North Carolina Lawyers Weekly

The trial court found that the respondent-mother had (1) tested positive for amphetamine and methamphetamine on the day of the hearing on the petition to terminate her parental rights to “Kate”; (2) failed to make necessary medical appointments for Kate, ...

Even though the respondent-father was incarcerated, he (1) was aware that his son, “Aiden,” was in DSS custody; (2) had the ability to communicate by telephone; and (3) had the contact information for the foster family with whom Aiden was ...

Where the trial court made findings of the respondent-mother’s continued substance abuse, positive drug screens up to the month of the termination hearing, and issues with domestic violence that resulted in her incarceration at the time of the hearing, and ...

During the six months preceding the filing of the petition to terminate her parental rights, the respondent-mother entered into a voluntary support agreement, which is evidence of her ability to pay a monthly sum of “$107.00 in ongoing support, with ...

Where the trial court found that the respondent-father’s testimony was not credible and that he had fabricated a lease and pay stubs—calling into question whether he had stable housing and employment—and where respondent had visited “Ivey” inconsistently and lacked a ...

Even though petitioner’s counsel objected to certain testimony on the mistaken ground that post-petition evidence was irrelevant to the adjudication of the petition to terminate the respondent-mother’s parental rights, and even though the trial court did not expressly correct counsel’s ...

Although the respondent-parents made some progress towards improving the conditions that led to their children’s removal from their care, the trial court’s findings—including findings that respondents did not agree that there were problems with their parenting—support its determination that the ...

During the time that her children were in DSS custody, the respondent-mother was employed but failed to provide sufficient information about her earnings, and she failed to take any steps to satisfy her obligation to provide support for her children. ...

A valid child support order must rest upon an analysis of the amount of support necessary to meet the reasonable needs of the child and the relative ability of the parties to provide that amount. As we held in In ...

An anonymous tip told police defendant’s name and nickname, described his car, and said he would be at a specified school at a given time and that he would have heroin and a gun in the armrest of his car. ...