Practice Areas

Appeals — The Order Isn’t Always the Last Word A trial order can feel final. It isn’t always. Where a judge’s findings aren’t supported by... Read More

Mediation — Resolve It Yourselves, With a Neutral Who Knows How A judge who has never met you can decide your family’s or your business’s... Read More

Parenting Coordination — Co-Parenting That Works, Even When the Parents Can’t When two parents are locked in constant conflict, the children live in the crossfire,... Read More

Divorce — The Simple Step You Can’t Afford to Get Wrong An absolute divorce in North Carolina is nearly a form: spouses must be legally... Read More

Legal Separation — Get It in Writing, and Get It Right In North Carolina, you are legally separated the day you and your spouse begin... Read More

Annulment — When the Marriage Was Never Real, the Law Can Say So An annulment declares that a marriage was never valid — not that... Read More

  Equitable Distribution — The Whole Picture, the Real Value, Your Fair Share In North Carolina, marital property is divided equitably when a marriage ends... Read More

Spousal Support — Decided on the Facts, Not the Assumptions Alimony rests on a straightforward principle: a supporting spouse has an obligation to support a... Read More

Child Custody — Your Place in Your Child’s Life North Carolina courts decide custody by a single standard: the best interest of the child. A... Read More

Child Support — Built on the Real Numbers What child support costs depends on the custody arrangement and each parent’s income and expenses. The guidelines... Read More

Consent to Health Care for a Minor — So Your Child Can Get Care When You Can’t Be There When you can’t be reached —... Read More

Legitimation — Full Legal Fatherhood, and Your Child’s Full Rights North Carolina law still treats a child born to unmarried parents differently from one born... Read More

Stepparent Adoption — Make It Legal. Make It Permanent. Make It Family. Adoption is a profound way to make a family whole. For the parent... Read More

Termination of Parental Rights — the Most Permanent Order in Family Law Terminating a parent’s rights is the most serious step a North Carolina court... Read More

Domestic Violence — Protection for the Victim, and for the Wrongly Accused If you are in immediate danger, call 911. The National Domestic Violence Hotline... Read More

Military Domestic Violence — Higher Stakes, and Two Systems at Once If you are in immediate danger, call 911. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is... Read More

Approximately 12 states recognize commmon law marriage. North Carolina is not one of those states. Reported in the 2000 United States Census, there were 5.2 million... Read More

When a co-owner refuses to buy you out or sell, you can have the Court split or force a sale of the property. Lawsuit to... Read More

Pre-Nuptial and Post-Nuptial Agreements are intended to guard the individual rights of both husband and wife. Rice Law attorneys work with clients considering marriage and... Read More

Alienation of Affection & Criminal Conversation in North Carolina North Carolina is one of only a handful of states that still lets a wronged spouse... Read More