Fairman Law Office PLLC

04/25/2026

Celebrating justice getting done!

I replaced two other attorneys in February for a guy with 24 felonies pending against him. I dug in and found all kinds of problems, including that these cases had been pending for four to eight years. So I got to work and filed a stack of speedy trial motions.

ALL 24 FELONIES ARE NOW DISMISSED! The guy does his time on a plea one of his former attorneys got him on a couple other charges and he goes home. Feels good when the right thing gets done!

02/07/2026

The Court of Appeals issued an opinion on February 4 that is pretty useful to family lawyers. I’ll summarize it here:

Child Support; Temporary Orders converting to Permanent Orders; calculating business expenses -
Flores v. Gutierrez COA 25-457

The trial court erred in treating temporary child support orders as permanent by operation of time. Plaintiff had "consistently and timely" calendared the matter before and after those orders were entered, and several orders indicated the parties were attempting to mediate the issue. It also treated those orders as permanent because the case was removed from the docket (administratively closed). However, its "observation" that all issues had been resolved was not a finding of fact or a conclusion of law. Further, removing a case from the docket does not permanently close the case. It also erred in failing to calculate child support to the date the complaint was entered. A temporary order does not alter the presumption that child support begins at date of filing. There was no finding to support deviation. It did not err in using the Defendant's most recently provided tax return for business expenses, as case law permits using evidence available when the party has failed to produce other records.

12/28/2025

The law can change so quickly! As an attorney who does appeals, I definitely want to keep up. You can find short summarys of many new opinions hot off the press on my blog, located at fairmanlawofficepllc.com. Here are the ones covered so far, which have come dow in the last 30 days:

State v Jones, COA-107: Defendant denied writ of certiorari when he is partially at fault for his notice of appeal not being entered on time because he attacked his attorney in court.

State v Escalante: COA 25-64 Defendant lacked standing in motion to suppress when he did. It allege making call on his own phone.

In Re A.K.G.; COA 25-152
Detailed review of G.A.L. duties with respect to minor respondent, reminder abuse adjudication is a status separate from culpability.

Nzewunwah v. Nzewunwah: cOA 25-590
cautionary tale when using income from another country in child support

Edwards v Strata Solar,LLC: 25-405-1
Great case about s*x discrimination in wrongful termination

In re L.M., S.C., (etc.) COA 25-471
Necessary showing for a continuance in 7B case

State v Dean: COA 24-654:
State not required to identify which isomer present for m**h possession

State v. Mosley: COA 25-53:
Detailed analysis of double jeopardy when charging for kidnapping and related felony

State v Cruz: COA 25-456
Detailed analysis of what statements are made under interrogation as well as while in custody.

Let me know if this is useful to you!n

134 S. Main St., Graham, NC 27253 336-245-2488

12/06/2025

New name, different phone number, same lawyer!

With things being the way they are, I thought it might help to publish a price list.

Consultations for non-criminal cases: $200; criminal xases in office, $150; at jail $250.

1. For Anyone in North Carolina:

Appellate Representation: $8000 plus costs.

Uncontested divorce: $500 plus costs (must consent to my choosing the county of filing)

Separation Agreements: $1000 - $1200 drafting with limited changes; hourly billing for additional negotiations

Premarital Agreements: $1000 - $1200 drafting with limited changes; hourly for additional negotiations

Simple Will, Detailed and customized health care and durable powers of attorney (package): $1000 for individual, $1500 for couple

Stepparent Adoptions: $2000 plus costs

Non stepparent adoptions: $2500 plus costs

2. For Alamance, Orange, Chatham, Person, Randolph, Guilford and some other counties:

- all services listed above

Child custody with consent orders: $2500 plus costs

Child custody without consent order: $250/hour

Child Support Establishment through the county: $700; modification $750; in civil court, $250/hour

Domestic Violence Restraining Orders: $1200- $1500

Equitable Distribution: $250/hour

Alimony: $250/hour

Driving while Impaired: $1000

Felony Representation:
Lower level, no jury trial: $3500; jury trial additional $2000
Mid level, no jury trial: $6000, jury trial additional $3000
Upper level, no jury trial: $12,000, jury trial additional $4000.

Call 336-245-2488 for an appointment.

12/21/2024

Happy Holidays to all of you from Fairman Family Law! This year, while you’re thinking about what to give and what you may hope for, take a few moments to share your gratitude for someone - or maybe someone different every day for the rest of the year. Tell them you’re grateful for them and why. We’re grateful for your trust in us during some of the hardest times in your lives and hope to keep being here for you for many years to come.

11/16/2024

If the circumstances are right, a person who is not a biological parent may have a claim for custody in North Carolina. It is somewhat tricky, so if you want to learn more, find an attorney who has done this type of case and knows the law well enough to go through the case law and the different ways to prove inconsistent acts.