Hi there, Many of you will end up being able to co-parent admirably, and this will include many of you who are struggling with the tough initial stages of working out a co-parenting arrangement. If no one is pathological, then time will generally settle things down. In the meantime, here are some tips to keep things from blowing… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Child Custody
Subscribe to Child Custody RSS FeedClarification of Standard for Modifying Child Support in Massachusetts
Posted in Child Custody, New Child Support GuidelinesHi there, On March 12, 2013, the Supreme Judicial Court clarified the standard for modification of child support under the Massachusetts child support guidelines in the case, Morales v. Morales. Before the Morales case there was an ambiguity in the law, where 0ne portion indicated the standard for modification of child support payments was a material… Continue Reading
Holiday Parenting Schedules
Posted in Child CustodyHi there, After the elections comes the holiday season. This time of year is particularly tough for folks who have never gone through the holidays except as an intact family. It is also a tough time for divorce lawyers and family courts, as lots of families are unable to settle holiday scheduling differences without recourse to… Continue Reading
More Kid Stuff
Posted in Child CustodyHi there, It is great to be back in the real world outside of the courtroom. Trials are fun, but life goes on and the emails and phone calls pile up. My thanks to my colleague Andrea for her piece on parental alienation while I was otherwise occupied. I truly am disturbed by parental alienation cases. … Continue Reading
Parental Alienation in Divorce: The Kelly Rutherford Divorce Saga
Posted in Child Custody, Parenting, Children & DivorceHi there, As I am in the midst of a trial, I thought this would be a good time for one of my associates, Andrea Dunbar, to fill in for me with a timely guest post on the issue of parental alienation in divorce. Check it out below! Best, Nancy ________ Kelly Rutherford, who portrays the… Continue Reading
Helping your kids with divorce
Posted in Child CustodyHi there, It appears that the divorce rate is declining. That can only be considered good news, but anecdotally I think it means that the percentage of tougher cases has increased for practitioners. I have noticed our group seems to have a never ending stream of custody cases. I am in the middle of a custody… Continue Reading
Custody in Military Cases
Posted in Child Custody“Military” “Military parenting”
Custody / Parenting: When To Go To Trial
Posted in Child CustodyHi there, I know I have just spent almost 2 years saying "settle if you can," but there are very compelling circumstances where going to trial may be the most effective choice. Custody and parenting issues create compelling circumstances – there is nothing more important in a divorce than the kids. If one parent is… Continue Reading
First and foremost, if you have them: The Kids
Posted in Child Custody, Steps in the Divorce ProcessHi there, Here is the first topic in the series: Top 10 Topics to Consider When Getting Divorced. If you have kids who aren’t grown up, then this can be the most difficult area to navigate. You will want to consider all of the topics in A and B below, and you may need to… Continue Reading
Holidays Are For Kids
Posted in Child Custody, Parenting, Children & DivorceHi there! As I started trying to find my tablecloths for Thanksgiving (it’s amazing what you lose when you move), I realized the holiday season was upon us and while I love this time personally, as a divorce lawyer it is both very hard and very busy. This is the season where parents have to figure… Continue Reading
Back to school, for parents
Posted in Child Custody, Parenting, Children & DivorceHi there, Massachusetts has had mandated parent education for some years. The course is titled "Understanding the Effect of Divorce on Children" and more information can be found here (PDF). I have always thought it was a good idea, not everyone gets it, of course, but I think many do. Simple civility and how to keep the… Continue Reading
Michael Jackson: Fairy Tale or Law School Exam Question
Posted in Child CustodyHi there, Along with pretty much everyone else I have been reading the ongoing saga about Michael Jackson’s death, his children and lastly, his will. I am disturbed at a professional level by the revelations coming out about his children, in particular Blanket (remember the baby and the balcony?). It resonates as somehow buying children. … Continue Reading
Who, or what, is a parent coordinator?
Posted in Child CustodyHi There, When parents cannot communicate or agree after a divorce a parent coordinator is sometime used to help resolve matters. There’s a very interesting article in this week’s issue of Massachusetts Lawyer’s Weekly which gives a much more in- depth presentation. if you are involved in any custody or disputed parenting actions you might want to… Continue Reading