- DivorceMy husband and I are getting divorced after an 8 year marriage. We’ve agreed to try to keep a sense of normalcy for our 3 young children, so they will live most of the time with me in our home in Sherborn but we haven’t yet come to an agreement about when they will stay with their dad and both sets of grandparents want to see the kids too. Is this something that can get written into the divorce agreement?
- Child SupportMassachusetts has revised the Child Support Guidelines with the new guidelines taking effect on August 1, 2013. The guidelines adjust the formula for child support and provides judges with more use of their discretion and takes into account the parenting plan. Read the new Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines.
- Child Custody and VisitationYes, although it isn’t typical to provide for grandparent visitation in a Separation Agreement, if you can agree on it then you can include it. Visitation scheduled can be as detailed and specific as necessary.Â
- Adoption
- PaternityMr. Mayer’s practice focuses on the representation of parties in divorce including the trial of cases involving asset division, alimony, child support, custody and removal matters. He also handles matters involving same sex marriages, paternity cases and issues arising out of cohabitation and appeals.
- Premarital AgreementSome marriages may last for decades, others just a few years. No matter how long a marriage lasts, divorce can have a profound effect on a business, unless the business owner took steps ahead of time to minimize the impact of divorce. One of the best ways to minimize the impact is with a prenuptial agreement. In the event of divorce, a prenuptial agreement can prove invaluable in protecting a business and its assets. Massachusetts considers a variety of factors when deciding how to divide a marital estate, and a prenuptial agreement can help protect a business that would not
- Spousal SupportDivorce Law: Our Massachusetts divorce lawyers have expertise to bring to bear on your issues related to your marital situation, whether that involves your relationships after a divorce, or issues that arise regarding paternity, child custody, child support, alimony, visitation or any of the other issues that may occur in the course of a divorce.
- Legal SeparationAdditional Information: I left my husband a couple of years ago and moved out of state (I’m in IL now but we were married in MA). When I moved, we just wanted time apart. It wasn’t a legal separation, just a verbal. We haven’t talked in a long time and I’m not on his health care or anything or vice versa, but I wondered if leaving the marriage constituted abandonment or something like that. ATTORNEY ANSWER: MA is a “no fault†divorce state, so the grounds for divorce are “irretrievable breakdown†. If your husband still resides in MA and you
- AnnulmentAdditional Information: I was just married in Milford, MA and now realize it was a mistake. What are requirements for getting an annulment in Massachusetts? ATTORNEY ANSWER: An action to anul a marriage can be brought in the probate court if the validity of a marriage is doubted. The statutory grounds include incest and bigamy, and do not include mistake, although you could obtain an annulment for fraud, impotency, duress or for other reasons. If the marriage is valid, then the remedy is to obtain a divorce.
- Criminal Defense
- Business DisputesBusiness Law: Our business lawyers serve a varied range of clients from entrepreneur’s just starting a business to well established companies. Our lawyers provide efficient legal solutions whether you are incorporating a business, refinancing a business, have issues relating to the expansion, contraction, or relocation, merger, sale or acquisition of a business. We have years of experience in Massachusetts business law.
- Business TransactionsSMOKE AND CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR COMPLIANCE: We call your attention to the provisions of Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 148, you may be required to execute a certification at the closing that you have inspected the installation of the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and are satisfied as to compliance with this law. You should contact the sellers and ensure that they have obtained, and will bring with them, a current certification from the city or town fire department relative to the installation of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. The foregoing may not apply in certain commercial transactions. If you are unsure of the applicability of this law, please check with your counsel or contact our office.
- Limited Liability Companies
- Small Business Law
- Workers CompensationBob Jachowicz’s practice covers a broad spectrum of litigation and estate planning and administration matters. He represents landlords in commercial and residential leasing and eviction matters, employers in Workers Compensation matters, defendants in criminal matters, and parties in civil and probate court trials. Mr. Jachowicz also prepares estate plans, and handles the administration of estates in the probate court. He also has a strong interest in tax issues and tax planning.
- Employment Discrimination
- Real Estate LitigationReal Estate Law: Our real estate lawyers are experienced in all aspects of Massachusetts real estate law and can handle matters ranging from the most simple to the highly complex. The firm represents builders, developers, small businesses, and individuals in all aspects of real estate law including local zoning issues.
- Real Estate TransactionsFOREIGN INVESTMENT IN REAL PROPERTY TAX ACT OF 1980 AS AMENDED: This Federal Law places special requirements for tax reporting and withholding on the parties to a real estate transaction under certain circumstances as set forth in the law. You should seek the advice of your attorney or accountant concerning the effect of this Act on this transaction. You will be required to execute a copy of the enclosed certification under penalty of perjury at the closing. If you do not plan on attending the closing, please be sure that your attorney or agent delivers the fully completed and executed copy of the affidavit along with the deed. The closing attorney for the firm cannot and will not provide information, advice or opinions regarding the Act’s applicability to you or to this transaction.
- Easement
- Land Use and ZoningAttorney Antonellis is a former member of REBA’s Zoning and Land Use Committee and a former director of the Worcester County Bar Association.
- Landlord-Tenant DisputesIf you are in need of an experienced real estate attorney to assist with you landlord tenant issue, please contact our law office for a case evaluation.
- Estate PlanningTHE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS INTENDED ONLY TO GIVE A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE THREE COMMON WAYS OF HOLDING TITLE AND IS NOT PROVIDED FOR THE PURPOSE OF ADVISING YOU HOW TO TAKE TITLE. IF FURTHER INFORMATION IS DESIRED ABOUT CREDITORS’ RIGHTS AGAINST THE TITLE, ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES WITH RESPECT TO ESTATE PLANNING AND OTHER PRACTICALITIES, YOU SHOULD SEEK LEGAL COUNSEL FROM YOUR ATTORNEY OR RETAIN AN ATTORNEY FOR ADVICE IN THESE MATTERS.
- Power of AttorneyPOWER OF ATTORNEY: If there is a power of attorney involved, please send our office a copy of the Power of Attorney document prior to the closing. The use of the power of attorney will have to be approved by our client and then the form and content thereof must be reviewed by our office. In any event, the deed transferring title from you to the buyer must be signed by you in the original and notarized.
- ProbateMr. Mayer is a member of the Massachusetts Probate and Family Law Inn of Court, an association of family lawyers and Probate Judges who meet regularly to discuss issues of divorce and probate law. He is a former member of the Holliston Board of Selectmen and Holliston School Committee. He is a current member of the Massachusetts Judicial Nomination Commission.
- Bankruptcy
- ForeclosureWhen a Landlord decides to begin the process of an eviction the first formal step is to issue a written Notice to Quit. A recent case illustrates that if the Landlord does not get the notice to quit right it can result in a dismissal of the Court case. To get the Notice right the Landlord has to first make what is essentially a legal determination as to the type of tenancy he or she is trying to terminate. A Tenancy At Will Notice is different from a Tenancy At Sufferance Notice. In the case the Landlord thought the tenancy was a tenancy at sufferance. The property was purchased at a tax foreclosure sale. The buyer at the foreclosure sale, as the new landlord, sent a Notice to Quit to the tenants who continued to live in the premises. When the case came to trial the case was dismissed. The Court found the Notice insufficient, and if the tenancy is not properly terminated by the Notice to Quit the case may not proceed and the tenant is entitled to possession.
- Tax LawTitle Abstract – Includes the physical review of the title to your property in the Registry of Deeds and Probate, including bankruptcy and tax matters where available.