Massachusetts Probate & Family Court Suspends Requirement for Parenting Education Classes
On July 8, 2021 Chief Justice John Casey of the MA Probate and Family Courts announced a suspension to the requirement for divorcing parents to complete the mandatory parent education program specified in the court’s Standing Order 2-16, Parent Education Program Attendance, issued in 2016. The announcement surprised many MA divorce lawyers and mediators. Besides…
Read MoreAssisted Living: Is it time for your loved one to transition?
Note: This is a guest post by Ms. Lydia Chan. Lydia is a caregiver of a family member with Alzheimer’s Disease. If you are the caretaker of an aging parent or grandparent, the question of whether they can live alone has likely crossed your mind more than once. Typically, when we consider moving our parents…
Read MoreParent Education Programs & Covid-19
June 11, 2020: Before the era of Covid-19 (the good old days), the Massachusetts Probate and Family Court required that parents of children under 18 registers for a Parent Education Program within 30 days from when the original complaint was served on the defendant, or within 30 days from an order from the Court. When…
Read MoreCoronavirus Challenges and Solutions at NPL
Next Phase Legal & Dispute Resolution LLC of Norfolk, MA (and now several other locations!) remains ready to assist current and new clients. All meetings, including mediation sessions and consultations, are available by video-conference or telephone, and the office is staffed by one person. Let us know how we can help.
Read MoreTop Ten Considerations When Hiring a Special Education Lawyer
Parenting is challenging under the best of circumstances. Dealing with ongoing stress and conflict over issues related to your child’s schooling without someone on your side is more difficult. Once you decide that you need some help from a caring special education lawyer, how should you select one? Here is our top ten list of…
Read MoreNew 2018 Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines Released
Simplified Worksheet and Fixing Bugs Highlight June 2018 Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines Update On June 15, 2018, new Massachusetts child support guidelines went into effect. Not quite so new child support guidelines were just released in the Fall of 2017, and the Massachusetts child support guidelines typically follow about a three to four-year update cycle,…
Read MoreNew MA 2017 Child Support Guidelines
New child support guidelines go into effect in Massachusetts on September 15, 2017. The new guidelines make some important changes, including how medical and childcare expenses are considered, and provide additional clarity (maybe) regarding child support and paying for college tuition and expenses. Also introduced in the 2017 guidelines is an offset to lower child…
Read MoreMansfield MA Divorce Mediator
Next Phase Legal LLC is pleased to announce our additional meeting location in Mansfield, MA. Mansfield is located in Bristol County, and is bordered by Sharon, Foxborough, Easton, Norton, and Plainville. Our Mansfield location is located at 20 Cabot Boulevard, Suite 300, within the Cabot Business Park, and provides area residents and those working in…
Read MoreMcDonough Speaks at Mass Bar Conference
The Massachusetts Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section hosted their first Dispute Resolution Symposium at UMASS Boston on Friday, May 19, 2017. Titled Conflict Resolution: Advancements, Strategies, and Trends, the symposium featured keynote speaker NYPD detective, hostage negotiator, and crisis communication trainer Jeff Thompson, Ph.D. Attorney and Divorce Mediator Stephen McDonough of Next Phase Legal LLC in Norfolk, MA presented…
Read MoreA Divorce from Social Media: Avoid Creating a Messy Trial
Have you ever stopped to think how child custody, support, or property division could be affected by social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, and various dating websites? Make no mistake – anything you post, tweet, or “snap” can and most likely will be used against you in settlement negotiations or in the courtroom. Statistics regarding time spent on…
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