Child Custody
Know Your Rights
Free Child Custody Clinic
Legal Aid of North Carolina's free child custody clinic teaches participants how to file a child custody action in court without an attorney. We will also discuss visitation. We provide a packet with legal documents and an instructional video. At the end of the video, participants can ask general questions to a volunteer attorney through the webinar. Specific legal advice is not provided at these clinics. Clinics are located in many NC counties. If you do not see a clinic in your city or county, please check the surrounding counties in your area.
Child Custody/Visitation and Child Support
This pamphlet seeks to explain North Carolina laws on child custody, child visitation rights, and child support by answering frequently asked questions about these matters.
Custody: Giving Notice to the Defendant
This PDF document explains how the defendant in a custody case is informed about the custody lawsuit. Informing the defendant is called "serving" the defendant, and the process is referred to as "service".
Custody: Mediation Process
This PDF document describes the process of mediation in a custody case. Mediation is required in most custody cases filed in North Carolina.
Custody: Some Legal Definitions
This PDF document provides legal definitions of "legal custody", "physical custody", "visitation", "plaintiff", "defendant".
Custody: Tips for Successful Mediation
This PDF document gives some tips on how to make the required mediation session in a custody case as beneficial as possible.
Custody Web Page
New! Information on filing for custody in North Carolina has been gathered into a single web page, to make it easy to find what you need.
Custody: When to Seek Legal Advice
This PDF document lists several situations in which you are advised to seek advice from a lawyer before trying to file for custody on your own.
Guided Interviews: Custody
This resource provides access to a collection of online interviews for persons who wish to file for custody in North Carolina without a lawyer. The interviews were created by Legal Aid of North Carolina and are hosted on the LawHelpInteractive national server. The interviews use a question-and-answer format to generate the forms needed to file for custody in North Carolina.
How to file for custody without a lawyer -- for parents
This interactive interview is for one parent suing the other parent. For custody cases filed by someone other than a parent (a grandparent, for example), there is a different interview.
How to Prepare for a Custody Trial in North Carolina (video)
This video shows how to prepare for a custody trial in North Carolina if mediation is not successful. The video assumes that a custody case has already been filed in court. The video is designed for people who cannot afford to hire a private attorney to address their custody issues. It is offered as a public service by the North Carolina Bar Association and Legal Aid of North Carolina.
Custody: Tips for Successful Mediation
This PDF document gives some tips on how to make the required mediation session in a custody case as beneficial as possible.
Custody Web Page
New! Information on filing for custody in North Carolina has been gathered into a single web page, to make it easy to find what you need.
Free Child Custody Clinic
Legal Aid of North Carolina's free child custody clinic teaches participants how to file a child custody action in court without an attorney. We will also discuss visitation. We provide a packet with legal documents and an instructional video. At the end of the video, participants can ask general questions to a volunteer attorney through the webinar. Specific legal advice is not provided at these clinics. Clinics are located in many NC counties. If you do not see a clinic in your city or county, please check the surrounding counties in your area.
Custody Trials in North Carolina (video)
This video describes the steps in a typical custody trial in North Carolina. The video assumes that a custody case has already been filed in court. The video is designed for people who cannot afford to hire a private attorney to address their custody issues. It is offered as a public service by the North Carolina Bar Association and Legal Aid of North Carolina.
Everything You Need to Know About Child Custody (video)
Child Custody is a tricky issue in many families. In this video, attorney Lee Rosen explains the terminology involved in Child Custody, how judges handle Child Custody cases in the courtroom, what could keep you from gaining custody of your children and visitation options.
How to Prepare for a Custody Trial in North Carolina (video)
This video shows how to prepare for a custody trial in North Carolina if mediation is not successful. The video assumes that a custody case has already been filed in court. The video is designed for people who cannot afford to hire a private attorney to address their custody issues. It is offered as a public service by the North Carolina Bar Association and Legal Aid of North Carolina.
Legal Aid of North Carolina's Video on Filing for Child Custody (video)
Watch Legal Aid of North Carolina's 30-minute video on court procedures and child custody laws.
Free Child Custody Clinic
Legal Aid of North Carolina's free child custody clinic teaches participants how to file a child custody action in court without an attorney. We will also discuss visitation. We provide a packet with legal documents and an instructional video. At the end of the video, participants can ask general questions to a volunteer attorney through the webinar. Specific legal advice is not provided at these clinics. Clinics are located in many NC counties. If you do not see a clinic in your city or county, please check the surrounding counties in your area.
Custody: Giving Notice to the Defendant
This PDF document explains how the defendant in a custody case is informed about the custody lawsuit. Informing the defendant is called "serving" the defendant, and the process is referred to as "service".
Custody Packets for North Carolina
A comprehensive set of packets with instructions and North Carolina court forms for either a parent who wishes to file for custody against the other parent, or a non-parent who wishes to file against both parents. The court forms may be completed by hand.
Custody: Practical Tips when filing for custody without a lawyer
This document lists several practical tips for people planning to file for custody on their own without a lawyer.
Custody: Preparing to File for Custody Without a Lawyer
This document explains what forms are required, where to obtain the forms, where to file, and what information you will need to complete the forms.
Custody Web Page
New! Information on filing for custody in North Carolina has been gathered into a single web page, to make it easy to find what you need.
Filing for Custody: What forms are required and where to get them
This resource is for low- and moderate-income North Carolinians who wish to file for custody without a lawyer.
Filing for Custody: When to seek advice from a lawyer
A list of situations in which advice from a lawyer should be sought before filing for custody pro se
Filing for Custody Without a Lawyer - Helpful Information
Excerpts from the custody packet and website developed for persons seeking to file for custody without a lawyer.
Guided Interviews: Custody
This resource provides access to a collection of online interviews for persons who wish to file for custody in North Carolina without a lawyer. The interviews were created by Legal Aid of North Carolina and are hosted on the LawHelpInteractive national server. The interviews use a question-and-answer format to generate the forms needed to file for custody in North Carolina.