Defamation is a serious issue that can arise in divorce, child custody, and domestic violence cases. Defamation is defined as the act of making false statements about someone that harm their reputation or standing in the community. This can take the form of spoken or written statements, as well as actions that imply false statements. […]
209A and Harassment Orders – Extending a 209A Order in Massachusetts
209A and Harassment Orders are protective orders issued by courts in Massachusetts to protect individuals from domestic abuse, harassment, and stalking. These orders are intended to provide a measure of safety and security for the person seeking protection, and they can include provisions such as restraining the abuser from contacting the protected person, or requiring […]
Massachusetts SJC Changes Alimony and Child Support Calculations
The Supreme Judicial Court’s recent decision in the case of Cavanaugh v. Cavanaugh has had a major impact on how alimony and child support are calculated in Massachusetts family court cases. The court’s decision, which was issued in June 2022, has revised the way in which income is considered when determining support payments, and has […]
Estate Planning Checklist For Divorce
Divorce can be challenging. Even if both parties are on board, divorce is a significant life shift, and with that comes stress, uncertainty, and change. As your needs, priorities, and goals take on a new course, one thing you don’t want to overlook is your estate plan. Estate plans typically contain important documents regarding your […]
More than a Matter of Time: Reasons You Can Annul Your Marriage in Massachusetts
Many people imagine that a marriage of short duration, say a year or less, is automatically eligible for an annulment. However, annulments are granted in only very specific circumstances, circumstances that have no relation to the length of the marriage. A marriage which a Massachusetts family court will annul is one that is either void […]
Understanding the Statute to Modify Child Custody and Parenting Time
There are circumstances in life that are out of our control—the loss of a job, for example, or an unexpected illness that can change life significantly. In these situations, it’s not uncommon for one or both parents to seek modifications to child custody or parenting time agreements to fit their evolving needs. Child custody judgments […]
New Child Support Guidelines Issued
Changes to Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines Coming in October New guidelines will make substantial alterations to how Massachusetts courts calculate how much child support is owed, effective in October. After a decade of steadily decreasing child support requirements in Massachusetts, it seems that pressure by public advocacy groups has reversed this trend. The new guidelines, […]
Signs it Might Be Time to Get a Divorce
The decision to divorce isn’t always cut and dry. While, in some cases, divorce is the best course of action, it remains a difficult decision. Only you know what is in your heart and the best way forward for you and your family. If you’re considering divorce, the following signs may help make your decision […]
Tracking Child Support Payments
Under Massachusetts law, both parents have a duty to support their child. Typically, following a separation or divorce, only one parent is considered the custodial parent. This is the parent who lives with and has primary care of the child. The support provided by the custodial parent is offered in the time and care given […]
Out of State Child Support Modification
Child Support and Out-of-State Issues Whether one parent is living just over the Massachusetts border in New Hampshire but still commutes to Boston every day, or whether the one parent is living on the West Coast while the children live with the other on the South Shore, issues of state jurisdiction may come into play […]