Parenthood comes with rights and responsibilities. Parents generally have the right to make to make important decisions about how to raise their children, but they also have responsibilities to provide for their children's needs. These aspects of parenthood are very...
Grandparents’ rights to visitation in Massachusetts
Divorce in Massachusetts centers on the divorcing couple and any children they may have. One group that routinely receives virtually no attention in the divorce process is grandparents. Most people might think that grandparents have only an ancillary interest in...
Military divorce in Massachusetts
Divorces that involve at least one member on active duty in the United States military can be significantly different from a divorce in which neither spouse is one active duty. Moreover, Massachusetts laws create several special issues for couples in which one or both...
Removing a guardian in Massachusetts
Many people in Massachusetts regard a guardianship as permanent until the child reaches the age of 18, the age at which the guardianship automatically terminates. However, even though most guardianships provide significant benefits for both the parents and the ward,...
What is a shared custody implementation plan in Massachusetts?
Most civil judges in Massachusetts realize that the issue of child custody in a divorce should be resolved by the parents. The legislature has provided a powerful tool to encourage divorcing parents to give meaningful consideration to child custody issues by requiring...
Understanding special needs pooled trusts
Many families in Massachusetts have at least one child with special needs. Planning for the future economic well-being of such a child is often a heavy burden with unforeseeable consequences. One method of easing that burden and ensuring a favorable outcome is the...
Understanding the consequences of failing to pay child support
When a Massachusetts couple with one or more minor children decides to end their marriage or relationship, one of the parents will ordinarily be required to make regular payments to the other parent to ensure that the children's basic needs are met. Some parents who...
Don’t face Massachusetts military divorce issues alone
These days, divorce is a common enough event, but that doesn't mean that people aren't going to have questions about it. On the contrary, many people do not have much experience with divorce law. There is also a lot of incorrect and misleading information floating...
Guardianships and adoptions — what’s the difference?
Many residents of Massachusetts have considered the possibility of becoming a guardian for a minor child or adopting a minor child. Each set of potential parents has its own expectations and wishes about how this addition to their family will affect them. One of the...
The effect of evidence of abuse on child custody
Most Massachusetts couples who have decided to obtain a divorce wonder how the court will resolve the complex question of physical custody. The court will consider a variety of factors, such as the relative incomes of the parents, the relationship between the parents...