Family law matters touch nearly every aspect of your life, from financial stability to your relationship with your children. Whether you are facing divorce, addressing custody concerns, or resolving child support obligations, family law in Massachusetts and Rhode Island requires careful attention to detail and a clear understanding of your rights.
Hera Law Group represents individuals and families across Massachusetts and Rhode Island, with six office locations in Maynard, Milton, Hyannis (Cape Cod), Worcester, and Nantucket, Massachusetts, and Cumberland, Rhode Island. Our team will evaluate your case and shape our strategy around your specific circumstances, wherever you call home.
If you are searching for a family law attorney in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, we can offer legal guidance and protect your interests. To request a free consultation with our family law attorneys serving Massachusetts and Rhode Island, contact our law firm today.
Family law covers the legal issues that arise when personal relationships change or break down. The matters we handle include:
Each of these involves distinct legal standards and procedural requirements under Massachusetts and Rhode Island law. No two cases follow the same path.
Our family law attorneys will evaluate your situation and help you understand your legal options before any decisions are made.
Massachusetts and Rhode Island each set their own procedures for ending a marriage. A family lawyer at Hera Law Group can help you understand which path best fits your circumstances and walk you through what each option involves procedurally, no matter which state your case is filed in.
In an uncontested divorce under M.G.L. c. 208, Section 1A, both spouses agree on all terms and file a joint petition accompanied by a written separation agreement. The court must find the agreement fair and reasonable before approving it, after which the process typically concludes with a brief hearing.
When full agreement is not possible from the outset, one spouse may file an individual complaint under Section 1B. That process involves formal discovery, temporary hearings on immediate issues such as parenting time and support, and, if necessary, a trial before a judge.
Rhode Island divorces are filed in the Rhode Island Family Court, and at least one spouse must have lived in the state for one continuous year before filing. Most Rhode Island divorces proceed on the no-fault ground of irreconcilable differences causing the irremediable breakdown of the marriage under R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-5-3.1, though fault-based grounds and a three-year separation ground remain available. Even in uncontested cases, Rhode Island law imposes a mandatory 90-day waiting period, known as the nisi period, between the court’s decision and the final judgment of divorce, so the minimum timeline runs four to five months.
When children are involved, custody and parenting arrangements become central to the case.
Both Massachusetts and Rhode Island distinguish between two forms of custody:
Both types of custody can be shared between parents or assigned primarily to one parent, based on what serves the child’s best interests.
Parenting plans must account for daily routines, school schedules, holidays, and long-term developmental needs.
Our family lawyers can help you structure a plan that allows both you and your ex to maintain consistent involvement in the child’s life while reflecting the practical realities of your family’s situation, whether you live in Massachusetts or Rhode Island.
When disputes over custody or parenting time arise, Hera Law Group can assist with negotiation, mediation, or court proceedings, depending on what the circumstances require.
Financial support after a marriage ends ensures that children’s needs are met and that financial disparities between spouses are addressed after separation.
Child support in Massachusetts is calculated using the Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines, which consider each parent’s income, the division of parenting time, and certain child-related expenses.
While the guidelines provide a starting point, accurate financial disclosure plays a significant role in reaching a fair outcome, and courts can deviate from the guidelines with written findings when circumstances warrant.
Rhode Island child support is calculated under guidelines administered through the Rhode Island Family Court and the Office of Child Support Services, which likewise weigh each parent’s income and the division of parenting time. As in Massachusetts, the court can depart from the guideline amount when the facts justify it.
Alimony involves a more individualized analysis under the Massachusetts Alimony Reform Act of 2011. Among other statutory factors, courts consider multiple factors when deciding on alimony, including:
Massachusetts law also caps alimony duration based on the length of the marriage. For marriages of 10 years or less, general term alimony cannot exceed 60% of the number of months the marriage lasted. These determinations require a detailed review of financial records and future earning capacity, making early preparation an important part of the process.
Rhode Island takes a different approach. Rather than applying a fixed statutory duration formula, Rhode Island courts favor rehabilitative or temporary alimony designed to support a lower-earning spouse until they become self-sufficient, generally weighing the age, health, occupation, income, and employability of the spouse requesting support. Indefinite alimony remains available in limited cases, such as when a spouse is unable to work, and support automatically ends if the receiving spouse remarries.
