Posted by Attorney Bruce Watson When applied to children, it’s putting a child in grave danger due to negligence of a particular act. In the state of Massachusetts, it usually works under two different legal scenarios. The first is the act of creating the risk, and the second is not doing anything to prevent that […]
How does the court divide property in a divorce in Massachusetts?
Posted by Attorney Bruce Watson The Massachusetts Probate & Family Court is required to consider so-called “Section 34” factors in fixing the nature and value of the property in determining the division of that property between the parties. Those factors are spelled out in Section 34 of Chapter 208 of the General Laws. The pertinent […]
We are getting divorced, and he did not disclose all assets.
Additional Information: We are in the process of getting a divorce. My soon to be ex-husband has hidden assets that he did not disclose. I came across the bank statements, so I have the account #s and know the exact amount. He works with a local developer in Rockland, so his income fluctuates based on […]
What is the cost to file divorce in Massachusetts?
There is a fee to file a divorce, and to get a summons. As of July 1, 2009, the filing fee is $200.00, plus a $15.00 surcharge, and a summons costs $5.00. Notifying your spouse, called service of process, can cost around $30.00 or more if he or she lives far away. Greater Boston divorce […]
What are Grounds for an Annulement in Massachusetts?
Annulments “undo” a marriage by treating the couple as if no marriage had ever occurred. If one party was not legally able to enter a marriage because, for example, they were already married to someone else, the marriage is “void” from the beginning. If there is some other reason why the marriage should not be […]
Can an order for child support be modified without going to court?
Additional Information: My ex husband and I have agreed to higher support payments as the after school program for our children in the Greater Boston area has increased so we have drawn up a new agreement which we both signed. Is what we did legally binding or do we need to an attorney to draft […]
How is alimony determined in Massachusetts?
Additional Information: I am getting a divorce. My husband makes more money than I do, will I be eligible for alimony and how is it determined in Massachusetts? Is the duration based on the number of years we were married or another factor? ATTORNEY ANSWER: As you may have read in the Boston newspapers or […]
Can a divorce agreement be modified?
Additional Information: My ex-husband and I have been divorced for 4 years. The kids and I recently moved into a smaller house in Milton, to help with expenses, but I am not earning as much as I was and the kids are involved in more sports and activities, so I’d like to ask my ex […]
Do I have any rights to my husband’s house in Braintree, Mass?
Additional Information: When we got married, I moved into my husband’s house in Braintree, Massachusetts. We are now getting divorced and I want to keep the house. Do I have any rights to it? ATTORNEY ANSWER: You may have a right to a certain amount of the equity in the house, depending on a number […]
Do we both need to be present to file papers for divorce in MA?
Additional Information: Do a husband and wife both have to be present to file a joint petition for an uncontested divorce in Massachusetts? Do we have to go together or can we go separately? ATTORNEY ANSWER: You ask if both of you need to be present to “file”, and I have two answers. First, either […]