Family Law Attorneys in Greensboro, NC
Divorce, custody, support, property and protective orders in Guilford County District Court. Two of our attorneys are certified by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization as Family Law Specialists.
Where are you in this?
Tell us roughly what is happening and whether there is a court date or a deadline.
Sending this form does not make us your lawyer yet.
Two claims expire when the divorce is granted. In North Carolina, a claim for equitable distribution and a claim for alimony have to be filed before the judgment of absolute divorce is entered. If the divorce goes through first, those claims are gone. This is the most common and the most expensive mistake people make on their own.
The divorce and everything else are separate cases. Custody, support, property and alimony each have their own standards and their own timetable. The divorce itself is largely administrative once a year has passed.
Separation is not a filing. You are separated when you live separate and apart with the intent that it be permanent. There is no form to lodge, which is why the date is often argued about later.
Find your situation
Everything we handle in family law, grouped. Each has a page of its own.
Divorce
In North Carolina the divorce itself is the simplest part. What goes with it is not.
divorce · uncontested divorce · contested divorce · divorce from bed and board · annulment
Separation
Separation is what starts the clock, and it is where most of the real decisions get made.
legal separation · separation agreements · ways to resolve a separation · collaborative law
Children
Custody and support are decided separately from the divorce and on their own standards.
child custody · child support · paternity · grandparents’ rights · adoption · guardianship
Money and property
These two claims are the ones people lose by waiting. Both have to be asserted before the divorce is granted.
equitable distribution · alimony and post-separation support
Agreements
Written before a marriage, during one, or at the point of separation.
Safety and protective orders
A 50B order is a civil case. It can run alongside a criminal charge, or without one.
domestic violence and 50B orders · protective orders
After the order is entered
Orders are not self-enforcing, and they can be changed when circumstances do.
contempt and enforcing orders · name change · alienation of affection
Before you call
Worth a look if you would rather read something first.
what a consultation covers · forms and resources · meet the family law team · client reviews · family law blog
What happens in what order
Most family cases in Guilford County follow the same sequence, and knowing it removes a lot of the anxiety about what is coming.
- Separation. You begin living separate and apart with the intent that it be permanent. Nothing is filed. The date matters later, so it is worth being able to prove it.
- Immediate issues, if there are any. Temporary custody, post-separation support, or a protective order. These are filed when they are needed and heard quickly, not at the end.
- Claims for property and support. Equitable distribution and alimony are filed here, before any divorce. This is the step that cannot be done late.
- Negotiation, mediation or a separation agreement. Most cases resolve at this stage. Guilford County requires mediation in custody matters, and many property cases go to mediation too.
- The absolute divorce. Available after one year and a day of separation. It ends the marriage. It does not resolve anything else.
- Enforcement or modification. Orders get broken and circumstances change. Both are handled by going back to the same court.
What a family lawyer costs in Greensboro
Family cases are usually billed hourly against a retainer, because unlike a criminal charge there is no fixed end point and the other side controls half the pace. Some discrete pieces of work are flat fee, an uncontested divorce and a straightforward separation agreement among them. You get told which applies to your situation on the first call.
What moves the number most is not the legal complexity. It is how much is contested and how the other party behaves. A case where both people agree on the children and argue about one account costs a fraction of one where everything is disputed.
Not sure which of these is your situation?
Tell us what is happening and whether there is a court date. One call usually settles which process you are actually in and what has to happen first.
Call (336) 379-0539Free consultation, answered 24/7Your attorneys
Hilary Workman Hux
Family Law · Custody · Support · Separation and Divorce
Hilary leads the firm's family law practice. She is certified by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization as a Family Law Specialist, a credential held by a small number of attorneys in the state. She earned her law degree at Campbell University School of Law, where she concentrated in Courtroom Advocacy.
- North Carolina Board Certified Family Law Specialist
- Campbell University School of Law, concentration in Courtroom Advocacy
- Custody, support, separation, divorce and domestic violence matters
Chad D. GarrettFounder
Jason AycothPartner
Sean OlsonPartner
Brandon GoldsboroughCriminal Defense
Stephanie GoldsboroughCriminal Defense
Rebecca ElliottCriminal Defense
Patrick BidwellCriminal Defense
Samantha HeplerCriminal Defense
Martha Massie
Family Law · Board Certified Specialist
Martha is certified by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization as a Family Law Specialist. She earned her law degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
- North Carolina Board Certified Family Law Specialist
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law
What clients say
4.9 out of 5 from 587 Google reviews. A few recent ones:
Where we practice
Our office is two minutes from the Guilford County Courthouse.
Guilford County: Greensboro · High Point · Jamestown · Gibsonville · Summerfield · Oak Ridge · Pleasant Garden · Stokesdale · Whitsett · McLeansville · Sedalia
Also serving: Randolph, Forsyth, Alamance, Rockingham and Davidson Counties
Questions people ask
How long does a divorce take in North Carolina?
You must be separated for a year and a day before you can file for absolute divorce. After filing, the other spouse has to be served and given time to respond, so the divorce itself typically adds a further one to three months. The custody, support and property parts run on their own timetable and are often resolved before the divorce is granted.
Do we both have to agree to get divorced?
No. North Carolina is a no-fault state for absolute divorce. One spouse can obtain a divorce after a year and a day of separation whether or not the other agrees. The word "uncontested" describes how smoothly it goes, not a legal category you have to qualify for.
What happens if I get divorced before sorting out property?
You lose the claim. A claim for equitable distribution and a claim for alimony must be asserted before the judgment of absolute divorce is entered. After that, the court cannot hear them. This is the single most important deadline in a North Carolina divorce.
How is custody decided?
By what the court finds to be in the best interests of the child. There is no presumption in favor of mothers or fathers in North Carolina. Guilford County also requires custody mediation before most contested custody hearings, which resolves a large share of cases before a judge ever hears them.
Is North Carolina a 50/50 property state?
Not automatically. The starting point in equitable distribution is an equal division of marital property, but the court can order an unequal division if it finds that equal would not be equitable, based on factors set out by statute. Separate property, generally what you brought in or inherited, is not divided.
Can I get alimony?
It depends on whether you are a dependent spouse and the other is a supporting spouse, and on a list of statutory factors including the length of the marriage and the standard of living during it. Marital misconduct can affect it in both directions. Like equitable distribution, the claim has to be filed before the divorce.
What is a 50B order?
A domestic violence protective order. It is a civil case, separate from any criminal charge, and it can be obtained whether or not anyone has been charged. An ex parte order can be entered quickly, with a full hearing to follow. See our domestic violence page.
Do I need to go to court?
Often less than people expect. Most family matters resolve by agreement or at mediation. If your case does go to a hearing, you will know well in advance, and you will be prepared for it rather than finding out on the day.
What does board certified actually mean?
The North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization certifies attorneys in a defined list of fields, including family law. Certification requires substantial experience in the field, peer review and a written examination. It is a formal credential from the State Bar rather than a description a firm can award itself.
Talk to a Greensboro family lawyer
Free consultation. Tell us what is happening and whether there is a date.
Garrett, Walker, Aycoth & Olson, Attorneys at Law
317 South Greene St, Greensboro, NC 27401
(336) 379-0539 · answered live, 24 hours
Free consultation · Se habla español
This page explains North Carolina law in general terms as of October 2026. It is not legal advice about your case, and penalties and statutes change. Figures come from Chapter 50 of the North Carolina General Statutes. Each page linked above carries the statutes for that issue.