Forsyth County Family Law Attorneys

Forsyth County divorce, custody, child support, and other family cases are filed in District Court at the Forsyth County Courthouse, 175 N. Chestnut St, Winston-Salem, NC 27101. Your court papers or the eCourts Portal show the courtroom for each hearing.

Contested custody cases generally go to the state custody mediation program before a judge decides them. The court will send notice of the orientation and mediation session.

Our Raleigh family law team handles Forsyth County family cases. North Carolina lawyers can appear in any county in the state.

No. North Carolina law does not presume equal custody. A judge decides custody based on what will promote the interest and welfare of the child, and joint custody is one option the court must consider when a parent asks for it (N.C. Gen. Stat. 50-13.2).

North Carolina requires you and your spouse to live separate and apart for one year before filing for absolute divorce, and one of you must have lived in North Carolina for at least six months (N.C. Gen. Stat. 50-6). After the complaint is filed, your spouse must be served and has time to respond. How quickly the divorce is heard then depends on the court calendar.

Most cases use the North Carolina Child Support Guidelines. The Guidelines look at both parents’ incomes, the number of children, and costs such as the children’s health insurance and work-related child care. A judge can depart from the Guidelines only in limited situations.

Not always. Many parents settle custody through mediation or negotiation, and the agreement can become a consent order signed by a judge. If you cannot agree, a District Court judge decides custody after a hearing.

Family law: $50 consultation with our Director of Client Engagement. Full refund if you’re not satisfied, for any reason.

By mail, send a money order or certified check payable to the Forsyth County Clerk of Superior Court, c/o Court Payments, PO Box 20099, Winston-Salem, NC 27120-0099. Cash, personal checks, and credit or debit cards are not accepted by mail. In person, pay at the Clerk of Superior Court’s office in the Forsyth County Courthouse, 175 N. Chestnut Street, where cash and cards (with a processing fee) are accepted.

The Forsyth County Courthouse at 175 N. Chestnut Street in Winston-Salem is open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays, and the Clerk’s office is open 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The main number is (336) 779-6300. Allow time for security screening before a family court hearing.

Forsyth County family cases are heard in District Court District 31, which covers Forsyth County, according to the North Carolina Judicial Branch. Divorce, custody, child support, and domestic violence protective order cases are District Court matters. Your court papers or the eCourts Portal show the courtroom and time for each hearing.