Grandparents play a major role in the lives of their grandchildren, sometimes to the extent that they become surrogate parents. And while a child’s parents are generally presumed to have custodial rights before anyone else, it’s not always in the best interests of the child. There are cases in which grandparents can petition the Massachusetts…
Child custody decisions aren’t written in stone. Courts recognize that situations can change for parents and their children and that these changes may necessitate a modification of custody. But not every change will require modifying the custody order. Whether you’re the parent requesting a custody modification, or the one opposed to it, you deserve to know…
The traditional Probate and Family Court system is effective for many clients. But some divorce and family law cases can be resolved faster and with less expense. This depends, in part, on the clients’ ability to communicate with each other even in an emotionally difficult time. For such couples, conciliation could be very beneficial. Conciliation…
The support of children during and following a divorce is a complex matter. The interplay between child support and college education expenses is an example of this. Payment of college education expenses, like child support, can be enforced, modified, or terminated in the Probate Court. Typically, when a child is attending college full-time and is…
In the wake of the opioid epidemic that was declared a public health crisis in 2017, there has been an uptick in the number of children needing care that their parents are unable to provide to them. In many cases, grandparents are stepping up as guardians to their grandchildren, many who were planning to retire…
The divorce process usually is not a pleasant experience for the two parties involved. However, children can also find the ordeal to be irksome, particularly when the parents cannot agree on how to address child custody. Here is a glimpse at a couple of harmful mistakes that parents in Massachusetts often make when faced with…
Ending a marriage in Massachusetts can no doubt be hard on both of the spouses involved, but their minor children can also find the process difficult, especially emotionally. The holidays may be particularly tough for the family to deal with following divorce. Still, parents who are going through the divorce process and tackling matters such…
The dissolution of a marriage can no doubt be difficult for spouses in Massachusetts to process. However, it can be just as hard on their young children from an emotional standpoint, particularly if a child custody conflict is a point of contention. Fortunately, there are a few things parents can do to help their children…
Divorce can be just as hard on the children as it is on the parents. Just as parents react to divorce in a variety of ways, children also react to their parents’ separation and child custody disputes, with some being only a little unsettled whereas others are traumatized. Here are a few tips for helping children…
When two parents in Massachusetts get divorced, their divorce decree will spell out which parent will get to keep their shared children. It will also detail how visitation will work. Two types of custody that are important to take into consideration when working out a child custody arrangement during divorce are legal custody and physical…
