Most people expect that a divorce will involve dividing the family home, retirement accounts, vehicles, and personal belongings. Few people think about cemetery burial plots. Yet burial plots can become a surprisingly emotional issue during a Massachusetts divorce....
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How to Prepare for a Divorce Deposition
By Alan J. Pransky | Attorney at Law One of the most stressful events in a divorce case can be receiving notice that you must appear for a deposition. Many people have never participated in a deposition before and are understandably nervous about what will happen. The...
What Is a Power of Attorney—and Why Should You Have One?
A power of attorney (POA) is one of the most important legal documents you can have in place, yet many people don’t think about it until there is a crisis. Simply put, a power of attorney allows you (the “principal”) to authorize another person (the “agent” or...
Can Using AI Waive Attorney-Client Privilege? Lessons from United States v. Heppner
Artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, and other large language models are rapidly becoming part of everyday life. People use them to write emails, summarize documents, and even analyze legal problems. But a recent federal case — United States v....
Tax Law Tips Every Newly Married Couple Should Know
Marriage changes many things in your life. One of the least romantic—but most important—changes happens quietly in the background: Your tax status changes immediately. Whether you marry in January or December, the IRS considers you married for the entire tax year....
What To Do If Your Spouse Starts Living With a Paramour
Discovering that your spouse is living with someone else can be emotionally devastating. It also has important legal and financial consequences that many people don’t think about right away. Whether you plan to reconcile, separate, or eventually divorce, it’s...
How do you create a successful parenting plan for parents who don’t live together?
A successful parenting plan is a comprehensive, clear, and practical agreement that outlines how separated or divorced parents will raise their children. It should prioritize the best interests of the child while ensuring both parents have a clear understanding of...
Separation agreements can’t contract away bankruptcy protections
I recently negotiated a separation agreement in a divorce in which the opposing attorney insisted on inserting a clause that on its face prevented the parties from receiving the benefit of bankruptcy laws if one of them filed a bankruptcy petition in federal court....
The court didn’t give me custody of my children. Am I a bad parent?
In most custody cases, both parents are good parents who can take care of the children. A judge has to decide custody between two good choices. In most Massachusetts custody battles, custody is not decided on the basis that one parent is bad. The standard applied by...
What can a parent do when they are the victim of parental alienation?
There is no perfect answer to this question. As long as one parent keeps fueling the alienation flames, the alienation will continue. Every case of parental alienation is different but the cause is the same. One parent uses the children as weapons to hurt the other...
