Wilmington North Carolina Law Blog

For many couples in North Carolina, the holidays can be a stressful time of year, especially when they are experiencing marital challenges. It is a known fact that often people choose to try and hold their marriages together during the holidays in part to try one last time to salvage their families and in part to avoid adding the stress of a divorce to an already tough time. This year, however, the opposite may be true and people who believe their marriages are over might actually work hard to complete their divorces as fast as they can.

Bloomberg reports that this shift is due to the changes that are afoot regarding alimony payments and taxes thanks to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that will take full effect on January 1, 2018. Starting with the change of year, when a person is ordered to pay spousal support after a divorce, that same person will have to pay income tax on the money they hand over to their ex. This has not been the case for some 70 years.

Car crashes happen for many reasons and they can upend the lives of people from various walks of life. Some, however, are especially concerning, such as those which involve young kids and infants. There are a number of factors for parents to keep in mind, from keeping their kids safe in the car to holding a careless driver responsible for an accident that has left their child injured. Sadly, accidents have shattered the lives of many children and their entire families.

If your child is required to use a car seat, you should make sure that they are restrained appropriately. Not only should they have a proper car seat, but they should be using it correctly also. Sometimes, kids like to get out of their seats even though they are not supposed to, and this can be incredibly dangerous. Moreover, some children may distract the driver, which can increase the chances of a wreck. These behaviors should be addressed immediately, and parents should make sure that their kids are not increasing the likelihood of an accident.

There are many hazards associated with driving, such as fall asleep while behind the wheel or encountering a drunk driver on the road. Sometimes, it can be even more dangerous to operate a vehicle, such as driving on roads that you are not familiar with. Moreover, driving can be even more difficult under these circumstances during the night. For example, you may be returning home from a road trip and find yourself in a city you have never been too before, resulting in an increased accident risk. There are multiple reasons why this may be even more difficult if you are driving home at night.

First of all, those who are not familiar with certain roads may become distracted while using their GPS or trying to read a map or look for signs. Moreover, drivers may be distracted by certain landmarks they have never seen before, or they may be more likely to collide with another vehicle because they lack familiarity with the roads and are not aware of particularly dangerous spots. At night, all of these problems can become magnified for a number of reasons. Not only do many drivers become fatigued, but it can be even harder to find the right roads when visibility is poor.

One of the great challenges that you may face following your divorce is maintaining a strong relationship with your children. When you and your ex-spouse share custody (or he or she has sole custody of the kids), your lack of constant access to them can no doubt have an impact on the bond you share. This is true even if they simply live in another home in Wilmington; imagine, then, how much more strained your relationship can become if your ex-spouse chooses to relocate to another city (or another state). Is there anything you can do to prevent this from happening? 

North Carolina has no official statute that deals with parental relocation. However, you do have some legal options you can pursue if your ex-spouse seems intent on leaving (even without your consent). You can petition to modify your custody agreement, which could potentially halt a move until a ruling on your case can be made.