Family Law Attorney in North Carolina
Compassionate, Full Service Family Law for Asheville and Western North Carolina
When your family is changing, you need more than a lawyer. You need someone who listens, explains your options in plain language, and helps you make decisions you can feel good about for years to come.
I am attorney Steven M. King, founder of Five Points Family Law. From my Asheville office, I guide clients across Buncombe County, along with Madison and Yancey counties, through every kind of family law matter with clarity, care, and steady advocacy.
You do not have to face your situation alone. Below are some of the ways I can help you make sense of your struggle.
Divorce
Uncontested Divorce
When you and your spouse agree on the major issues, your divorce can be faster, calmer, and far less expensive. I make sure the paperwork is done right so nothing comes back to surprise you.
Contested Divorce
When you cannot agree on custody, support, or property, I represent your interests through negotiation, mediation, or court when needed, always working to resolve disputes rather than inflame them.
High-Asset Divorce
Significant wealth brings added complexity, from business interests to investment portfolios and luxury property. I focus on careful financial analysis and strategy to protect what you have built.
Gray Divorce
Divorce later in life puts retirement accounts, pensions, and long-term security front and center. I help clients over 50 divide decades of shared finances while protecting their future.
Military Divorce
Service members and their spouses face unique issues around residency, deployment, pensions, and federal protections. I help military families navigate these rules alongside North Carolina law.
Child Custody
Few things matter more than your children. My goal is to create stable, workable arrangements that put their well-being first while protecting your role as a parent.
Visitation and Parenting Time. I help you build a parenting schedule that gives your children consistency and keeps both parents meaningfully involved.
Child Custody Mediation. Many custody matters can be resolved without court. I guide you through mediation to reach an agreement that works for your family.
Relocation and Move-Away Cases. When one parent wants to move, the stakes are high for everyone. I represent parents on both sides of relocation requests with the child’s best interests in focus.
Modification and Enforcement. Life changes, and custody orders sometimes need to change too. I help you modify an existing order or enforce one that the other parent is not following.
Emergency Custody. When a child’s safety is at risk, time matters. I move quickly to seek emergency custody and protect your child.
Child Support
Children deserve financial support from both parents. I help you reach a fair result based on North Carolina’s guidelines and your family’s real circumstances.
Child Support Guidelines and Calculations. I walk you through how support is calculated using both parents’ incomes, the custody schedule, and child related expenses.
Child Support Modification. When income or needs change significantly, support can be revisited. I help you request or respond to a modification.
Enforcement and Contempt. When a parent stops paying, you have options. I pursue enforcement and contempt proceedings to recover what your child is owed.
Deviation and Underemployment. Sometimes the standard formula does not fit, or a parent is earning less than they could. I make the case for a deviation when the facts support one.
Arrears and Wage Withholding. I help collect past due support through arrears claims and income withholding orders so payments are reliable going forward.
Protective Orders
Separation Agreements and Legal Separation
Property Division (Equitable Distribution)
Alimony and Post-Separation Support
Money worries can be a major source of stress during divorce. I help you understand your rights, whether you may pay or receive support.
Post-Separation Support. This is temporary support paid while a divorce is pending. I help establish or respond to it based on need and ability to pay.
Alimony Factors. North Carolina courts weigh many factors, including the length of the marriage, each spouse’s income, and the standard of living. I build a clear picture of your situation.
Modification and Enforcement. When circumstances change, alimony can sometimes be modified. I also help enforce support when payments stop.
Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements
Prenuptial Agreements
I draft prenuptial agreements that protect your assets and define financial expectations before marriage.
Postnuptial Agreements
Already married? A postnuptial agreement addresses the same concerns after the wedding.
Business Owner Prenups
I help business owners shield company equity and growth from division if a marriage ends.
Debt Protection
I draft agreements that assign responsibility for premarital debt so one spouse is not left liable for the other’s obligations.
Unmarried Fathers and Paternity
Unmarried fathers have real rights, but those rights often must be established first. I help fathers secure a meaningful role in their children’s lives.
Establishing Paternity. I help you confirm legal paternity through an affidavit, a court order, or a paternity action.
Fathers’ Rights, Custody, and Visitation. Once paternity is established, you can pursue custody and parenting time. I advocate for your relationship with your child.
Legitimation and Name Change. I assist with legitimation and related name change matters that affect a father’s legal standing.
Relocation Disputes. If the other parent wants to move with your child, I act quickly to protect your time and your bond.
Grandparents' Rights and Third-Party Custody
Sometimes the people best able to care for a child are not the parents. I help grandparents and other relatives step in to protect a child’s well-being.
Grandparent Visitation. I help grandparents petition for visitation when it serves the child’s best interests.
Third-Party Custody. When a parent cannot provide a safe and stable home, I help nonparents pursue custody.
Guardianship. I assist relatives seeking legal guardianship of a minor child.
Adoption and TPR Overview. When adoption is the goal, parental rights usually must be ended first. I explain how these pieces fit together.
Adoption and Termination of Parental Rights
Growing or protecting a family through adoption is a meaningful step. I guide you through the legal process with care.
Step-Parent Adoption. I help step-parents formalize the bond they already share with a child.
Termination of Parental Rights. Adoption often requires terminating a biological parent’s rights. I handle this sensitive process carefully and correctly.
Consent and Contested Adoption. Whether an adoption is agreed upon or contested, I represent your interests every step of the way.
Let’s Talk About Your Family’s Next Step
Whatever you are facing, you do not have to figure it out alone. I offer a 1-hour consultation where we can talk through your situation, answer your questions, and explore your options together.
Taking this first step does not commit you to anything except the clarity and peace of mind you deserve.
Call Five Points Family Law at 828-786-8705 and start finding answers today.