209A Abuse Prevention orders are valuable tools to protect families from domestic violence. A judge can issue a 209A that requires an abuser to stay away from his or her partner, or extend the order to include any children in the household. Because of the power of a 209A (they often are in effect for […]
With the War in Iraq officially over, scores of U.S. military members will be returning to the United States just in time for the holidays. While we are so happy to welcome our troops home, we must also recognize the host of issues facing our service members. The Department of Defense runs a website called […]
(Guest post written by Juliette Quinn, law clerk for Attorney Brian McLaughlin) On November 5, 2011 former Penn State assistant coach Gerald A. Sandusky was arrested following a Grand Jury indictment identifying eight victims of sexual abuse. The news is all over the sports stratosphere—turn on ESPN and you are bound to see up to […]
I saw this great blog post on Divorce Discourse and wanted to share it: https://divorcediscourse.com/2011/10/27/mom-consultation/ I happen to agree with most of the article, especially the premise that a third person in the room can be helpful. I find that particularly when a client is very young, having a third party is helpful for remembering […]
Massachusetts became the 23rd state to pass legislation expanding health insurance coverage to children and adults with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The law which was approved by the Governor on August 3, 2010, went into effect on January 1, 2011. With students returning to schools across the Commonwealth, it is important to explain what is […]
This is part two of Restraining Orders 101 and details the process for seeking a restraining order once it is deemed to be the right course of action. The Process: Once you have determined that getting a restraining order is the right step to take, it’s important to understand the process. The first step is […]
The purpose of alimony “is to avoid any unfair economic consequences of a divorce, even after property is divided and child support, if any, is awarded.”[1] Two Massachusetts cases illustrate how alimony changes over time, particularly when one spouse reaches retirement age. In Pierce v. Pierce (SJC-10381), Rudolph Pierce, the former husband, had been paying […]
On Sunday May 22 I had a chance to compete in my very first road race. Using my bike that I pedal with my arms, I raced the 5.6 miles in a little over an hour finishing over home plate at Fenway Park. The Run to Home Base is an annual event that seeks to […]
There are three different types of marital agreements, each requiring a different standard of review by a judge. The three are: prenuptial agreements, postnuptial agreements and separation (divorce) agreements. This blog post will focus on postnuptial agreements. What is a postnuptial agreement? A postnuptial agreement is a contract between two spouses. This agreement is different […]
This is a two part series about the Restraining Order process in Massachusetts. Part 1 will give information if you are considering requesting a restraining order while Part 2 will detail the process of obtaining the protective order. Restraining Orders 101 If you or a loved one is experiencing domestic violence, a restraining order may […]
