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