Legal Guides

North Carolina Family Law Guide • Updated September 2026 A divorce is not one event. It is a sequence of decisions about safety, children, money, property, housing, support, and the legal end of a marriage. This North Carolina divorce guide explains the major parts of domestic law, what the process usually looks like, what to ...

By Christopher Adkins School starts in a few weeks. One parent has already bought the backpack. The other parent has already toured a different school. Someone has filled out an enrollment form. Someone else has sent an email saying, “You cannot do that without my permission.” And suddenly, a disagreement that began with school calendars, ...

By Christopher Adkins Consider a situation that plays out in separated families across Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson, Mooresville, and the greater Lake Norman area. A child is accepted into a specialized magnet program. One parent believes the new school could transform the child’s education. The other parent sees a forty-minute commute, disrupted friendships, and an unnecessary ...

Co-parenting means your calendar is a chessboard—alternate weekends, 2-2-3s, 2-2-5-5s, week-on/week-off rotations, plus holidays and summer blocks. The good news: Marriott Vacation Club’s Abound system (the internal exchange that now connects Marriott Vacation Club, Westin Vacation Club, and Sheraton Vacation Club) can work beautifully with custody schedules if you use the reservation windows, lock-off options, ...

Huntersville, NC has seen a number of exciting and impactful developments this year—from major construction approvals to historic preservation efforts and community investment projects. These top five stories highlight the ways our town is growing, honoring its history, and investing in the future. 1. $200 Million Expansion of Birkdale Village  The Huntersville Board of Commissioners ...

In Green v. Carter, 293 N.C. App. 51, 900 S.E.2d 108 (2024), the North Carolina Court of Appeals addressed a groundbreaking question: Can someone who is not a biological or adoptive parent — but who has acted as a parent — be required to pay child support? The case arose from a custody and support ...

The North Carolina Court of Appeals recently issued a divided opinion in Jay v. Jay, affirming a Domestic Violence Protective Order (DVPO) despite challenges to the sufficiency of the trial court’s findings and evidence. The case highlights the balance between protecting victims and ensuring trial courts properly carry out their fact-finding responsibilities under Rule 52 ...

Introduction On Christmas Day, 1929, the quiet community of Germanton in Stokes County, North Carolina, was forever changed. What should have been a day of family celebration turned into one of the most infamous mass murders in Southern history. Charlie Lawson, a seemingly ordinary tobacco farmer, killed his wife Fannie and six of their seven ...

A research paper based on primary excerpts from Chuck McShane’s A History of Lake Norman: Fish Camps to Ferraris (as provided via images), combined with additional historical synthesis. Introduction The Catawba River has long shaped life in the North Carolina Piedmont. Long before an inland lake called Lake Norman appeared on maps, the river sustained ...

Separation agreements are powerful tools in North Carolina family law. They allow spouses to privately settle issues such as property division, alimony, child custody, and child support. But what happens if circumstances change? Can a separation agreement be modified after it’s been signed? The answer depends on whether the agreement is incorporated into a court ...

The North Carolina Court of Appeals recently addressed whether a supporting spouse can be reimbursed for alimony overpayments after an earlier trial court modification was overturned. In Plessis v. Plessis, the Court vacated part of the trial court’s denial of reimbursement and remanded for a new hearing. This case highlights how appellate review and equitable ...

By Adkins Law, PLLC Can One Parent Prevent Holiday Visitation? The holidays can be some of the most emotionally charged times for families navigating separation or divorce. You might wonder: “Can I prevent my ex from spending the holidays with our children?” The simple answer is no—unless there's a court order stating otherwise, holidays and ...