What are Second-Parent Adoptions? While Massachusetts has recognized second-parent adoptions since 1993, which allow for a non-biological parent to adopt the child of a sole legal parent, such adoptions have become even more accessible with the passage of the Massachusetts Parentage Act. Second-parent adoptions protect the child, the second parent seeking legal parentage, and the...Read More

What is the Massachusetts Parentage Act ? On August 9, 2024, Governor Maura Healey signed the Massachusetts Parentage Act into law, aiming to ensure equal rights for all parents, regardless of marital status, the circumstances of the child’s birth – such as surrogacy or reproductive assistance – or the parent’s gender, sexual orientation, or gender...Read More

Massachusetts Court Rules Engagement Rings must be Returned if the Engagement is Terminated, Regardless of Fault On November 8, 2024, the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled in the case of Caroline Settino (Caroline) and Bruce Johnson (Bruce) that engagement rings must be returned to the person who provided them if the anticipated wedding does not come...Read More

Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Celebrates 40th Anniversary October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and October 12, 2024 marked the 40th anniversary of the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA). This monumental piece of federal legislation has transformed the landscape for crime victims in the United States, providing a foundation for services, compensation, and advocacy that...Read More

Understanding Coercive Control: The New Addition to MGL 209A This past summer, Massachusetts made a significant step forward in protecting victims and survivors of domestic abuse by including coercive control in Chapter 209A of the Massachusetts General Laws (“MGL 209A”). This addition to the definition of domestic violence reflects a growing recognition of the complex...Read More

Double Dipping Explained in New Massachusetts Appeals Court Case By Hannah Lejter The Appeals Court highlighted an issue in divorce matters called “double dipping”, also known as “double counting,” reversing the Probate and Family Court’s decision in a new Massachusetts Appeals Court case, Michael A. Trethewey v. Rosalia F. Trethewey. In  Trethewey, the husband, Michael,...Read More

New Rule from FTC Bans Noncompete Agreements  By Hannah Lejter  On Tuesday, April 23, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a new rule in a 3-2 vote which bans noncompete clauses between employees and employers. The FTC labeled noncompete agreements as an “unfair method of competition and therefore a violation of Section 5 of...Read More

Teddy Bear’s Custody Triumph In the March 7, 2024 ruling of Lyman v. Lanser, the Appeals Court affirmed the agreement to share custody of Teddy Bear. You might find it odd that a teddy bear would be at the center of a custody dispute, and you’d be right: Teddy Bear is not a stuffed animal,...Read More

Co-Parenting Course Mandate in Massachusetts  Massachusetts has reintroduced a mandatory co-parenting course named “Two Families Now”. Probate and Family Court Standing Order 3-2023 “Co-Parenting Education Course for Married and Unmarried Parents” effective November 1, 2023, has been amended and superseded by this Standing Order as of February 12, 2024. This shift gives judges of the...Read More