BOSTON DIVORCE LAWYER

BOSTON FAMILY LAW/DIVORCE LAWYER

  • Family law is a broad category that includes divorce, custody, adoptions, child support, parenting plans paternity, visitation and more. You will find that Attorney Carpenter provides aggressive and skilled representation to his client’s in these areas.  
  • Divorce Law No one wants a divorce but having a skilled, aggressive, experienced attorney can make this difficult process a bit easier. Attorney Carpenter provides free consultations and after a thorough interview, you will have an action plan highlighting what needs to be done to accomplish your wishes and goals. Bring your tax returns, pay stubs, retirement accounts and any other documents you think is necessary to your free initial consultation.
  • Child Custody  Custody can be sole legal, sole physical, shared legal and shared physical, dependent upon many circumstances, agreements, or findings of the court after a trial. A skilled family law attorney can secure the type of custody that is in the best interest of the child.
  • Pre-nuptial/Post-nuptial Agreements The agreement highlights the property of each party prior to a marriage, the distribution of assets accrued during the marriage and award of alimony, if any, under named conditions.
  • Paternity When parents are unmarried, mothers are presumed to have custody until paternity has been adjudicated. For help obtaining a paternity adjudication. Child support and parenting plans can be ordered in paternity cases. Attorney Carpenter has assisted many clients, both mothers and fathers, in the request for parenting plans and child support orders.
  • Contempt If a party does not adhere to the agreement or judgement, the court may find the disobeying party in contempt and enforce the order.
  • Custody and Parenting Plans Attorney Carpenter will assist you in making your petition for legal, shared, or sole, and sole or shared physical custody and appropriate parenting plans. Such determination may be made with the assistance of a Guardian ad Litem and/or ARC attorneys appointed for the children.
  • Property Division At the end of a divorce, all property is divested equitably in Massachusetts, which doesn’t mean equally. Experts may be needed to determine the value of real property, businesses, retirement, and other property of the marriage.
  • Child Support Child support is calculated using standard guidelines based on the income of the parents, costs of medical insurance and child care expenses. Massachusetts Department of Revenue oversees child support collection and enforcement of Probate and Family Court Orders if you wish to use their services. Failure to pay a child support order can result in a contempt order, loss of licenses, job search, and/or incarceration.
  • Grandparents Rights Grandparents rights in Massachusetts are strictly limited to those who have been previously involved in the health, safety, and welfare of the child. In many cases, Grandparents step up and become legal guardians of their grandchildren when the Parents cannot care for their children. Attorney Carpenter has successfully obtained Guardianship for many Massachusetts grandparents.
  • Alimony Alimony is support given to one party in a divorce. It may be temporary or long term, as defined buy a Court order, or now modified, according to the Alimony and Reform Act of 2012. Like Child Support, Alimony is formula based for those who qualify. Attorney Carpenter can use experts, such as forensic accounts, to determine an individual’s income stream and ability to pay alimony, or to reduce/modify alimony payments if you suffer a job loss or retire. Attorney Carpenter has obtained favorable alimony awards and reductions for clients.
  • Restraining Orders Restraining Orders can be issued by the Probate and Family Court or by the District Court in cases where there is domestic violence and abuse. Discuss with Attorney Carpenter if you think you need a temporary restraining order before obtaining one, or a permanent restraining order at the conclusions of your case.
  • Modifications are filed when there is a substantial change of circumstance in terms of custody, child support and/or parenting plans and are allotted for in the Divorce Agreement/Judgment. Property Division is never modifiable.
  • Department of Children and Families are often involved where abuse has occurred, Juvenile Court may also be involved.
  • Adoption can happen for any number of reasons and is generally the only happy process in the Probate and Family Courts.
  • Guardian ad Litem (GAL) are appointed to investigate case matters for the Judge.
  • Contested vs Uncontested Divorce Divorces can be agreed upon or contested.
  • Name Changes
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