When a married couple decides to divorce and they have dependent children, they must decide what will happen to their children. Child custody decisions can be some of the most contentious and difficult decisions to make on divorce. The best solution is for the couple...
Types of Child Custody in Massachusetts
Making decisions about how to care for dependent children on separation or divorce can be one of the most challenging and stressful experiences. Child custody decisions must be part of any separation agreement which needs to be submitted to the Probate and Family...
So When Am I Actually Divorced in Massachusetts?
Every state has its own rules on divorce and the divorce procedure, so if you and your spouse, or you alone, are considering getting divorced, you need to find out what those rules and procedures are before actually filing for divorce. One of the most confusing parts...
Post-Divorce Agreement Modifications in Massachusetts
Going through a divorce can be a stressful and challenging process. If you have joint children with your spouse and have been married for quite some time, divorce agreements can take quite a long time to make. Divorce agreements can be made between you and your spouse...
Residency Requirements in Massachusetts When You File for a Divorce
Most states have some kind of residency rule that restricts a couple from filing for divorce if they haven’t spent enough time in the state. In fact, there are only three states, i.e. Alaska, South Dakota and Washington, that don’t have some kind of residency minimum...
Property Division: How are Assets are Divided in Massachusetts?
If you are going through a divorce, there are two particularly difficult decisions to be made by you and your spouse. If you have children who are still dependent on you, you have to think who they are going to live with, how each of you can have quality time with...
Is a Petition for Separation Required In a Divorce In Massachusetts?
The difference between a divorce and a separation In Massachusetts, a divorce legally ends a marriage. A separation is not a divorce, so if two spouses decide to separate and live separate lives, they still remain married. When one or both spouses file a petition for...
Difference Between Joint Legal and Joint Physical Child Custody in Massachusetts
Separation or divorce can be a challenging and stressful experience and if there are shared children, plans about how to care for them can be some of the most difficult decisions to make. If the two parents can come to a mutually agreed plan about child custody, then...
Postnuptial Agreements in Massachusetts
Many people are aware of premarital contracts such as prenuptial agreements (prenups) and what they are designed to do. Prenups clarify financial arrangements before a couple gets married so that if there is a breakdown in the marriage subsequently and a divorce is...
What are the Types of Tenancy in Massachusetts?
Around 35% of Massachusetts residents rent somewhere to live. This figure is about average for the whole of the United States, although it hides differences based on age, socio-economic group and location. For example, older or retired people are more likely to have...
Restraining Orders in Massachusetts
What are restraining orders? Restraining orders, also called abuse protection orders in Massachusetts, are court orders that are aimed at preventing someone from potentially harming, actually harming, or harassing someone who may or may not be in their family....
How Long Do You Have to Be Married In Massachusetts to Get Half?
If you have heard that the assets of you and your spouse could be split 50/50 by a Massachusetts court, then you are only partly correct. Of the 50 states, only 9 of them are what are called community property states. In these states (which include Washington,...
5 Things Testators and Executors Should Never Do in Massachusetts
Estate planning in Massachusetts requires knowledge and precision – and this means that knowing what to do is equally important as knowing what NOT to do. The law heavily regulates the subjects of Wills and estate administration. Since the goal of making a Will is to...
Making a Valid Will and Three Estate Planning Tools in Massachusetts
There is only one thing more important than making a Will in Massachusetts - it is making a valid Will. There are different sets of legal requirements for a Will to be valid in Massachusetts and they include: Capacity (such as age, soundness of mind, the appointment...
False Allegations Made in a Divorce in Massachusetts
Deciding child custody arrangements before a divorce can be frustrating when the two parents disagree about how they should be made. If the parents cannot come to a mutually acceptable decision about child custody themselves, or with the help of a counselor and/or...
Modifications to Alimony Payments in Massachusetts
Several circumstances may require a former spouse to request a modification to an alimony order. Some of them include: the reduction or cessation of the income of the paying spouse (e.g., economic difficulties or loss of job not deliberately caused by the paying...
Unmarried Parents vs Married Parents Rights to Custody in Massachusetts
Separating from a spouse or partner when you have children who are not yet old enough to look after themselves is often an anxious and challenging experience. In Massachusetts, there is a clear distinction between the rights of married couples who are going through a...
Deciding Pet Custody in a Divorce Case in Massachusetts
Parting with your spouse may be very painful or good riddance, but never with your innocent pet. For couples who have both developed a deep emotional connection with their pet, the subject can be quite touchy considering the need not only to restart your love life...
How Divorce Affects Trusts in Massachusetts
Most couples arrange their financial affairs so that in the event that one of them dies prematurely, the other spouse is the major or only beneficiary. Shared children may change the arrangements that spouses make so that children are taken care of if one or the other...
Why is it Always Important to Leave a Mediation With a Signed Agreement in MA
Why agree to mediation? Mediation can be used in all sorts of circumstances where there is a disagreement or dispute between two parties. Mediation is rarely used for criminal cases. Examples of circumstances where mediation can be of use include: disputes between...


















