North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 30. Surviving Spouses § 30-23.1. Contested proceeding regarding allowance

(a) If no contested estate proceeding was commenced by the petitioner or by order of the clerk joining respondents to the proceeding to determine an award of an allowance under this Article, any person with standing, including the personal representative of the decedent's estate, may bring a proceeding to challenge the award of a spousal allowance or a child's allowance, including, but not limited to, a proceeding to challenge the validity of an award of a year's allowance, a proceeding to challenge the amount of a year's allowance awarded, and a proceeding to challenge the assets awarded as part of a year's allowance.  If a contested estate proceeding was commenced by the petitioner or by order of the clerk joining the respondents to the proceeding to determine an award of an allowance under this Article, then any person with standing, including the personal representative of the decedent's estate, who was not a party to the contested estate proceeding may bring a proceeding in accordance with this section.

(b) Any proceeding to challenge the award of the allowance brought pursuant to this section shall be conducted as an estate proceeding in accordance with the provisions of Article 2 of Chapter 28A of the General Statutes and must be brought within one year of the date the order awarding the year's allowance was entered.