Recently a letter from the Chief Justices has announced a new tentative plan of the courts in Massachusetts regarding the COVID-19 outbreak. The courts have been hearing emergency cases throughout the past two months, and more recently began to hear non-emergency matters that don’t involve an in-court session. The court system is planning to address […]

My office is open during these unprecedented times and fully functioning remotely. I am meeting with clients by phone, Facetime and Zoom. Although courts are not open for in- person public hearings, I have been having more and more hearings by phone-whether or not they are contested or uncontested. In addition, courts are proceeding and […]

You can go to the Bristol Probate and Family Court schedules to look at the monthly judicial calendar for the Probate and Family Court judges.  In Bristol County there are 4 judges and they have a particular calendar for each judge in terms of which court they sit in and what types of cases can […]

Child Requiring Assistance (CRA) The recent Standing Order OE-144 has closed courthouses off to the public other than for emergency situations. This order goes into effect May 4, 2020 and will be in effect until at least June 1, 2020. This order is applicable to non-emergency CRA hearings. According to Mass.gov,  these hearings will be […]

That would include Attleboro, Mansfield, North Attleboro, and Norton cities or towns.

Adoptions The recent Standing Order OE-144 has closed courthouses off to the public other than for emergency situations. This order goes into effect May 4, 2020 and will be in effect until at least June 1, 2020. This order is applicable to adoptions. According to Mass.gov, if a party wants to hold the adoption as […]

That would include Acushnet, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Freetown, New Bedford and Westport.

New Filings in Non-Emergency Matters The recent Standing Order OE-144 has closed courthouses off to the public other than for emergency situations. This order goes into effect May 4, 2020 and will be in effect until at least June 1, 2020. This is applicable to new filings in non-emergency matters, which should be filed by […]

That would be Fall River, Freetown, Somerset, Swansea, and Westport.

Emergency Matters 72 Hour Hearings The recent Standing Order OE-144 has closed courthouses off to the public other than for emergency situations. This order goes into effect May 4, 2020 and will be in effect until at least June 1, 2020. This can be applied to 72 hour hearings under care and protection matters. According […]