Before a Massachusetts resident begins the difficult process of making personal and financial decisions about how to manage a divorce, he or she must first file the appropriate paperwork with the appropriate court in order to initiate the legal proceedings. Matters...
Political, financial concerns causing some to put off divorces
The decision to divorce is very personal and can only be made by the parties to the ending relationship. However, sometimes social, political, and economic factors can influence Massachusetts residents and other Americans to modify their marriage-ending plans. At...
A child’s special needs may require extended child support
It is a common dream among Massachusetts parents that their children thrive during their younger years and then arrive at adulthood prepared to take care of themselves and face the challenges that come with being grown-ups. However, when some children turn eighteen...
Why might a child be appointed a legal guardian?
When it comes to making important decisions about children's lives their parents often fill the role of judgment makers. Parents in Springfield regularly make choices about how to have their children treated for medical conditions, how they will have them educated and...
Summer holidays can cause scheduling problems in split families
After a Springfield couple has ended the marriage through divorce, the former partners may be prepared to begin their separate lives. They may feel as though the agreements and decisions that they made during the divorce will allow them to live independently of each...
Understanding the law if your spouse wants to move
Whether Massachusetts residents are custodial parents or non-custodial parents of children, the decision to move, following a divorce, is not something that should ever be taken lightly. Regardless of the reasoning, the courts have various protections and procedures...
How do courts determine the ‘best interests of a child’?
Throughout the court system in United States, including the courts in Massachusetts, one of the primary objectives is to protect any children involved in a divorce. The courts understand that a divorce has the potential to affect children, and it should come as no...
Know what to expect with child custody visitation rights
As we have stressed in the past, the divorce is never easy and seldom painless for all parties involved. Although on occasions both spouses are on the same pages with many of the decisions that need to be made, this is rare. More often than not, there are differences...
Understanding Grandparents’ rights in Massachusetts
While parents are granted custodial rights to their children at birth, there are certain situations that may arise that require someone else to care for those children. These cases are rare though. But, that should not dissuade a grandparent who believes that the best...
A look at alimony and family law
We all know that having and taking care of children can be a full-time job. That is why many married couples choose to have one spouse stay home with the child, while the other spouse works. This may be all well and good for both parents during a happy and healthy...