| Family law is an area of the law that deals | | | | accusations by one parent against the other, |
| with family-related issues and domestic | | | | including sexual, physical, and emotional |
| relations including child custody. | | | | abuse, brain-washing, parental alienation |
| | | | syndrome, sabotage, and manipulation. It is |
| Child custody and guardianship are legal | | | | these infrequent difficult custody battles |
| terms which are sometimes used to describe | | | | that make the news and sometimes distort the |
| the legal and practical relationship between | | | | public's perceptions so that they appear more |
| a parent and his or her child, such as the | | | | prevalent than they are and the court's |
| right of the parent to make decisions for the | | | | responses appear inadequate. |
| child, and the parent's duty to care for the | | | | |
| child. | | | | In some places, courts and legal |
| | | | professionals are beginning to use the term |
| Residence and contact issues typically arise | | | | parenting schedule instead of custody and |
| in proceedings involving divorce (dissolution | | | | visitation. The new terminology eliminates |
| of marriage), annulment and other legal | | | | the distinction between custodial and |
| proceedings where children may be involved. | | | | noncustodial parents, and also attempts to |
| In most jurisdictions the issue of which | | | | build upon the so-called best interests of |
| parent the child will reside with is | | | | the children by crafting schedules that meet |
| determined in accordance with the best | | | | the developmental needs of the children. |
| interests of the child standard. | | | | Learn more about child custody with the North |
| | | | Carolina family lawyer. |
| Family law proceedings which involve issues | | | | |
| of residence and contact often generate the | | | | For example, younger children need shorter, |
| most acrimonious disputes. While many parents | | | | more frequent time with parents, whereas |
| cooperate when it comes to sharing their | | | | older children and teenagers can tolerate and |
| children, not all do. For those that engage | | | | may demand less frequent shifts, but longer |
| in litigation, there seem to be few limits. | | | | blocks of time with each parent. For more |
| Learn more of this with the North Carolina | | | | information about child custody cases and |
| family lawyer. | | | | divorces, then visit the North Carolina |
| | | | family lawyer for more details. |
| Court filings quickly fill with mutual | | | | |