The Massachusetts Probate and Family Court has substantially revised Standing Order 3-23, which requires completion of a four-hour online parenting course, which has been renamed “Two Families Now.” The revised Standing...more
Holidays aren’t always happy and can be particularly challenging for those experiencing their first holiday season post-divorce or in the midst of divorce. If you find yourself struggling to handle the holidays surrounding...more
The Massachusetts Probate and Family Court has issued Standing Order 3-23, which requires parties to divorce, annulment, parentage, and modification actions involving custody or parenting time filed on or after November 1,...more
When parents divorce, finding a way to communicate about the children amidst grief, anger, or resentment can be a challenge. Several mobile applications are available to help facilitate smoother communications, including some...more
Alcohol consumption is widespread in American culture. A 2020 study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control found that two-thirds (66.3%) of American adults consumed alcohol in the past year, with 5.1% of them admitting...more
A parenting coordinator is a third party hired by divorced or divorcing parents to help resolve parenting disputes – such as holiday and vacation plans, the selection of activities for the children, or school choice. Under...more
On August 2, 2021, Chief Justice of the Trial Court, Paula M. Carey, signed new Child Support Guidelines, which go into effect on October 4, 2021. These new guidelines are the result of work by the Child Support Guidelines...more
As my partner Andrea Dunbar recently wrote, it is inappropriate to post negative comments about the opposing party in a custody matter on social media. But can the court prohibit it? The answer in most cases is no....more
This year has been filled with strange new and different ways of interacting (or rather not interacting) with family and friends. I was happy to see that one thing stayed the same – holiday photo cards. I have to admit that...more
You have considered your options, asked yourself the right questions, and started searching for an attorney. You are ready to get divorced. Now what?
In the second episode of our new webinar series, Robin Lynch Nardone and...more
One of the most frequent questions I am asked by parents involved in custody disputes is: “when is my child old enough to decide to live with me?” The answer – that children under age 18 in Massachusetts do not get to make...more
Divorce is hard. Along with all the emotional upheaval associated with the end of a relationship, the legal wrangling and disputes over division of assets, allocation of liabilities, parenting plans and the appropriate amount...more
On July 8, 2019, the Massachusetts legislature approved changes to the law surrounding orders for health insurance coverage in cases where child support is ordered. The statutes impacted include G.L. c. 208 (the divorce...more
In addition to irretrievable breakdown the marriage, which I explored in my last post, a party seeking a divorce in Massachusetts can do so under one or more of the fault grounds, which require proof of specific facts to...more
In my previous post on Adopting a Stepchild, I explained the steps to go through for an uncontested adoption. Many adoptions are very simple and straightforward. However, in situations where there are disagreements about what...more