If a judge agrees to reduce a party's existing alimony obligation, does that reduction automatically go into effect once the judgment issues? Or, can the judge delay the reduction's effective date? A recent Massachusetts Appeals Court case, Dolan v. Dolan, answers...
The divorce process is full of confusing legal jargon. To provide some clarity, we give a general overview of common divorce terms below. These divorce terms are organized under three categories: children; finances and property; and, legal procedure. Common...
A divorce can be emotionally challenging. For partners who entered a marriage with excitement for their future together, coming to terms with a new reality, separate from the other spouse, can be difficult. When the spouses have children together, however, the...
In a divorce, it is important to protect yourself -- not only physically, legally, and financially, but also when it comes to your online privacy and identity. In this article, we offer our advice for protecting your online privacy during your divorce. The...
In cases of alimony, a court may deviate from the statutory durational limits "in the interests of justice." But can this deviation from the durational limits occur even after the statutory duration has expired? Recently, the Massachusetts Appeals Court decided that...
In many cases involving alimony, the court orders a party to pay alimony at the time of divorce. In some cases, a court may modify alimony after the divorce -- either increase, decrease, or altogether terminate alimony. To prevail on an alimony modification, the...
Division of marital property is often in contention in divorce cases. And, for many divorcing couples, real property represents a major asset the parties must divide. When the matter involves real property in a trust, additional complications may arise. In a recent...
During a divorce, the court divides the parties’ marital property in an equitable manner. In order to do so, the parties must truthfully disclose their assets and liabilities. But, what if they don’t? What if there is a misrepresentation in disclosing marital assets?...
In a recent case, the Massachusetts Appeals Court considered whether a workers' compensation settlement constituted marital property in a divorce. During a divorce, the court divides the property of the spouses' in an equitable manner. Simply, equitable means fair --...
During a divorce, the court divides the parties’ property in an equitable manner. In order to do so, the parties must truthfully disclose to each other their assets and liabilities. What happens when one spouse is dishonest, or even fraudulent, in his or her...