Infinity Law Group LLC
Why Does My Lawyer Call Opposing Counsel “brother” or “sister” in court?
You might hear your lawyer often refer to opposing counsel in court as “brother” or “sister”. This does not mean they are biologically brothers and sisters. It is polite and customary for lawyers to address fellow members of the bar as brothers or sisters of the bar. It is done out of respect rather than a formal rule. So the next time…
Massachusetts Supreme Court Recognizes Vermont Civil Union Similar to Marriage
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (highest court in the Commonwealth) recognized today that a Vermont Civil Union should be treated as equivalent to a marriage in Massachusetts. This case came about when two gay men married in Massachusetts in 2005. Several years later, when one of them filed for a divorce, he found out that the other had previously entered into a civil…
How do you fill out a Financial Statement for a Massachusetts Divorce?
Any time there is a dispute or issue in a Probate and Family Court, the court requires that a complete and up-to-date financial statement be submitted. Many people think that this is no big deal and leave it until the day of court to fill it out. That would be a mistake. The court relies on the financial statement to calculate child…
What is Child Support Used For
“But that’s what child support is for!” I often hear this refrain, or its cousin “I understand that’s why s/he is paying child support”. More often than not, it isn’t correct in the context. People tend to think that a child support payment is intended to be the full contribution owed by a non-custodial parent, but that is rarely true. So what…
When Can my Alimony Be Modified?
If you’ve been through a divorce and are paying or receiving alimony, you can ask the court to change either the amount of the alimony or the duration of payments. Courts in Massachusetts typically grant alimony modification under one of two primary conditions: Circumstances used to determine alimony have changed. For example, if the financial situation of either party has changed significantly,…
