Family Law

The Family Law Group at Pitts, Hay & Hugenschmidt handles most family law matters including adoptions, divorce, equitable distribution, claims for spousal support, child custody and child support, and termination of parental rights. We accept multi-jurisdictional cases where North Carolina shares jurisdiction with other states or countries. We do not take juvenile court or Department of Social Services cases, nor do we take cases for alienation of affection or criminal conversation. In appropriate cases we will accept cases outside Buncombe County. In conjunction with our representation in your Family Law case, we do simple Wills, Living Wills, Health Care Powers of Attorney, and General and Special Powers of Attorney.

The Family Law group at Pitts, Hay & Hugenschmidt:

Attorney Biography:

Jim Hugenschmidt has been practicing law in Asheville since he and Bob Pitts opened an office here in 1973. From 1973 to 1988 he was a general practitioner with an emphasis in Family Law. Since 1988 Jim has practiced exclusively in the area of Family Law and in 1989 was among the first group of attorneys in North Carolina to become certified as a Specialist in Family Law.

Personal History:

Born in 1944 in Canandaigua, a small town in the Finger Lakes region of western New York state.

Received an A. B. degree in History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1967.

Served in the U. S. Army 1967- 69 and in Viet Nam 1968-69.

Received a Juris Doctor degree in 1973 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Married to Mary Bouldin Hugenschmidt in 1968. Mary and Jim have two adult children and are members of St. Eugene's Catholic Church in Asheville.

Professional History

Licensed by the State Bar of North Carolina and has practiced law in Asheville since 1973.

Member of the North Carolina Bar Association.

Certified Specialist in Family Law since 1989, the first year of Family Law specialization in North Carolina.

Former member of the Family Law Council of the North Carolina Bar Association.

Former co-chair of the Legislative Committee of the Family Law Section of the North Carolina Bar Association.

Former member of the Long Range Planning Task Force of the Family Law Section of the North Carolina Bar Association.

Present member of the Family Law Board of Legal Specialization of the North Carolina State Bar.

Trained and practicing mediator.

Trained and practicing Collaborative Divorce practitioner.

Author or articles printed in the North Carolina State Bar Journal and The Family Forum publication of the Family Law Section of the North Carolina Bar Association.

Continuing Legal Education presenter for the North Carolina Bar Association and Wake Forest University School of Law.

Paralegal/Legal Assistant Biography:

Debbie Simpson received an Associates Degree in paralegal studies in 1993 and has worked as a paralegal/legal assistant in Colorado and in North Carolina. She has had experience in various types of law to include personal injury, civil, criminal, collections, water law, estate law and family law. She moved to Asheville in 2003 with her husband and their toddler son, and has worked at Pitts, Hay & Hugenschmidt since that time.