Category: Divorce & Separation

People frequently ask what the difference is between a contested and an uncontested divorce. North Carolina law allows courts to grant a divorce after a married couple has been separated for a year and a day. You don’t have to prove that the other spouse caused the marriage to fail…

When filing for divorce, many unhappy spouses in North Carolina wonder if it matters who files first. The answer is it depends on the specific circumstances. In many divorce cases, it does not make a difference who files first. If you are considering ending your marriage, you should seek the…

A divorce can be expensive. On average, divorce lawyers in North Carolina charge $550 per hour. Divorce attorneys are paid for their time as well as for their knowledge and experience. But if you truly cannot afford a lawyer and meet certain other conditions, North Carolina offers a DIY divorce and…

Regardless of what causes a divorce, the process of separation and divorce takes an emotional toll on those involved. The dissolution of a marriage—even an amicable divorce—is almost always a challenging time filled with many emotions. Some observers have suggested that the emotional stages of divorce are comparable to Swiss-American…

Substance abuse can ruin a marriage and may threaten children and other family members. Heavy drinking and drug use are part of many divorce complaints. In a contested divorce in North Carolina, an individual may cite their spouse’s excessive alcohol or drug use as having made living together intolerable and…

As emotionally draining as divorce can be, it also can cause financial headaches and, if handled improperly, lead to serious tax consequences. A well-planned divorce settlement takes into consideration potential tax consequences and seeks to minimize your tax liability. At Charles R. Ullman & Associates, we focus exclusively on divorce and…

One of the main concerns when facing the prospect of a divorce is the various costs. Most divorces divide a two-income household and can change living standards. For many, the cost of a divorce is an immediate concern. But the cost of not having trusted legal guidance during a divorce…

Sometimes in an unhappy marriage, one spouse will simply pack up and leave. They may make no attempt to either reconcile or formally end the marriage. This may amount to spousal abandonment under North Carolina divorce law and could be grounds for a court-ordered separation known as divorce from bed…

To divorce in North Carolina, a couple must live physically apart for a year. After a year has passed, the work necessary to conclude an uncontested divorce, including obtaining a judge’s divorce decree, can be completed in less than 60 days. North Carolina is a no-fault divorce state. A couple…

Even when you know your marriage can’t be saved and it’s time to move on, going through a separation and divorce takes an emotional toll. The end of a marriage can be a traumatic experience. Stanford University sociologist Michael J. Rosenfeld reaffirmed decades of research in 2017 when he said…