Advice from a NC Divorce Attorney : January 2018

Sunday, January 21, 2018

Does Jesse Williams' wife deserve $50,000 in spousal support and how much would I get?

Actor and activist, Jesse Williams, has separated from his wife, Aryn Drake-Lee, and is reportedly ordered to pay $50,695 in spousal support and half of his residual earnings from the five year marriage.**

To many, this seems excessive, however, the amount of spousal support or alimony simply depends on the income of the spouses during the marriage, their contributions to this income, and their standard of living.

In North Carolina, to receive support you must be dependent on your spouse to maintain the lifestyle you enjoyed during the marriage.

To determine how long you will receive support and the amount, the court will consider many factors including:

1.       If either of you cheated during the marriage,

2.       The number of years you’ve been married,

3.       Education, debts and property owned by each spouse,

4.       And whether or not one of you was a homemaker.

Generally, spousal support only lasts for the length of the marriage. As in Jesse’s case, his wife will receive 5 years of support because they were only married for 5 years. Keep in mind, North Carolina has two types of support: spousal support and alimony. Contact an attorney for more information about whether or not you qualify for one or both of these types of support.

For more information or legal advice contact us at:

Kisala Watkins Law Group, PLLC

323 E. Chapel Hill Street, Suite 203B

Durham, NC 27701

P: 919-321-6569

Nastasia@kisalawatkins.com

www.kisalawatkins.com

We assist clients in the following areas:

Orange County, NC

· Cary, NC

· Chapel Hill, NC

· Carrboro, NC

· Hillsborough, NC

· Mebane, NC

· Efland, NC

Durham County, NC

· Durham

· RTP

· Bahama

· Rougemont

*Neither Kisala Watkins Law Group, PLLC nor Nastasia Watkins own the rights to the pictures listed above and all pictures are posted for illustrative purposes only. You do not become a client of Kisala Watkins Law Group, PLLC unless you enter into a written agreement signed by you and an attorney at this firm. Such agreement must also indicate the scope of the work that is to be done. Correspondence by mail, fax, blog, or email does not establish an attorney-client relationship unless a written agreement has been entered into by both parties. Any information provided is based on the writer's understanding of North Carolina law and a consultation is required to provide adequate legal advice based on your situation.

**“Jesse Williams Ordered to Pay $50k In Spousal Support,” by Bossip Staff. Posted on January 20, 2018.

https://bossip.com/1615851/cheaper-to-keep-her-jesse-williams-ordered-to-up-spousal-support-to-50000-a-month-for-estranged-ex/

***Photo Credit: https://bossip.com/1615851/cheaper-to-keep-her-jesse-williams-ordered-to-up-spousal-support-to-50000-a-month-for-estranged-ex/

Is the divorce process in North Carolina as easy as it was for Peter Gunz and Amina Buddafly?

Love & Hip Hop NY stars Peter Gunz and Amina Buddafly have finally gotten divorced. They’re tumultuous love triangle and Peter’s secret relationships became great entertainment when the two were on the show. Apparently it all became too much for Amina (2 children later) and she posted her divorce decree on social media. The court documents she posted indicate that in New York your spouse can join in or submit a waiver for divorce. The rules are a little different in North Carolina and, in my opinion, much easier.

To get divorced in NC you must:

1.       Remain living separately for one year,

2.       File a lawsuit for divorce,

3.       Appear in court for your court date,

4.       And request that the judge enter an order for divorce.

Your spouse does not have to consent, sign anything, or submit a waiver. In fact, if your spouse attempts to “contest” the divorce there is little that can be done to stop it once the two of you have been separated for one year.

Keep in mind that there are additional lawsuits tied to divorce including splitting assets and spousal support. Contact an attorney before filing or finalizing your divorce to make sure that you are not barred from requesting any money owed to you as a spouse.