I heard that people are not allowed to bring cell phones into court.  If my hearing is in person, am I allowed to bring my cell phone to court?   During COVID-19 the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts has allowed the parties to bring their cell phones into court with them.  You still want to be […]

During COVID-19 if the hearings either in person, by phone or by zoom and I need an interpreter; what should I do?    You should contact the court directly; or if it is a trial court matter you can call 1-833-912-6878. Are masks required to enter into a courthouse? Yes.  Everyone is required to wear a […]

The answer is it is not confidential, meaning that the DCF worker can tell his/her supervisor, people in his/her office, can also tell a Judge everything that you say to him/her.  DCF will make written reports including dictation.  So, it is important that what you talked to DCF about in substance and in style are […]

I have 3 dogs and have had cats in the past.  I know the emotional attachment that can occur with pets.  However, Probate and Family Court and the laws do not bring up the same sort of best interest standards that there is for a child or the emotional attachment piece.  Under the law, pets […]

The Massachusetts law is still evolving but in child custody disputes there are significant advantages to a parent that adopts a child and the Massachusetts courts is still having issues addressing where a child is the biological offspring of one parent but the other parent did not complete the formal adoption process prior to the […]

The placement of a child in the care or custody of a state public child welfare agency with a relative family, a foster family or an adoptive family in another state.  The placement of a child by any individual or entity into another state if the placement is for the purpose of adoption. The placement […]

In order for an ICPC placement request to get started, a caseworker (or adoption entity) in the state the child is located creates a packet that includes such items as the child’s social, medical, and educational history and the current status of any court case involving the child. The packet will also include information about […]

The Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children is an agreement between all fifty states, Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Compact Agreement provides for the movement and safe placement of children between states when the children are in the custody of a state, being placed for private/independent adoption, or under certain circumstances, […]