Alcohol Monitoring 

In North Carolina, a judge can award visitation rights on the condition that the parent abstains from consuming alcohol. If the parent consumes alcohol, his or her visitation is suspended. Now, judges have express authority from the family law statutes to require the parent to submit to “a continuous alcohol monitoring system…to verify compliance with this condition of custody or visitation.” The system must be the type approved by the NC Division of Adult Correction. If the court enters an order requiring this, the judge must order the “monitoring provider to report any violation of the order to the court.” The provider is also obligated to notify both parents of the violation. NC Gen. Stat. §50-13.2(b2).

If Child Protective Services verifies a report of abuse or neglect, it can file a petition for the court to enter an order placing the child in the custody of the Department of Social Services or foster care, if necessary.