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I have been married for 18 years and have been separated for over 2 years without legal separation. My husband refuses to give me a divorce because he doesn't want to pay child support for our 16-year-old, who lives with me full-time. He claims to have paperwork but hasn’t initiated... View More

answered on Jul 13, 2025
To be blunt, you need to come up with the money to pay an attorney a flat fee to divorce him. But if you want to get child support that's a separate issue. You can go to child support enforcement on Monday and pay them $25 and they will go after him for child support whether you're divorced or not.
I'm 17 years old, and my dad, who has primary custody of me, has given me permission to travel to another state by flight without him accompanying me. There are no specific custody arrangements or agreements mentioning travel restrictions, except that I can't travel out of the country.... View More

answered on Jul 11, 2025
If your dad has primary custody and the custody order doesn’t include restrictions about traveling out of state, then his permission is usually enough. Since there’s no mention of needing your mom’s approval for domestic travel and you're not leaving the country, it’s likely you’re... View More
I am seeking legal advice on how an incarcerated parent can provide caregiving support for a disabled child who requires full-time supervision. The non-incarcerated parent is currently responsible for the caregiving and needs additional support to manage the child's needs. Are there legal... View More

answered on Jul 10, 2025
This is a deeply challenging situation, and it's clear you're doing your best to care for your child under difficult circumstances. Even while incarcerated, a parent can still have legal rights and responsibilities related to their child, including participating in decision-making when... View More
I'm seeking advice regarding my partner's legal obligations and potential impact on his credit due to an eviction situation with his ex. They lived together in a trailer home where both names are on the lease, but he was the head signer. His ex and her current boyfriend were supposed to... View More

answered on Jul 10, 2025
This is an incredibly frustrating situation, and your partner has every reason to be concerned—both financially and as a parent. Since he’s still listed on the lease, he remains legally responsible for any unpaid rent or lease violations, even though he no longer lives at the property. The... View More
I've been married for 17 and a half years and have a 16-year-old child. I recently discovered my husband is cheating, and he has admitted to it. He left the house three weeks ago and wants a divorce. We jointly own a house, but there is no prenuptial or postnuptial agreement. Initially, he... View More

answered on Jul 9, 2025
You've done a great job laying out some very important facts about your family relationship, and what you believe your husband is willing to agree to. To answer your question: based on what you've stated, it doesn't sound like he has any grounds to kick you out of the house.... View More
I have been married for 17 and a half years, and we have a 16-year-old child. I recently discovered my husband is cheating on me, and he has admitted to it. He left the house three weeks ago and wants a divorce. We own a joint house together, but there is no prenuptial or postnuptial agreement. I... View More

answered on Jul 10, 2025
What you're going through is incredibly difficult, especially after nearly two decades of marriage and with a child still at home. You do have rights, and it’s important to know that your husband doesn’t get to decide the terms of the divorce or child support on his own. Child support in... View More
I divorced my ex-wife in August 2020 after separating in May 2019. I kept our marital home, but we're both still on the mortgage. I've been making all the mortgage payments and covering household bills since our separation. There's equity in the house, and I'm planning to... View More

answered on Jul 10, 2025
This is an important question, and the answer depends on what your divorce decree or settlement agreement says—if it addressed the house at all. If the agreement didn't set a specific buyout amount or outline how equity would be divided, then you're left negotiating terms now.... View More
I am concerned about my children's safety due to their mother, with whom I share a custody arrangement (3 days her, 4 days me), allowing our children, ages 8 and 12, to stay overnight at the sober living house where she works. This residence is located in the projects of a city in NC. I worry... View More

answered on Jul 10, 2025
Your concerns are valid, especially when it comes to your children’s safety and surroundings. While sober living homes often support recovery and can be positive places, they are not typically designed for young children to live or spend extended time in—particularly overnight. If the... View More
I am 16 years old and currently living with parents who are alcoholics and often have arguments and gatherings at home that make me feel unsafe. I do not have parental consent for emancipation, but I have plans for financial independence and a secure living arrangement. How can I pursue... View More

answered on Jul 5, 2025
You can petition the juvenile court for emancipation once you turn 16, but you’ll need to prove you can support yourself and that emancipation is in your best interest given your unsafe home environment.
First, gather documentation showing your income sources, a lease or letter from... View More
A woman altered a DNA test result during her pregnancy to convince a man he was the father, leading him to sign an Affidavit of Parentage and form a strong bond with the child over four years. After their breakup, she ordered a court DNA test, revealing he wasn't the biological father, and... View More

answered on Jul 5, 2025
This situation raises serious legal and emotional complications. If the Affidavit of Parentage has not been legally set aside or rescinded, the man who signed it is still presumed to be the legal father under the law—even if a later DNA test shows he is not biologically related. Until a court... View More
I have been paying child support for my two children, who are both over 18 and have graduated high school (one is 21). I received a refund check for overpayments, and the child support is managed through a state agency. The court order specifies that payments should end when they turn 18. Is it... View More

