You or your attorney can go and file a Complaint for Modification.  Sometimes you can ask the Department of Revenue to help file a Complaint for Modification or you can reach an agreement with the other side and do a Joint Stipulation on a Complaint for Modification to either terminate child support, reduce or increase […]

Generally speaking, child support continues until the age of 18 and. Under certain circumstances, the court may order payments to continue to age 21 if the child lives with a parent and is principally dependent on them for support.

The Guidelines represent up to 30 percent of gross combined income for two children, and up to 35 percent for five children.

Massachusetts has one of the highest Child Support Guidelines. There has been a new Child Support Guideline as of October 4, 2021, but historically Massachusetts also had one of the higher amounts of child support for the person paying child support in Massachusetts.

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 […]