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Learn how legal separation works in North Carolina, including property division, child custody, and separation agreements. Call Jerkins Family Law at 919-719-2785.
Learn about termination of parental rights in Raleigh, NC. Jerkins Family Law helps you understand the process. Call 919-719-2785 today for a consultation.
Learn what happens to assets during divorce in Raleigh, NC. Jerkins Family Law helps protect your financial future. Call 919-719-2785 today for a consultation.
Learn what to expect during the adoption process in Raleigh, NC. Jerkins Family Law guides families through each step. Call 919-719-2785 today for a free consult.
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How does legal separation work in North Carolina? Learn what separation means, how it affects families, and when to contact Jerkins Family Law for guidance.
Considering divorce in Raleigh, NC? Learn what to know before filing, including legal requirements and next steps. Call Jerkins Family Law today.
Understand the 1-year and 1-day mandatory separation in NC. Learn about Wake County divorce timelines, property division, and custody. Call (919) 719-2785.
How is child custody determined in Raleigh, NC? Learn how courts decide custody and what factors affect your case. Call Jerkins Family Law today.
If you're ready to formalize the parental role you play in your stepchild's life through adoption, you're taking a big step — one that will offer you and your child many benefits. That doesn't mean that it'll be easy. Adoption can be far from straightforward. Here, we'll provide need-to-know information about adopting an older child with as few road bumps as possible. The Benefits of Adopting Your Teenage Stepchild You may wonder why it's necessary to formalize your relationship with your stepchild. Teenage stepchild adoption can provide many perks, including: Financial benefits. Legal custody helps link your stepchild to your inheritance and insurance. Permanence. Adoption can confer a sense of stability and even finality, which brings with it emotional benefits. Logistical parental status. If you don't have a biological or legal relationship with your stepchild, some day-to-day parenting tasks (doctor's appointments, school pickups) can be rife with frustrating, unhelpful obstacles. Next, let's discuss how you can start working towards these benefits. Essential Considerations with an Older Child Adoption In many adoptive scenarios, there is no relationship between the adopter and the adoptee. This necessitates a complicated process, including an extensive home study (and an incredible amount of background checks and paperwork). Since your child already knows you and may even live in your shared home, you may be able to skip a few of these steps. One step you can't skip? An older child will likely need to consent to their own adoption. This will occur in court, which can be stressful. Speak with your attorney and your child to soothe any worries about this step. You may also need to consider your stepchild's other biological parent. In some cases, they may need to formally relinquish their legal parenting rights for your adoption to move forward. This can be emotionally taxing for everyone involved. From the initial application through to finalized paperwork, your attorney will be able to help you make this process as smooth as possible. Need Help? Call North Carolina Family Law Attorneys Adopting your teenage stepchild requires consideration to ensure you don't encounter undue challenges. Having knowledgeable attorneys at Jerkins Family Law at your side will help. Call us at 919-719-2785 for more information, or contact us online to learn about our services.
When you're living through the aftermath of a separation or divorce , the last thing you need is a breach of your privacy. The entire process of figuring out fair spousal support already felt like putting your life out there for everyone to see! Now, you (or your ex) have divulged private information about your arrangement online, and you're unsure what to do. First things first: Do these arrangements have to stay private? If that privacy has been breached, who has the right to do something about it — and what happens next? Two Can Keep a Secret (Or Can They?) To determine the levels of required privacy for you and your partner, check your prenuptial, separation, or divorce papers. The terms you and your partner agreed upon may have included misconduct or defamation clauses. Any privacy-breaching statements could affect spousal support if you or your partner have demonstrably broken any agreement you made. If you believe that your ex has acted out of line and you're interested in pursuing legal action, reach out to an attorney. Likewise, if you're worried that your actions could put your spousal support payments at risk, your attorney is the first person to go to. Don't delete any posts or talk to your ex before you do so, even to apologize! Protecting Yourself, Your Sanity, and Your Future If a breach hasn't occurred, now might be a good time to take practical steps to avoid any privacy concerns surrounding your spousal support arrangements. These include: Changing your passwords for bank, email, and social media accounts. Keeping your important documents (whether they be hard copies or files on your computer) in a safe, protected place Forwarding your mail, if you have changed residences Avoiding social media or using it less in the immediate aftermath of a separation Call North Carolina Family Law Attorneys Today Navigating the aftermath of a divorce is stressful for all involved. If you require assistance figuring out how to protect your privacy (and your ex's), especially surrounding spousal support, give Jerkins Family Law a call at 919-719-2785 (or reach out online ). Our skilled attorneys will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