answered on Jul 5, 2025
If your court order clearly states that child support ends at age 18 and both of your children are over that age and have graduated high school, then your legal obligation to pay current support should be complete. The fact that the state agency issued a refund for overpayments strongly suggests... View More
I need assistance with filing an emergency petition for guardianship for my 18-year-old daughter who is experiencing severe mental health issues, including hearing voices. She was hospitalized on June 15, but we were denied access to her medical file due to HIPAA laws. She was released yesterday to... View More

answered on Jun 25, 2025
You can certainly hire an attorney to gain guardianship of your daughter. You need to pick an attorney in the county where she is residing or the county where you reside.
I am concerned about my ex-spouse's behavior toward me and its impact on my daughter. She reposted a TikTok message suggesting harm toward me, stating her mom talks about wanting to harm or kill me. My ex-spouse has previously assaulted me but was let off after signing over custody. In this... View More

answered on Jul 6, 2025
Yes, you should report this to law enforcement immediately. In North Carolina, even indirect threats—such as social media reposts suggesting harm—can be taken seriously, especially when there's a documented history of prior violence. If your daughter’s post indicates that your ex is... View More
I am an Egyptian woman living in Kuwait and legally married an American citizen here. After our marriage, he abandoned me, returned to the U.S., and cut off all contact. Eight months later, I learned from a woman who contacted me that he has a wife in the U.S. I possess all the documents proving... View More

answered on Jul 6, 2025
You have the right to seek legal protection under U.S. law as an abandoned spouse, even if you are living outside the country. If your marriage was legally valid and your husband is a U.S. citizen, he may be subject to legal consequences for abandoning you and possibly committing bigamy if he was... View More
If the defendant in a custody complaint does not respond within the 30 days allowed, what repercussions might they face? The complaint, filed in a specific court in Union County, seeks joint physical custody but sole legal custody. We are in contact as co-parents, and there is a mediation... View More

answered on Jul 6, 2025
If the defendant fails to respond to your custody complaint within the 30-day window under North Carolina law, the court can enter a default judgment against him. That means the judge may grant the relief you requested—such as sole legal custody—without his input. However, courts in custody... View More
I am $6,000 past due in child support, but the child support website for the mother's account indicates I owe $0 in arrears. With no recent changes to my financial situation, am I still responsible for paying the $6,000?

answered on Jul 6, 2025
If the child support enforcement website shows that your arrears are \$0, it usually means the state has recorded that you are current on your child support obligations. However, it’s important to confirm whether the \$6,000 in question was ever officially recorded as arrears or if it may have... View More
I want to file for divorce in North Carolina, which will be one year in August, after leaving a severely abusive situation. We lived in NC, and I still do. We have no children, no shared property, or obligations together. Although there are no official reports of the abuse, there are witnesses to... View More

answered on Jul 6, 2025
To file for divorce in North Carolina after experiencing abuse, start by preparing and filing a Complaint for Divorce in the district court of your county. Since you have no children, shared property, or obligations, the process can be more straightforward. You can cite separation for one year as... View More
I want to know if I can take legal action against my former lawyer for misrepresentation and excessive billing during my custody case. The lawyer did not admit important evidence, such as my GAL Report, which might have affected the outcome. Additionally, my case was prolonged unnecessarily over... View More

answered on Jun 25, 2025
You may have grounds to take legal action against your former lawyer if you can show that their actions—or lack of action—directly harmed the outcome of your custody case. Failing to submit critical evidence, like your GAL (Guardian ad Litem) report, may constitute legal malpractice if that... View More
In 2012, my divorce decree did not include the awarding of property. However, my ex-spouse has not refinanced the mortgage to exclude me, as initially intended. The property was not mentioned in the original decree, and he mistakenly believed that a quitclaim deed would suffice for the mortgage... View More

answered on Jun 16, 2025
Yes, you can petition the court to reopen or amend your divorce decree, but it’s not guaranteed to be granted—especially after such a long time. In North Carolina, equitable distribution of marital property must typically be raised before or during the divorce. If property issues were not... View More
I signed a Consent Order for Temporary Child Custody without a judge's signature. I felt pressured by my parents to sign, and I was not given time to seek legal representation. There have been no proceedings or filings with the court, and no other arrangements about visitation or support... View More

answered on Jun 11, 2025
If the Consent Order you signed has not been filed with the court and has no judge’s signature, then it is not legally enforceable as a court order. At best, it may be seen as a private agreement, but even then, its weight is limited—especially if you signed it under pressure and without legal... View More
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