If you have been served with divorce papers, your spouse has filed for divorce. The case is in Massachusetts Probate and Family Court. You have several options for the next steps in the case. Consider the following options: You may file an Answer to your spouse’s...
Criminal abandonment charges apply when someone intentionally or negligently refuses to care for an immediate family member. This includes a spouse, child, or parent. Several Massachusetts statutes address criminal abandonment and the legal consequences tied to this...
Anyone undergoing a divorce in Massachusetts likely has heard the term “pretrial conference.” The Standing Orders of the Probate and Family Court require a pretrial conference in all divorce cases. Rule 16 of the Massachusetts Rules of Domestic Relations Procedure...
Heidy and Hugh, both Massachusetts residents, are getting married in Boston. They are trying to determine who can solemnize their marriage in Massachusetts as they plan their big day. Heidy’s brother, who is an ordained minister in New York, would like to perform the...
Larry and Leah have been married for a decade, during which Leah was the main bread-winner through her job as a human resources director. Though Larry has held a string of low-paying jobs, he has not managed to hold down a job for very long, and he can’t seem to...
Joe and James are undergoing a divorce. Joe previously suffered an accident in which he lost his leg. James supported Joe after the accident. He provided financial, emotional, and physical help when Joe became disabled and unable to work. Joe brought suit for damages...
Suppose that a partner in a committed relationship (but not marriage) wants to have children. The other partner undergoes surgery that prevents them from having children in the future. However, they neglect to inform their partner. This leaves the partner under the...
Understanding Common Law Marriage in the U.S. You may have heard the term "common law marriage." It refers to a relationship where two adults cohabit long enough to be legally recognized as married. The U.S. Supreme Court held as early as 1877 that a such a marriage...
There is a long line of case law that has established pets as personal property. Courts have ruled that pets are personal property in various cases. These include cases involving pet loss in accidents. Other cases involve pets potentially “inheriting” their owner’s...
Massachusetts has an "open court system" for nearly every type of case. Our courtrooms and court files are open to the public. Therefore, making a divorce file private is challenging. Some types of cases, such as adoption cases, close automatically. The court also...