Slawek v. Slawek. Over eight years, the intervenor-maternal grandmother has attempted to gain custody of the minor children, leaving the children anxious and insecure. The grandmother's worsening relationship with the children's father, her hiring of a private detective to investigate the father, and her attempts to indoctrinate the children into her religion and to pull them away from their own all contributed to the children's anxiety and insecurity. We affirm the trial court's finding of a change in circumstances and its conclusion that the grandmother is not a fit and proper person to have visitation with the children.

Tagged with: Changed Circumstances custody Domestic Relations Grandparents Henderson County Visitation

Crocker v. Crocker. The trial court could consider evidence it heard in the parties' child custody hearing in determining the family's standard of living for purposes of post-separation support. Since the trial court's findings relegate the defendant-husband to a lower standard of living than he enjoyed during the parties' marriage, such findings do not form a basis for appeal by the plaintiff-wife.

Tagged with: Alimony Catawba County Domestic Relations Income insufficient findings

In re K.J.L. Even though respondent's attorney told the court, "I cannot argue that there's not statutory grounds that exist for termination, I would hope the court would find that those are not sufficient to be in the best interests," given counsel's diligent representation of respondent and the overwhelming evidence of grounds to terminate her parental rights, respondent has failed to show that she received ineffective assistance of counsel.

Tagged with: Attorneys Davidson County Domestic Relations parent & child termination of parental rights

Davis v. Swan. Even though the parties did not enter into a parenting agreement, they acted in all ways as co-parents of defendant's biological daughter, including defendant's appointment of plaintiff as the child's guardian in defendant's will and defendant's signing of an authorization to consent to health care for minor and a power of attorney for child care.

Tagged with: custody Domestic Relations parent & child

Phillips v. Phillips. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-16-0782, 8 pp.) (Barbara Jackson, J.) Appealed from Rowan County District Court. (Beth S. Dixon, J.) N.C. App. Unpub. Holding: The trial court failed to make the findings required by G.S. § 50-16.3A(b)(4) and ...

Tagged with: Alimony Civil Practice Domestic Relations Remand Rowan County

Rain Tree v. Bradford. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-16-0784, 9 pp.) (Sanford L. Steelman Jr., J.) Appealed from Transylvania County District Court. (David K. Fox, J.) N.C. App. Unpub. Holding: Even though a 2007 order prohibited the parties from cohabiting with an ...

Tagged with: Civil Practice Cohabitation Contempt custody Domestic Relations parent & child

I am on the Fantasia beat, and that doesn’t mean I am bumping her hits “Truth Is,” “Hood Boy” or “When I See U.” Truth is I am covering the drama that has enveloped the Charlotte rhythm & blues star ...

Tagged with: Domestic Relations Heart-Balm Tort

Fennell v. Fennell. Because the trial court failed to make sufficient findings of fact to support its conclusion that the plaintiff-wife is entitled to alimony and to explain the manner and duration of the ordered payments, we cannot effectively review the alimony order on appeal.

Tagged with: ability to pay Alimony Domestic Relations expenses insufficient findings

Dan Ellison (pictured) graduated from UNC Law School in 1984 with the same anxiety about passing the bar exam that all lawyers-to-be face at the beginning of their careers. But it wasn't just a commonplace case of the nerves for him. On the contrary, he faced a worry that an unknown number of his classmates might have faced at the same time - whether being gay would affect his ability to become an attorney in North Carolina.

Tagged with: Attorneys Diversity Domestic Relations Gay LGBT N.C. Board of Law Examiners nondiscrimination

Langston v. Richardson. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-07-0746, 18 pp.) (Ann Marie Calabria, J.) (James A. Wynn Jr., J., dissenting) Appealed from Perquimans County District Court. (C. Christopher Bean, J.) N.C. App. Holding: A husband’s separate investment accounts became marital property ...

Tagged with: Domestic Relations equitable distribution Retirement