Family Law Attorney Serving Knightdale Image

Although you have worked hard to save your marriage, you have decided that divorce is the best option. You have many questions and concerns about the process itself as well as your life going forward, and you want to do all you can to make the process as easy and efficient as possible. You also have children to consider, and you worry about how the process will affect them.

To help you through your divorce in Knightdale, North Carolina, the attorneys of Marshall & Taylor PLLC will sit with you and discuss your rights and options and explain what to expect from the process. Attorney Jeffrey E. Marshall is board certified in Family Law by the North Carolina State Bar, and all of our lawyers have extensive experience helping our clients with their divorces and other family law issues.

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Cases We Handle

The lawyers at Marshall & Taylor PLLC have decades of combined legal experience, and many of us have focused exclusively on family law throughout our entire legal careers. Having earned many awards and honors for our professionalism and service, we provide exceptional representation in all areas of family law, including the following:

Divorce
Contested divorce
Uncontested divorce
Mediated divorce
Collaborative divorce
Separation
Child custody
Child support
Alimony
Property division
Adoption
Alternative dispute resolution
Domestic violence and restraining orders

How We Can Help

You need an attorney to help you with the important and pressing legal issues affecting your family. At Marshall & Taylor PLLC, we provide honest, caring, and trustworthy advice and representation for any of the following:

Divorce

Divorce is the legal process of dissolving a marriage, and it can be either contested or uncontested.

Uncontested divorces are those where both spouses have mutually agreed to dissolve their marriage, and both have already come to an agreement, or at least an understanding, of what they each want to get out of the process. Although less formal than contested divorces, uncontested divorces still require the services and counsel of an experienced attorney.

In a contested divorce, the couple may not be able to work together to come up with agreements, and they must settle their differences in court. These situations usually involve a lot of emotion and hard feelings between the spouses that can affect their ability to communicate and work together throughout the process. If you’re going through a contested divorce in court, you will certainly need the skills and knowledge of a family law attorney.

The state of North Carolina considers all divorces “absolute,” and the state only allows you to file for a no-fault divorce. You must also meet a one-year separation requirement.

You and your spouse must have been separated for at least one year and one day. You must have lived in separate residences, and at least one of you must consider the arrangement to be permanent. One of you must have lived in North Carolina for at least six months before filing for divorce.

One exception to the no-fault rule is incurable insanity. If you have lived apart from your spouse for at least three years because of their mental health, and your spouse was institutionalized or found insane by a judge, you may petition for divorce under incurable insanity. You will also have to submit testimony from two physicians who specialize in mental disorders.

Your spouse does not have to agree to the divorce, and they do not have to sign or submit any paperwork in order for the divorce to go through. You will need to ensure, however, that they receive copies of your divorce petition, which is usually hand-delivered by a sheriff’s deputy to your spouse’s address on record.

Child Custody and Support

During the divorce process, you will have to decide who will have primary custody of the children and who will receive or pay child support. Many factors can influence these types of decisions, and the attorneys at Marshall & Taylor PLLC can walk you through your options and help you make the best decisions as they relate to your situation.

If you are already divorced and are entitled to child support, but your spouse has not paid, you can contact us for help holding them accountable so that you can get the money you need to support your children.

Alimony

You sacrificed a lot for your marriage, and you may be eligible for financial support from your spouse in the form of alimony. Like with child support, how much you are entitled to will depend on various factors. We can help you determine the amount of money you will need to support yourself after the divorce.

Property Division

You amassed considerable assets during your marriage, and now that it’s over, you deserve your fair share. As an equitable distribution state, North Carolina awards each spouse an equitable portion of the assets, but that may not be a 50/50 split. Some assets cannot be readily divided, and the court may allow a spouse to retain ownership of the home, for instance, while awarding the other spouse a share of retirement account funds that might equal the value of the home.

Adoption

You might want to expand your family through adoption. There are several different types of adoption, and the lawyers at Marshall & Taylor PLLC have extensive experience handling all the following:

Infant adoption
Stepchild adoption

You may also adopt an adult other than your spouse under certain circumstances. Any adoption process can be complex and challenging to navigate, but you can rely on the attorneys at Marshall & Taylor PLLC for assistance each step of the way.

Domestic Violence and Restraining Orders

If you’re in a violent and abusive relationship, you might live in constant fear and torment. You and your children deserve better, and the lawyers of Marshall & Taylor PLLC can explain all of your options and help you file a restraining order to help keep you and your loved ones safe.

Contact Us for Help

Serving Knightdale and all of eastern North Carolina since 1996, Marshall & Taylor PLLC has helped thousands of clients with their divorces and other family law issues. Our top priority is protecting your rights and best interests, as well as those of your children, and we will do all we can to help you get the results you want.