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There is no longer a need to request a restraining order to prevent a former partner from distributing naked pictures of a person. On June 20, 2024 Massachusetts enacted a law entitled “An Act to prevent abuse and exploitation” This law creates criminal penalties for...
On October 31, 2012, Massachusetts enacted a new law to protect domesticated animals from domestic abuse. In order to obtain an order under this new law, there must also be a protective order for the protection of people. Under this law, the court can order possession...
When a marriage deteriorates, some people decide that they should spy on their spouse to either help them decide if they should get a divorce or to gain an advantage in a divorce. Many people think that proof of adultery will gain them an advantage in...
It is not uncommon for parties to a divorce to consider joint physical custody. A joint physical custody arrangement occurs when the children spend approximately equal time with each parent. In some cases, this is best for the children. In many cases, the parents seek...
A divorce needs to address all marital assets and liabilities. Included in the liabilities are joint credit card debt. The final divorce judgment should address the joint credit card debts and explain who must pay the debt. The debt can be split between the spouses or...
On May 31, 2012, the First CircuitCourt of Appeals unanimously struck down Article 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). DOMA was enacted in 1996 in response to the possibility that Hawaii would legalize same gender marriage. Section 2 of DOMA allows individual...
Facebook and social networking are rapidly impacting divorces. It is not uncommon for information posted on Facebook to be used as evidence in divorce and custody matters. I was recently interviewed on television on this issue. People post information on Facebook...
Divorce in this country occurs in all cultures and religions and Islamic couples are not immune from divorce. A divorce in Florida reportedly raises unusual issues because of a traditional Islamic custom called a Sadaq. A Sadaq is a marriage contract in which it is...
QDRO stands for “Qualified Domestic Relations Order.” The term is created by federal law and applies to retirement plans created under ERISA, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. ERISA is the federal law that allows private employers and individuals to have...
As a general rule, parents, after divorce, don't communicate well with each other. If they could communicate well, they probably wouldn't have gotten divorced. This lack of communication creates a vacuum. Just as nature abhors a vacuum, so do children. Unless the...
