Months ago, Massachusetts voted to legalize medical marijuana and with medical marijuana comes medical marijuana dispensaries. The problem that has arisen across the state is that many towns do not want to have medical marijuana dispensaries within their borders. Many towns have tried to ban medical marijuana dispensaries through zoning regulations, however, the Massachusetts Attorney...Read More
Massachusetts General Law chapter 209a governs abuse prevention orders for those with a “familial relationship.” In practice this means people who are married, are related, and other close relationships. A sumbsection of the law, section (e), allows for 209a protections for those who “are or have been in a substantive dating or engagement relationship, which...Read More
Last March (2012) the new alimony reform laws went into effect regarding divorce in Massachusetts. But before we get into that, lets discuss some alimony basics. What is alimony? Alimony is money one spouse is ordered to pay the other spouse during the divorce process and/or after a divorce is finalized. What Statute Governs Alimony?...Read More
Often clients come to us and ask about Do Not Resuscitate orders (DNRs), otherwise known as Living Wills. What they entail is both simple and complex wherein it is in essence a legal document that empowers someone to make the decision to take you off life support. It can be as complex as a client...Read More
One question we always get asked is what happens if I die without a will? And that is a really good question. Most people just assume that when they pass without a will their estate will just be divided up without any problems. Unfortunately, it is far more complicated. First lets go over some basic...Read More
In domestic abuse and divorce law situations, pets can often be a focal point of conflict and continued control of an abused partner. Though often overlooked, pets are important parts of people’s lives and when a relationship becomes toxic the couple’s pets often can become victims themselves. Divorce Law and Pet Protection However, thanks to...Read More
Do you have a properly executed durable power of attorney? If not, you are leaving your financial affairs in a potential hazardous state and should consider hiring an estate planning attorney. What is a Durable Power of Attorney? A durable power of attorney, otherwise known as a DPA, is a legal document which allows a secondary person to manage...Read More
If there is one legal document you should have it is a will. When a person dies without having first been advised to write a will, state law determines how that person’s assets will be distributed. It doesn’t matter if you’ve told someone close to you your wishes, Massachusetts will only recognize a validly executed...Read More
It’s one month into the new year and now is a great time to review your current estate plan or to finally get around to creating an estate plan. Why now you may ask? There have been significant changes to the law including the passage of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, which was...Read More
