Thanks to the readers of Wake Living Magazine for naming Ward Family Law Group as BEST FAMILY LAW FIRM. This is the second year in a row that our firm has been recognized. Really appreciate all of the hard work and dedication of our lawyers and staff. Great job!
A recent story in the local news demonstrated the real impact that Covid has had on our legal system. For months, Wake County Family Court cases were routinely continued over and over again because courts were closed, or only temporary, non-prejudicial hearings were possible because they could be conducted remotely via Webex. The court system is not to blame for the pandemic, but the shutdowns and closures have created a backlog in the court system that has left families desperate for resolution of critical issues, including custody, child support, and… Read More
In May 2017, we blogged about the “Do’s and Don’t’s” in Family Law. With the pandemic forcing most of us to live a “virtual life”, we thought it was important to revisit and update what you should and should not be doing on the Internet. Emails, text messages, websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking (“social media”), or any other type of information that is created, used, and stored in digital form, and requires a computer or other device for… Read More
Domestic violence has been labeled as an “epidemic” in our country. Statistics show that one in every three women and one in four men in the United States will experience some form of domestic violence at the hands of their intimate partner. Just as domestic violence can affect heterosexual relationships, it can affect LGBTQ+ relationships as well. North Carolina provides two avenues for individuals to seek relief from their abuser: N.C.G.S. § 50B and N.C.G.S. § 50C. The main differences between the two statutes are the relationship between the parties… Read More
Ward Family Law Group is pleased to announce that Attorney Ryan M. Tarrant has been selected for inclusion in the 2021 North Carolina Super Lawyers Rising Stars List. Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The patented annual selection process includes independent research, peer nominations, and peer evaluations. No more than 2.5 percent of the State’s attorneys are named to the Rising Stars list. Ryan has been included on the North… Read More
Ward Family Law Group is pleased to announce that Dale V. Stephenson has been selected for inclusion in Business North Carolina Magazine’s Legal Elite for 2021 in the categories of Family Law and Young Guns. For two decades, Business North Carolina asks all active members of the North Carolina Bar one simple question: Of the Tar Heel lawyers whose work you have observed firsthand, whom would you rate among the current best in selective categories? There are fifteen categories, which range from Antitrust law to Immigration law and everything in between…. Read More
We are honored to be recognized by Wake Living Magazine as BEST FAMILY LAW FIRM in their 2020 Reader’s Choice Awards. Thank you!
Mediation is a way to resolve family law disputes where a neutral third party, the mediator, assists parties in trying to reach an agreement. The mediator does not advocate for either party or make any decisions. The decision-making authority is left to the parties. The mediator’s job is to help parties work out their own agreements by exploring the parties’ needs and interests and by helping them formulate specific solutions to resolve the disputed issues. That is one of the most attractive reasons for mediation — the parties maintain control… Read More
Practically every aspect of our world has been drastically altered by the protections (and limitations) enacted to combat the spread of COVID-19. Our court system is no different. On March 13, 2020, Chief Justice Beasley of the Supreme Court of North Carolina issued an emergency order declaring the North Carolina courts “on hold” for a majority of matters. Over the course of the last few months, these directives have been extended in a number of ways. Virtual hearings, limited in-person trials, and masks are now the new normal. Click below… Read More
Beginning June 1, 2020, we will accommodate in-person meetings as clients and lawyers may agree, with certain limitations and cautions in place. We will continue to utilize and encourage phone calls and Zoom videoconferencing for most communications, but we will allow in-person meetings if there is a specific need to meet with your attorney in the office, and you and your attorney agree to an in-person meeting. We will continue to practice safety methods such as social distancing, and we will conduct regular sanitizing practices before and after all meetings…. Read More