Divorce and Family Law Blog
Written by an experienced Divorce and Family Law Attorney with offices in Boston | Andover | Newburyport | Newton
New Child Support Guidelines in Massachusetts
In Massachusetts, new child support guidelines went into effect on October 4, 2021. Click here to tune in as our attorney team discusses some of the biggest and more interesting changes to the 2021 Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines. Or, read the abbreviated...
Can a Co-Parent Force a COVID Vaccine for a Child?
Can my former spouse / co-parent force me to get a COVID vaccine for our minor child? As the COVID vaccine becomes available for younger children, many are asking this question. The short answer is that it's possible. Judges may make orders and judgments covering a...
Role of a Lawyer and Agencies in an Adoption
Regarding adoption, Massachusetts is an "agency state." Accordingly, only the Department of Children and Families ("DCF") or a Massachusetts-licensed agency may locate or place a child for adoption. Massachusetts specifically prohibits private adoptions. Private...
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...