NORTH CAROLINA

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NPO AFFILIATE | NC

STATE CHAIR: Dann Gwyn

Highlights:

In instances of divorce or separation:

  • 96% of those in North Carolina believe it is in the child’s best interest to have as much time as possible with each parent.

  • 94% in North Carolina expressed a commitment to vote their beliefs in being “more likely to vote for a candidate who supports children spending equal or nearly equal time with each parent following separation or divorce when both parents are fit and willing to be parents.

  • 86% of those in North Carolina indicated they would support a change in North Carolina law that awards children as much time as possible with each parent.

  • 75% believe that when there is conflict between parents, awarding sole custody to one parent increases conflict

  • 87% believe that both parents should have equal rights and responsibilities following divorce or separation.

  • 89% believe that North Carolina should promote shared parenting for all children with separated parents.

2022 NPO Child Support And Shared Parenting Report Card

WHY DID NORTH CAROLINA RECEIVE A D-?

POSITIVES:

  • North Carolina's PTA appropriately takes into account the effect of the PTA on both parents' households.

  • North Carolina's PTA appropriately results in no presumptive child support transfer payment when parental income and parenting time are both equal.

NEGATIVES: 

  • North Carolina's PTA has an extraordinarily and unjustifiably high threshold of 123 days.

  • North Carolina's PTA has an extremely large discontinuity (or discontinuities), creating an extremely large cliff effect or multiple cliff effects.

  • North Carolina's PTA significantly overestimates the fixed, duplicated costs involved in shared parenting.

2019 NPO Shared Parenting Report Card

WHY DID NORTH CAROLINA RECEIVE A D-?

POSITIVES:

  • North Carolina statutes require courts to consider awarding joint custody if either parent requests it. Furthermore, courts may support their custody orders with findings of fact. N.C. GEN. STAT. § 50-13.2

NEGATIVES: 

  • North Carolina has no statutory preference for, or presumption of, shared parenting (joint legal custody and shared physical custody) for temporary or final orders.

  • North Carolina statutes do not explicitly provide for shared parenting during temporary orders.

  • North Carolina statutes do not require courts to consider “friendly parent” factors in awarding custody.

  • North Carolina statute does not contain any policy statement or other language encouraging shared parenting.