Domestic Relations - Parent & Child – Support – Guidelines – Percentage of Income – Poverty Level

Teresa Bruno, Opinions Editor//April 25, 2016//

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Eagle v. Eagle (Lawyers Weekly No. 012-076-16, 8 pp.) (Robert Hunter Jr., J.) Appealed from New Hanover County District Court (Robin Wicks Robinson, J.) N.C. App. Unpub.

Holding: After two marriages, plaintiff’s child support obligations equal 50 percent of his gross wages; nevertheless, since plaintiff retains $2,651.06 per month – well above the federal poverty level – the trial court did not abuse its discretion when it declined to deviate from the North Carolina Child Support Guidelines.

We affirm the trial court’s child support order.

Additionally, although plaintiff filed a notice of deviation prior to the parties’ second child support hearing, the notice did not include an affidavit and therefore did not comply with local rules.