Massachusetts Divorce and Family Law Blog
Divorce & Family Law Answers from Experienced Attorneys
Delay of Alimony Reduction: Recent Case Law
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...
Common Divorce Terms Explained
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...
Parent Education Class & COVID-19
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...
Stepparent Adoption in Massachusetts
Few things make us happier than helping with adoption matters, which we often refer to as “happy law.” Among some of the most common cases of adoption are those in which a stepparent adopts a stepchild. These cases often take place after the stepparent and stepchild...
Protecting Your Online Privacy During a Divorce
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...
Deviation from Alimony Durational Limits: Case Law
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...
Alimony Modification Durational Limit: When Does the Clock Start?
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...
Proving Reasonable Fear for Restraining Order
A restraining order serves to protect victims of abuse perpetrated by certain categories of people. In Massachusetts, a court can issue a 209A restraining order against a member or former member of the victim’s household. A court can also issue a 209A restraining...
Trust Law and Divorce
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...
Pending Criminal Case and Civil Restraining Order
Although civil and criminal cases involve some different processes and procedures, sometimes there is overlap between the two. One example deals with civil restraining orders. A party who is a victim of abuse may be able to seek a protective order in civil court....