Family Law

• Divorce
  A divorce court judge is trained to do what’s best for each spouse and particularly for the children involved. In a simple, uncontested divorce by a couple with reasonable arrangements already worked out, a judge may quickly and easily grant a divorce, providing all of the paperwork is filed correctly.
• Child Support
  Child support is a pivotal and often contentious issue in many divorces. Both parents have a legal obligation to support their children, regardless of whether they were ever married.
• Child Custody and Visitation
  When a family is dealing with divorce, the welfare of the couple’s children should be of primary concern. And it is best for all involved if decisions about child custody — which spouse the child will live with, how the child will be cared for, etc. — are made before the couple take their divorce to court.
• Adoption
  At Kurtz & Blum, our lawyers have experience with contested and uncontested adoptions, step-parent adoptions, relative adoptions and surrogacy agreements. We work with parents in Raleigh and throughout North Carolina. Contact us today and learn more about how we can help you to add to your family’s joy.
• Paternity
• Premarital Agreement
  Prenuptial agreements are not just for celebrities and millionaires. In the beginning of a relationship, it is easy to know what is his and what is hers, and while both of you are focused on what will be fair to the other, that is the best time to set out what your agreements and expectations are. A prenuptial agreement does not say you love each other any less – it says that you are intelligent, reasonable adults who want to avoid future misunderstandings and exercise appropriate caution.
• Guardianship
  What Is Guardianship? Guardianship is a legal relationship in which a person or agency is appointed by the court to make decisions and act on behalf of a person who has been deemed and adjudicated incompetent by the court. Legal incompetence is defined as the lack of mental capacity and…
• Spousal Support
  Nothing in family law is more misunderstood than “alimony.” It strikes fear into the hearts of some – but it does not have to be frightening.
• Legal Separation
  To make a physical separation official, one spouse must obtain a legal separation, known as a “divorce from bed and board.”
• Child Abuse
  Children are precious to all of us. Our basic, humane instinct is to want to protect them from any harm. That is why child abuse allegations can evoke such emotional reactions. When people hear that something bad has happened to a child, they will often jump to conclusions and rush to judgment – without stopping to consider the presumption of innocence.

