Getting a divorce is traumatic and sometimes you can spend too much time, money and emotions in an unwise fashion.  5 Tips:  Do not fight over the “pots and pans”.  Personal property has a lot of emotions involved and some sentimental pieces are very important but many times people spend too much time fighting over […]

Talking to social workers, court investigators and GAL’s is stressful.  They are looking at you like you are on stage and looking to see if you are a loving, stable and thoughtful parent. A few hints are:  keep focus on children not your or significant other or ex if you need to make focus on […]

The costs of insurance can be prohibitive and is a very important factor in may divorces both for the spouse and children. For the spouse and children most issues are similar: 1. The policy effect 2. What is the obligation of the coverage 3. The duration of that obligation 4. what happens if policy changes […]

Every case is unique but this is a common question. Many people are concerned with ‘abandonment”. This is typically not the issue with leaving the house(in a very few cases it might be) but moving out does impact you case. A negatives include that it sets a precedent and a divorce can take some time […]

In MA, you can dismiss your complaint for divorce. Usually, the other party assents and you can do this administratively. If the other side filed a counterclaim( which is typical) the divorce would still go forward unless it was agreed to dismiss. Either party may seek a divorce even if the other spouse is opposed.

You can file something called a “contempt” action saying that the other side has violated the court order. You need to show what the court order is and how it was violated. There are technical requirements but the order should be clear and the violation should be straightforward. The court has a lot of remedies […]

As you probably guessed the answer is YES! Be very careful what you post. I have seen people claim to have no money in front of a judge and be confronted with Facebook posts of expensive vacations or new cars. I have seen many cases where one parent badmouths the other ( and sometimes the […]

In many counties in Massachusetts an ARC attorney can be appointed to represent the child’s voice. It is a pro bono program ( there is no costs to the parties). The ARC attorney acts as the child’s voice in court. This is not available in DCF C&P cases( child counsel may be appointed through CPCS) […]

It can be overwhelming, upsetting and confusing to receive divorce paperwork even if you are expecting a divorce, never mind if you were unaware. It may be very emotional and easy to ignore or act inappropriately. However, there are some important steps to prepare and respond. You should keep track of when you receive the […]

Many people may have heard of a Guardian Ad Litem, but are not sure exactly what it does. What a GAL does is that it provides information and helps assist the Court in disputes relating to family or probate matters. There are different categories of a GAL; including an Investigator; Evaluator; and a “Next Friend”. […]