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.
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.
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.
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: 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 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.
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.