Category Archives: Child Custody
Do We Need to Notify a Massachusetts Court When Changing Our Child Time-Sharing Plan?
You and/or your co-parent may be interested in making changes. In Massachusetts, you should always notify the court of a material change. Within this blog post, our Peabody child custody attorney explains the key reasons why you should notify a court when changing a formal time-sharing plan in Massachusetts. A Court Order Governs Parenting… Read More »
Best Interests of the Child in Massachusetts: The Importance of Parental Cooperation
In Massachusetts, child custody cases are subject to the best interests of the child standard (G.L. c. 208. Section 31A). That is to say that the Commonwealth evaluates custody disputes based on what is best for the health, safety, and well-being of the child. Parental cooperation is a factor courts use in evaluating this… Read More »
Moving Your Child to a Different State? What Divorced Parents in Massachusetts Need to Know
Even when a parent has primary physical custody of a child, that is the child lives with that parent most of the time, that does not mean the parent has the unilateral authority to move with the child out of state. To the contrary, when one parent seeks to relocate a child without the… Read More »
Understanding the Role of Category E GALs in a Massachusetts Child Custody Dispute
In contested child custody cases, Massachusetts courts will often appoint a person called a guardian ad litem (GAL) to investigate or evaluate certain aspects of the case. There are several types of GALs permitted under state law. Some GALs are attorneys who act as investigators and prepare factual reports for the judge about the… Read More »
Could Cannabis Use Affect my Child Custody Case in Massachusetts?
In recent years, the laws governing the recreational use of marijuana and cannabis products by adults have become far more permissive. Currently, Massachusetts allows persons 21 years or older to carry up to 1 ounce of marijuana and possess up to 10 ounces in their home. Adults can also grow their own cannabis plants… Read More »