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The Violence Against Women Act: What is it and why should Congress renew it?
In 1994, the United States Congress enacted the Violence Against Women Act, which was the first U.S. federal legislation criminalizing domestic violence and sexual assault, and assigned federal...
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What does a Collaborative Law Financial Neutral Do?
Guest Post Introduction: Jessie L. Foster, CFP®, CDFA™, MBA is a Collaborative Law Financial Professional who works with clients and their attorneys to fully understand the financial complexities...
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What can Star Trek teach us about Collaborative Divorce?
Image from WikipediaTwo of my favorite articles regarding leadership were written by Alex Knapp of Forbes: Five Leadership Lessons From James T. Kirk; and Five Leadership Lessons From Jean-Luc Picard....
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Joint Petition for Modification: A Proposal for an Expanded & Simplified...
Massachusetts Supplemental Probate and Family Court Rule 412 currently allows for the filing of a Joint Petition for Modification of Child Support when two parents agree that the child support figure...
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DOMA Creates Problems for Second Marriages
Often poorly written legislation has unintended consequences. DOMA (the so-called Defense of Marriage Act) allows states to ignore marriages from other states or countries, when those marriages are...
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Who pays the child's uninsured medical expenses in a divorce?
While it is often typical for couples to agree to split the uninsured medical expenses in a divorce case, the Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines actually suggest a slightly different approach:"3)...
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How can the DOR help collect child support?
You may have seen that the latest New Jersey Powerball Winner who won $338,000,000 owes $29,000 in child support. If the mother who is owed child support was using the state government to help her...
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Does the court consider tax consequences in a divorce?
As the income tax filing deadline approaches, we are all wondering how we can reduce our income tax bill and increase our refund. Anyone who is considering divorce, going through a divorce, or has...
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Cohabitation: What is it?
Cohabitation typically refers to two people in an intimate relationship living together while not being married. According to a USA Today article summarizing recent cohabitation statistics,...
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What is the Standard for Amending Parenting Plans?
Most parenting plans drafted by experienced practitioners will include language along the following lines:"Nothing contained in this Agreement shall preclude both parents from jointly and voluntarily...
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The process for amending a family court order in Massachusetts begins with the filing of a Complaint for Modification. If you are able to reach agreement on the amendment of a child support order, you...
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Who pays for health insurance after the divorce?
Even if you can stay on an ex-spouse's health insurance (which we cover in this previous post), there are two potential costs of staying on an ex-spouse's insurance.The first is the actual cost of the...
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Should you Give your Ex-Wife a Mother's Day Card?
I stopped at the grocery store yesterday to pick up a few items. Since this weekend we celebrate Mother's day I made the obligatory trip down the greeting card aisle. Of course, the seasonal section...
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Can a parent visit their children if there is a restraining order protecting...
In a recent Supreme Court decision, Moreno vs. Naranjo, SJC-11070 (2013) , the SJC dismissed an appeal as moot for a 209A order that had expired, but addressed the underlying issue anyway in order to...
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Can I get Divorced in Massachusetts if I was married in another country?
Assuming you are a resident of Massachusetts for 1 year, or you meet one of the other jurisdictional requirements to have your case heard in Massachusetts, the fact that your marriage was solemnized in...
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What can Beer teach us about Hiring a Lawyer?
Last Friday, May 31, 2013, I attended the American Craft Beer Festival at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston. It included more than 140 brewers providing samples of over 600 different beers. I...
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Should You give your Ex-Husband a Father's Day Card?
I recently wrote about the lack of any Mother's Day cards designed specifically "For My Ex-Wife." Of course the same is true for Father's Day. The seasonal section is now full of cards ranging from...
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Summer Lovin' Series: Unmarried Parents with a Baby on the Way!
Summer is finally here. The air is humid, the sunblock is out, and it's finally time for vacations and school break. But enjoying summer too much has its consequences. Our Summer Lovin' series is...
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New Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines will Reduce Support for Many
On Thursday, June 20, 2013 Chief Justice of the Trial Court, Robert A. Mulligan, announced via Press Release the latest revisions to the Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines which will become...
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High Income Households under the New Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines
The new Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines effective on August 1, 2013 provide more specificity for the court on how to calculate child support when the combined household income exceeds...
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