Criminal Law

• Criminal Defense
  If you have been arrested and charged with a crime, you need to speak with an experienced criminal defense attorney as soon as possible about your options. Whether you’re accused of a relatively minor offense or a serious felony, a conviction could land you in jail, cost you a great deal of time and money, scar you with a permanent criminal record, and ruin your reputation.
• DUI/DWI
  Being arrested and convicted of DWI — driving while impaired — in North Carolina can be a scary and costly experience. Even at the lowest level of punishment, a North Carolina DWI conviction can mean time in jail, thousands of dollars in fines and court costs, and the loss of driving privileges. A DWI conviction can also be held against you by auto insurers, potential employers, and others for years to come.
• Wrongful Death
  Nothing is more tragic than the untimely death of a loved one, particularly when it was due to someone else’s recklessness or negligence. While money can never make up for the loss of a life, a wrongful death claim may help you pay for funeral expenses, medical bills, lost wages, and more. If your loved one contributed to your family’s income, you may need to consider pursuing a wrongful death claim in order to pay your bills and provide for your family’s future.
• Traffic Violations
  Many people who get traffic tickets in North Carolina make the mistake of thinking they should simply pay a fine and move on, only to suffer costs and other consequences they did not anticipate — and could have avoided.
• Sex Crimes
  Child pornography is illegal under both North Carolina and Federal law. The NC statutes that address images of underage children are grouped under the heading of sexual exploitation of a minor and they prohibit viewing, creating and disseminating visual representations of minors engaged in sexual activity. A minor is defined as a person under 18 years of age.
• Fraud
  The possible penalties you can face for a conviction of prescription fraud in North Carolina depend on several factors, including...
• Robbery
  Schedule a free, no-obligation initial consultation with the experienced legal team at Kurtz & Blum today. Our Raleigh violent crime defense lawyers can answer any questions you have about serious charges such as assault, robbery, rape, or murder. Contact us for an honest assessment of your case.
• Burglary
  Some of the common types of property crime cases our attorneys handle include burglary, vandalism, breaking and entering, larceny, and arson.
• White Collar Crimes
  White collar crimes get a lot of negative media attention, but no matter how unpopular the accused person is, he or she deserves their day in court and a strong defense from a capable, skilled trial attorney.
• Theft
• Misdemeanors
  There are a number of additional elements that can result in more serious charges. These more serious crimes include Class 1 and Class A1 misdemeanors and can even grow into a wide range of felonies.
• Embezzlement
  A good defense attorney needs to understand and have experience with accounting, handwriting analysis, and computer forensics in order to effectively represent clients charged with these types of offenses. We’ve represented hundreds of people charged with fraud or embezzlement. I personally handled these types of cases since 1992.
• Drug Crimes
  Trafficking in controlled substances is the most serious drug offense under North Carolina law. Our drug trafficking laws prohibit the sale, manufacture, delivery, transport, or possession of excessive amounts of a controlled substance such as cocaine, marijuana or heroin. It doesn’t always take much to bump a mere possession charge up to a more serious trafficking charge.
• Assault
  A simple assault involves the threat of unlawful touching or bodily harm with the immediate ability to carry out the threat. This offense does not require any physical contact. Simple assault charges are the least serious assault charges that can be made against a defendant.
• Murder
  Our partners, Howard Kurtz and Seth Blum, are seasoned attorneys with over 30 years of experience, each handling and trying severe criminal cases, including capital murder. At Kurtz & Blum, rest assured that our trusted team of Raleigh lawyers will ensure you have the necessary skills and expertise to help you with a wide range of cases.
• Juvenile Crimes
  In North Carolina, a juvenile delinquent is any person between the ages of 6 and 16 who is found in violation of the law. Prior to 2017, North Carolina law stated that anyone 16 or older was to be automatically charged as an adult.
• Identity Theft
• Homicide
  Felonies such as homicide, rape, and assault with a deadly weapon are more serious crimes and carry the harshest penalties. North Carolina law recognizes 10 classes of felonies, for which penalties range from 3 months to life in prison, or death by lethal injection.
• Arson
• Shoplifting
• Forgery
  At Kurtz & Blum, we understand that difficult circumstances can lead to involvement with prescription drug fraud or forgery. Unfortunately, our legal system focuses on punishing those found guilty of drug-related crimes rather than alleviating the conditions that lead to drug abuse and fraud in the first place.
• Money Laundering
• Kidnapping
• Manslaughter
  Felony: A felony is a serious crime, which is typically punishable by a prison term of more than 1 year, as well as hundreds or thousands of dollars in fines, plus court costs. Felony traffic offenses include hit and run, vehicular manslaughter, and habitual DWI (a DWI charge following three DWI convictions within the prior seven years).
• Internet Crimes
• Prostitution
  Perhaps no other crime you can be charged with carries the stigma of a sex crime accusation, whether rape, sexual assault, indecent liberties with a minor, or prostitution. Sex crime cases are also emotionally charged and often complex, with two sides to each story.
• Extortion
  Our attorneys are skilled in dealing with electronic and computer evidence including email, text messaging, cell records, accounting data, and digital audio and video.
• Hit and Run
  We help drivers fight tickets over speeding, moving violations, hit-and-run accidents, driving with a revoked license, stop sign violations, and other traffic offenses. We also represent clients at related DMV hearings.

Employment Law

• Workers Compensation
  Employers in North Carolina who regularly have more than three employees are required to carry Workers’ Compensation Insurance to provide for employees who may be injured while working. If you were hurt at work, while you were on the job, or while you were at a required or voluntary company event, you may be entitled to workers compensation benefits. You need to make sure you have notified your employer of your injury as soon as possible, and you will be asked to fill in a form, called a Form 18 describing how the accident occurred. Many people don’t realize that what they write on that form and on the accident report can be used to deny or limit their benefits, depending on the circumstances.

Property Law

• Property Damage
  Property damage — costs to repair or replace personal property, such as a vehicle damaged in an accident, or real property damaged in a fire, a hazardous waste spill, etc.

Health Law

• Personal Injury
  The dedicated personal injury lawyers at Kurtz & Blum, PLLC, have more than a half-century of combined legal experience helping accident victims in Raleigh and throughout North Carolina.  Our respected legal team works with individuals and families who have been harmed by car and truck accidents, slip-and-fall accidents, workplace accidents, nursing home abuse, and other tragic situations. We understand what you are going through, and our attorneys are here to help.
• Auto Accidents

Finance Law

• Bankruptcy