James must pay $153 per week in child support as part of his divorce from Jeri. For the past two months, James has not paid any support to Jeri. What could happen in this case? There can be several consequences for parents when they do not pay their child support...
For many Massachusetts families, the issue of substance abuse hits home. Parents may struggle to care for their children while working on their own substance abuse issues. At a time when substance abuse has hit a high, Massachusetts families may need extra assistance...
If your case requires an order sooner, file a motion for temporary orders. The judge can hear it early. Divorce trials usually take 12 to 15 months, but you can request temporary orders within the first few months. It is often necessary for cases involving custody,...
Jack and Jen married in Massachusetts and lived together as husband and wife for four years. During this time they had one child, Jonah. Jen has left the marital home on her own. Jack wants to file for divorce, and he also wants custody of Jonah and wants Jen to pay...
How do the stages of child development impact the custody order? Whether a child is an infant, an eight-year-old, or a teenager, the court will establish custody orders with the “best interest of the [dependent] child” as the priority and focus. [1]This standard,...
Forget the sappy Hallmark ads depicting grandparental bliss. Forget the press about the important relationship forged between grandparents and grandchildren. When it comes to visitation, grandparents using the courts to assert their rights to see their grandkids face...
As the divorce rate of interfaith couples increases, judges are forced to address the issue of “spiritual custody". This means determining custody disagreements regarding religious upbringing. Often, religion is something a person holds near and dear, especially...
When divorced parents in Massachusetts have issues related to decisions involving their children, the parents can employ the use of a parenting coordinator.[1] A parenting coordinator is a neutral court-appointed party who helps divorced parents to resolve...
In a recent case, the Massachusetts Appeals Court discussed open adoption agreements. Specifically, it looked at the enforcement of clauses in agreements at the sole discretion of the adoptive parents. Background: In the case at hand, the adoptive parents adopted two...
The 2017 Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines have just come out and, whether you are an attorney handling these cases or a party paying or receiving child support, it’s worth diving deep on this particular issue. Start here with our first deep dive into the new guidelines.