When circumstances change after an order is entered, both Massachusetts and Rhode Island law permit modifications upon a showing of a substantial change in circumstances. Examples include:
Modifications still require formal court approval and supporting documentation. Enforcement proceedings are available when a party fails to comply with an existing order, and we move promptly to address noncompliance when it occurs.
Not every family law matter needs to be resolved through litigation. Courts in both Massachusetts and Rhode Island generally encourage parties to explore alternatives where possible. In many cases, those alternatives produce faster, less costly, and less adversarial outcomes than courtroom proceedings.
Mediation uses a neutral third party to facilitate discussion and help the couple/exes reach a voluntary agreement. The mediator does not represent either party, provide legal advice, or decide the outcome.
Any agreement reached through mediation still requires court approval to become a binding order. Mediation can be used to resolve disputes related to divorce terms, custody arrangements, child support, and modifications to court orders. Hera Law Group offers experienced Family Law Mediators who can help navigate complex family law matters.
Collaborative law is a structured process in which both parties and their attorneys commit in writing to resolving the matter without litigation.
If the collaborative process breaks down and litigation becomes necessary, both attorneys must withdraw, and the parties retain new counsel. Melissa Levine-Piro, founder of Hera Law Group, is an experienced Collaborative Law Attorney.
Both mediation and collaborative law can reduce conflict, lower costs, and preserve the working relationship between co-parents, which matters especially when children are involved.
The family lawyers at Hera Law Group can help you evaluate whether either option is realistic given your circumstances.
Working with a firm that has a genuine presence across both states offers practical advantages that go beyond convenience.
Hera Law Group maintains six office locations so you can meet with your legal team close to home:
Family law cases are governed by statewide statutes in each state, but how those rules are applied can vary depending on court procedures, scheduling practices, and the expectations of individual judges. Our attorneys regularly appear before the Massachusetts Probate and Family Court and the Rhode Island Family Court, giving us direct familiarity with local filing requirements, typical hearing timelines, and how certain types of motions are handled in practice in each jurisdiction.
From MetroWest and the South Shore to Cape Cod, Central Massachusetts, Nantucket, and Rhode Island, our attorneys understand the practical, everyday realities that shape parenting plans and family arrangements in the communities where our clients live and work.
In-person availability supports more thorough preparation, particularly when reviewing financial documents, discussing parenting arrangements, or preparing for court appearances. With offices throughout Massachusetts and in Rhode Island, meeting face-to-face is convenient no matter where you are located.
Preparing for your initial consultation at Hera Law Group allows you to make full use of the time and leave with a clearer understanding of your legal position. Consider bringing the following:
Identifying your priorities before the meeting helps shape the discussion and allows our family law attorneys to establish a practical starting point for your case.
The timeline depends on your state and whether the divorce is uncontested or contested.
Yes, when there has been a substantial change in circumstances, such as a significant income change, a relocation, or a shift in the child’s needs. The court reviews whether the proposed change reflects current conditions and, in custody matters, whether it serves the child’s best interests.
A family lawyer can help file the formal request and present the supporting documentation.
No. Many cases resolve through negotiation, mediation, or collaborative law, particularly when both parties are willing to work toward an agreement. These approaches can reduce time, cost, and conflict while still producing legally binding outcomes once the court approves any agreement reached.
Yes. Our attorneys are licensed and regularly practice in both states, with offices in Maynard, Milton, Hyannis, Worcester, and Nantucket, Massachusetts, and Cumberland, Rhode Island, so we can represent you in whichever state your case is filed.
Legal information explains the law generally without applying it to your situation.
Legal advice applies the law to your specific facts and offers tailored recommendations.
Mediation is a facilitated process in which a neutral third party helps both sides work toward an agreement without representing either party or providing legal advice.
When family legal issues arise, having experienced counsel can make the difference between uncertainty and a clear path forward. A family lawyer at Hera Law Group will approach your situation with the care, sensitivity, and urgency you deserve, from our offices across Massachusetts and Rhode Island. To set up a consultation with our family law attorneys, contact our law firm today.
At Hera Law, we understand that hiring an attorney is a big decision. We welcome you to call us for a free initial 15 minute phone consultation.
978.637.2048
office@heralawgroup.com
