The new minimum orders are between $12 and $20 per week for gross incomes ranging from less than $210 per week up to $249 per week. Above $249 per week the regular guidelines calculation applies. This is highlighted by the shaded section in the 2021 Child Support Guidelines Chart.

It depends.  This is something that would be advantageous to a least get a copy of the records if you are able to.  There are ways that attorneys can subpoena some of the records and some of the therapeutic records for the child if there is a valid therapist patient privilege you might need a […]

If you have an attorney, the attorney would get the records and with an Affidavit from the supervised visitation center.   At a minimum, you should get a copy of the visitation records close to the court date so that you can be able theoretically present it to the court to either argue that one party […]

The amount of restitution ordered by the court must be based on evidence presented to the court or on a stipulation by the parties. The judge must determine (1) the amount of actual economic loss proved, (2) the appropriate length of the probation period, and (3) the defendant’s maximum monthly ability to pay. On the other […]

DCF has a variety of policies and procedures in something called CMR related to what they are supposed to do.  However, there can be a great difference in which office handles the case. Some offices have a different reputation on a practical level.  It can be a dramatic difference in terms of which office handles […]

Parents in Massachusetts are permitted to change the name of their child as long as the minor is in their legal custody. Anyone under the age of eighteen (18) is considered a minor. In order to legally change their child’s name, the parent or legal guardian must file a petition with their county court. The petitioner […]

The Parenting App is a court approved secure app and platform for better communication between co-parents. Co-parent messages on OurFamilyWizard can never be edited, deleted, or retracted.  The most common parenting app that the courts use that is paid is the “Our Family Wizard” and there are costs associated with this, it is the most common app.  There […]

In Massachusetts there is an interesting new case about reasonable efforts in a DCF Care & Protection Case.  The name of the case is Care and Protection of Rashida it is a 2021 case.  It involves what is determined to be reasonable efforts.  Reasonable efforts are efforts made to preserve and reunify families prior to the […]

You always want to do what you can in protecting your children and you would know that better than any attorney or anybody else.  You do want to be cautious about calling DCF; particularly, if there are issues that are going on in Probate Court that have not been brought up in Probate Court.  For […]

Every case is unique, you would not want to speak to the reporter. One, the reporter remains unknown and it will be redacted in whatever records that you get and you might be confronting the wrong person who is not actually the reporter.  Second, the reporter itself is unlikely to go well and if you […]