions for the comatose patient.
Types of Guardianships North Carolina has three different types of guardianships: guardian of the person, guardian of the estate, and general guardian. Each of these guardianships have different stipulations that limit the guardian’s decision making power. The guardian of the person makes decisions about the ward’s personal care and well-being, such as housing and medical decisions. However, a guardian of the person is prohibited from handing the ward’s money. The guardian of the estate is only allowed to handle the ward’s finances and cannot make decisions about the ward’s personal care and well-being. Finally, a general guardian does not have the same limitations as the previously mentioned guardianships. General guardians have the power to make personal decisions for and handle the finances of the ward. Deeming Someone Incompetent There is a process to deeming an adult incompetent. First, a petition must be filed seeking to have someone declared incompetent. The person in question is entitled to a jury trial or the matter will be heard before the Clerk of Superior Court. Usually, there must be medical or psychological evidence to assist the jury or Clerk in deciding whether or not the person no longer has the ability to make decisions or care for himself. Becoming a Guardian Obtaining guardianship is also a process. Courts make their decisions based on the expressed wishes of the ward. In the event the ward is not able to express his or her wishes, the court will make a decision based on pre-incapacity documents (power of attorney or will). There are requirements that a person must meet in order to be considered by the courts for guardianship. In order to be considered for guardianship an individual must be qualified to serve and be a legal adult with no felonies or gross misdemeanor record implicating dishonesty (bribery, forgery, etc.). Upon the court deeming that a person is qualified to act as a guardian, it is important that an individual seeks out a qualified family attorney. The attorney can execute a durable power of attorney and a duly probated will. Finally, the last step is to seek out the proper forms to fill out to obtain guardianship. With it being summer time, many people are planning to go on vacation to the beach, mountains, or lake. When you rent a vacation rental property in North Carolina, you need to be aware of the North Carolina Vacation Rental Act. This Act applies to residential property rented for vacation, leisure, or recreational purposes for fewer than 90 days. Renters must have a permanent residence elsewhere to which they intend to return.
If you own a vacation rental property, to be covered by the North Carolina Vacation Rental Act, you must get an agreement in writing with any tenant. The agreement must clearly state that the rental is covered by the Vacation Rental Act, and that you may evict the tenant using an expedited procedure. The agreement is only enforceable after the tenant signs it, pays money to you or a management company on your behalf, or takes possession of the property. If you purchase a vacation rental home, be sure to check with the seller in regards to any existing vacation rental agreements. As an owner, you must honor any vacation rental agreements that end within 180 days from when you record your interest in the vacation property with the register of deeds. The seller must inform the purchaser of any rental agreements affecting the vacation property, and provide the purchaser with a copy of any agreements within 10 days of the transfer of the vacation property. As the new owner, you must provide notice to any tenant within 20 days of purchasing the property. As a vacation rental property owner, you have a duty to maintain the property in a fit and habitable condition. This means that you must comply with all building and housing codes, make any and all necessary repairs, keep the property in safe condition, and provide smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. If the owner fails to maintain the vacation property in a fit and habitable condition, the owner must either provide the tenant with a reasonably comparable property, or refund all payments made by the tenant. A vacation rental property owner may also require a tenant to pay a security deposit. The security deposit may be charged to cover such things as non-payment of rent, damage to the premises, the cost of re-renting the vacation property if the tenant breaches the rental agreement, the costs of unpaid additional utility charges (ex. pay-per-view movie rental expenses or long-distance telephone expenses), and court costs for terminating a tenancy. The security deposit must be held in a North Carolina trust account throughout the tenancy, and must either be applied as permitted, or refunded to the tenant within 45 days of termination of the tenancy. As any vacation rental property owner has likely experienced, the vacation property will likely sustain damages at some point by a renter. Vacation rental tenants are responsible for any and all damages, defacement, and/or removal of property inside the vacation property during their stay. These expenses may be covered by any potential security deposit, or the owner may have to pursue a legal action in court to recover damages. The renter is not responsible for damage due to ordinary wear and tear, or acts of nature (ex. hurricane or flooding damage to a beach house). If a renter violates the terms of a rental agreement while occupying the vacation property, the owner may chose to have the renter evicted. The North Carolina Vacation Rental Act allows an owner to evict a tenant in an expedited process. To qualify for an expedited eviction, the renter must have either overstayed their lease, materially breached a vacation rental agreement that by its terms allows for an eviction, failed to pay rent as required, or obtained the property by fraud or misrepresentation (ex. minor children getting their parents to rent a beach house for Spring Break). To initiate the expedited eviction process, the owner must provide the renter with four hours notice (either written or oral notice will suffice). The owner must then file a complaint with the clerk in the county where the property is located, and have a summons issued by the clerk. A law enforcement officer must serve the summons and complaint on the renter, and the eviction hearing will be held not sooner than 12 hours from issuance of the summons, and not longer than 48 hours from issuance of the summons. If the owner is successful at the hearing, a magistrate will issue an order evicting the renter from the property. The renter will then have 8 hours to vacate the property. If the renter chooses to appeal the eviction order, they must provide a bond in an amount that covers any rent due to the owner, and any damages the owner may sustain as a result of having to cancel other potential rental agreements. If you are interested in renting your vacation home, it is recommended that you use a vacation rental agreement that complies with the North Carolina Vacation Rental Act. The North Carolina Association of Realtors has developed a form contract (No. 411-T) that meets the requirements of the Act. You may also use your own rental agreement, although you may want to consult with an attorney to review the agreement in detail to ensure that it complies with the vacation rental act. If you wish to discuss owning or renting vacation rental properties in North Carolina, contact Adkins Law to arrange a consultation. |
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