Kurtz & Blum, PLLC

08/14/2026

Two things worth remembering if you get pulled over.

First, be courteous no matter how the stop goes; being difficult with an officer never helps and can occasionally hurt.

Second, you don't have to admit to speeding. Saying something like "I know I was going fast, but so was everyone else" can come back to haunt you later.

Polite and cooperative, without admitting guilt, is the balance to aim for.

08/11/2026

The single most important thing to remember if you're charged with a violent crime: you don't have to give a statement to police without a lawyer present.

You have the right to remain silent and the right to counsel. The calm, practical move is to be polite, clearly say you want to speak to an attorney, and then stop. What you say in the moment can shape everything that follows.

08/07/2026

Alimony in North Carolina is fact-driven, which means the outcome often comes down to evidence rather than argument.

The records that strengthen a case include tax returns, bank and credit card statements, a realistic monthly budget, proof of childcare responsibilities, evidence of job searches, and documentation of the lifestyle during the marriage.

For self-employed spouses, business financials matter a great deal. Whether you're seeking support or defending against an inflated request, the side with the clearer financial picture tends to be in the stronger position.

08/05/2026

One thing people don't always expect about domestic violence matters: how quickly they move. When someone is in immediate danger, courts can act fast to put emergency protection in place.

The flip side is that someone facing an accusation may have very little time to respond before an order affects where they can live, their contact with their children, and more. Because the timelines are short and the consequences are serious, getting oriented early makes a real difference on either side of the case.

08/03/2026

Will Shuford has been practicing long enough to know what he's passionate about.

Early in his career, he defended clients across eastern North Carolina on DWIs, misdemeanors, and felonies. He later spent time in civil law, then came back to criminal defense because defending the accused is the work he's always cared about most.

District Court is where that experience really shows. Years in the courtroom have given Will a depth of knowledge that clients feel in the way he handles their case.

When he's not at the courthouse, you'll usually find him at a local barbecue spot or out on the lake.

Learn more about Will: https://cstu.io/ffb088

07/31/2026

07/31/2026

We love celebrating the people who make this firm what it is. Recently, we stepped away from our desks for a birthday lunch celebrating Sabrina, who's interning with us for the summer!

07/30/2026

One strategy that tends to backfire in alimony cases: reducing your income on purpose.

If a spouse is intentionally earning less than they're capable of, whether by quitting a job or cutting hours, a court can "impute" income to them. That means support gets calculated based on what they could earn, not what they're choosing to earn. Voluntary underemployment rarely helps. If anything, it can hurt your position.

07/28/2026

People assume that if drugs were nearby, that settles the possession question. It often doesn't.

Were they actually found on you, or in a home, car, or space that others also used? Were they in your control?

These distinctions matter, because the state has to prove possession, not just proximity. It's one of the most commonly contested points in a drug case.