03 July

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Independence Day Safety!

in Helpful Tips, Motor vehicle accidents, North Carolina Law, Personal Injury, Tips & Tricks

Fireworks in a dark sky with people standing nearby watching. Photo by Jordan Steranka on Unsplash

Have fun and stay safe on Independence Day! Even though the 4th of July is very fun, it's also a dangerous holiday. I know, I sound full-on paranoid. It's because I've read too many legal cases about horrific injuries and accidents to be calm anymore. 4th of July may involve such hazards as drunk drivers, 'sploding fireworks in your own backyard, and eating BBQ that may or may not have been prepared with food safety in mind. I'm not saying you should stay in your house for America's birthday...

17 May

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Landlords Misusing Tenant’s Security Deposit Money

Posted by Tessa Hetherington

in Business, Civil Disputes, Contracts, Helpful Tips, Landlord/Tenant

Benjamin Franklin looks up from a crisp $100 bill. Maybe this is part of a security deposit.

Security Deposits: An Overview Most people are familiar with the concept of a security deposit. Landlords typically request these deposits as collateral against the risk that tenants will cause damage. This makes a lot of sense. If a tenant moves in and trashes the property, the landlord can lawfully withhold their security deposit to make repairs. What if the tenant skips town without paying their last month's rent? The landlord can withhold the deposit for that as well. But what if the landlord is withholding the entire deposit and charging more on top of that for no reason? What if, once the...

13 October

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Heartbalm Torts in North Carolina

Posted by Tessa Hetherington

in Contracts, Family Law, Heart balm actions, Helpful Tips, North Carolina Law, Separation

What Is a "Heart Balm" Action? Heart balm actions (or heart balm torts) are a little old-fashioned. In fact, North Carolina is one of the few states that still recognizes them. They exist in order to right certain wrongs that can happen in a marriage. As their name implies, they are meant to provide a balm to a person's broken heart. On one hand, these actions are archaic. They place a very high value on monogamy and marriage. They seem to uphold old-fashioned ideas. They are, after all, based on very old laws meant to punish people for "debauching" another man's wife....

29 June

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Can I Evict My Roommate?

Posted by shawntae crews

in Civil Disputes, Helpful Tips, Landlord/Tenant

When Roommates Go Bad Having roommates can be so much more fun than living alone, and save a ton of money. But roommates can also drive each other crazy! If the problem is that the roommates never do dishes, leave the toilet seat up, and host the occasional wild party, the solution is probably to either come up with some ground rules or learn to live with it. What if the problems become more serious? What if your roommate never pays rent, trashes the house, or starts doing something illegal on the premises? The first step is simple: tell them to...

15 June

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Can Grandparents Get Custody in North Carolina?

Posted by shawntae crews

in Child custody, Family Law, Helpful Tips

Ideally, every child would be raised by loving and responsible parents. But unfortunately, we all know that sometimes this is not the case. When the parents of a child are abusive or neglectful, a grandparent may be able to step in. Although it can be a difficult process, grandparents can get custody of their grandchildren in North Carolina in certain situations. When the grandparent is like a parent. Sometimes parents step out of a child’s life and leave them to be raised by grandparents. Maybe the parent was not ready, the child was unwanted, or other factors like drugs and alcohol make...

13 June

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Creating a Separation Agreement

Posted by shawntae crews

in Contracts, Divorce, Family Law, Helpful Tips, Separation, Tips & Tricks

In an ideal world, every marriage would be happy. But, we all know that is not the reality. Couples may decide to separate for many reasons. As the comedian Louie C.K. said, “Divorce is always good news. I know that sounds weird, but it’s true because no good marriage has ever ended in divorce.” Divorce can be extremely difficult and painful. But, after the divorce, both parties will be free from a bad marriage. To go through this difficult process, it's best to have an experienced divorce lawyer or divorce attorney on your side. Here are some tips on how to...

Independence Day Safety!

Landlords Misusing Tenant’s Security Deposit Money

Heartbalm Torts in North Carolina

Can I Evict My Roommate?

Can Grandparents Get Custody in North Carolina?

Creating a Separation Agreement

Succession Planning for Your Family Business: Start Preparing Now!

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