North Carolina legal guides for the decisions that matter.
Practical explanations from a Huntersville law firm serving families, employees, businesses, drivers, and neighbors across Lake Norman. Search the full library, choose a topic, or begin with a featured guide.
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Each path connects legal articles with the related Adkins Law practice-area guide.
Divorce & Family LawDivorce, alimony, agreements, property division, and protective orders.Find family-law guides →
Custody & Child SupportParenting schedules, decision-making, support, relocation, and enforcement.Find custody guides →
DWI & TrafficSpeeding tickets, license consequences, testing, evidence, and DWI defense.Find driving guides →
Employment LawDiscrimination, retaliation, wages, leave, investigations, Garrity, and the EEOC.Find workplace guides →
Estate PlanningWills, trusts, powers of attorney, health-care directives, and legacy planning.Find planning guides →
Civil Matters & Local LifeContracts, defamation, civil disputes, mediation, and the Lake Norman community.Find civil guides →
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CHILD CUSTODYWho decides where a child goes to school?School choice, joint legal custody, and resolving parental disagreement.Read the guide 
PARENTINGHow joint legal custody decisions are madeSchool, medical care, therapy, activities, and other major decisions.Read the guide 
SEPARATIONCan a separation agreement be changed?Understand modification, enforcement, consent, and court-order distinctions.Read the guide 
PROTECTIVE ORDERSWhat a court must find in a DVPO caseA practical case-law guide to evidence, findings, and protective orders.Read the guide 
PROPERTY DIVISIONStipulations and equitable distributionHow agreements and trial positions can shape a North Carolina property case.Read the guide 
CHILD SUPPORTSelf-employment income and child supportDepreciation, business income, documentation, and support calculations.Read the guide 
ALIMONYAlimony overpayments and reimbursementWhat a recent appellate decision teaches about payments and remedies.Read the guide 
CIVIL LAWDefamation in North CarolinaA broad overview of reputational harm, defenses, and civil claims.Read the guide
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These subject boxes collect useful starting points from the Adkins Law archive. Open an article now, view every result in that topic, or continue to the complete chronological archive below.
Divorce & Separation
Agreements, property division, complex assets, and practical steps before and after separation.
Custody & Parenting
Decision-making, parenting schedules, school issues, modification, and third-party custody questions.
Support & Alimony
Income, self-employment, enforcement, contempt, overpayments, and changing financial circumstances.
DWI & Traffic
Stops, checkpoints, breath and blood testing, license consequences, speeding tickets, and defense.
Employment & Public Servants
Discrimination, retaliation, pay, leave, internal investigations, EEOC charges, and employee rights.
Wills, Trusts & Estates
Wills, powers of attorney, health-care directives, trusts, beneficiaries, and practical legacy planning.
Civil Litigation
Contracts, reputation, property disputes, statutory protections, and resolution through litigation or mediation.
Huntersville & Lake Norman
Local history, community change, and legal issues affecting the place Adkins Law calls home.
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How do I file for divorce in Mecklenburg County?
Filing for an absolute divorce in Mecklenburg County requires the following:1. At least one party must have lived in North Carolina for at least six months prior to filing for divorce.2. The parties must have lived separate and apart for at least one year and one day prior to filing for the divorce.3. The plaintiff ...
Sexting and Divorce
Imagine this-your spouse is in the shower and you notice they're getting a lot of text messages. You flip over the phone, and see their inbox is full of explicit texts and pictures going back and forth between your spouse and a coworker. You've had your suspicion of infidelity, but now you have proof! What ...
Domestic Violence and Family Law
Domestic violence is far more common than we know. It is a problem that affects people regardless of race, gender, sexuality or socioeconomic status. If you or someone you love is being abused, it is important to come forward to seek help.What is Domestic Violence? Domestic violence is causing, or attempting to cause, bodily injury ...
Child Support Basics
In North Carolina, the goal of child support is ensure that the child is receiving the same proportion of their parents' income as they would if they lived together. This is determined by a formula through the North Carolina Support Guidelines, which are designed to meet the needs of the child while being fair to ...
Family Law Issues in North Carolina
Undeniably, many families in the US experience serious domestic problems that often necessitate legal interventions. Just like other states of the US, North Carolina (NC) too has its unique laws, under the North Carolina General Statutes (NCGS), that govern all the family matters and that are applicable across its respective regions including Mecklenburg County and ...
Modifying Child Custody in NC
By: Jacqueline KeenanHow was custody established? The first step in changing child custody is knowing how it was established. If you and your ex are working off of a separation agreement or something that you decided outside of court, then one person needs to request the change. This should be done in writing, but because ...
I received a Seat Belt Ticket, what does it mean?
State law has mandated seat belt use by NC drivers for more than 30 years. The seat belt law has changed a lot over time. As a result, not everyone is clear on who is covered, what is required, and what the penalties are for seatbelt violations.1. Everyone in the car must buckle up!G.S. 20-135.2A(a) ...
What to do if a Paternity Action is brought against you…
I'm the Father?!For a couple who has been trying to get pregnant, the sentence "you're the father" will often be received as exciting news. But for all of the frat boys, famous rappers, and casual daters of the world, this may be your worst nightmare. So, what do you do if a paternity action is ...
What if I am a victim of domestic violence?
Domestic violence is far more common than we know. It is a problem that affects people regardless of race, gender, sexuality or socioeconomic status. If you or someone you love is being abused, it is important to come forward to seek help.What is Domestic Violence? Domestic violence is causing, or attempting to cause, bodily injury ...
Requests for Admissions: Costs and Sanctions Upon Improper Failure to Admit
In preparing answers to requests for admissions, the answers must be made in good faith and answer the request in detail. Answers that do not accomplish this may be stricken at the court's discretion and sanctions applied. The following excerpted Rules and cases support the above conclusion. If the defendant in your case offered only ...
