Wilmington sits in New Hanover County, North Carolina, so family court is handled at the county level. How and where to file family court papers from Wilmington: the right clerk of court, e-filing, filing fees, and self-help for custody, child support, and divorce.
Wilmington sits in New Hanover County, North Carolina. Family court matters for Wilmington residents are filed with the clerk of court for the New Hanover county. Start with the New Hanover county court resources linked on this page to confirm the family division, courthouse location, hours, and accepted filing formats. FamilyCourtHelp.com is a self-help resource and not a law firm.
North Carolina uses eCourts File & Serve (Odyssey) for electronic court filings. Whether self-represented filers in Wilmington can e-file depends on the court and case type, so confirm with the clerk before you submit. Where e-filing is not open to you, the clerk will accept paper filings in person or by mail.
Divorce filing fee: ~$225. The exact amount is set by the clerk and changes over time, so verify the current schedule before filing. If you cannot afford the fee, North Carolina courts let you ask for a fee waiver based on income.
Yes. North Carolina maintains a statewide self-help resource for people without a lawyer, and many clerks run a local self-help center too. Use those official resources for forms and procedure, and use FamilyCourtHelp.com to organize your case, draft documents, and prepare. This page is educational and not legal advice.
Wilmington is served by the New Hanover county court in North Carolina. Divorce, custody, child support, and parenting-plan cases for Wilmington residents are heard in that court's family division.