The decision to divorce is often a difficult one. Within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the two most widely-utilized processes to end a marriage are contested and uncontested divorce filings. Attorney Mahoney effectively handles both contested and uncontested matters, in addition to divorce-related issues such as child support, alimony or spousal support, property division, custody and parenting plans along with other factors which will impact your divorce. Regardless of whether your divorce is contested or uncontested, if there are children involved, the best interests of the children are a paramount concern both of this office and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Contested divorce is appropriate when the parties are unable to agree on issues such as parenting and child custody issues, child support, property and asset division, alimony or other matters which must be addressed prior to the termination of their marital union. In a contested divorce matter, one party files a Complaint for Divorce with the Probate and Family Court along with other necessary documents. The non-filing spouse is then formally served with the Complaint for Divorce and the divorce process ensues. Although contested divorce is usually somewhat more contentious and expensive than uncontested divorce, with effective counsel and a solid attorney-client collaboration, even the most acrimonious of divorces can be resolved effectively.
Uncontested divorce is the most cost-effective and non-adversarial way to end a marriage. In order to file an uncontested divorce, the parties to the action must agree (either on their own or with the help of a mediator) on all aspects of the dissolution of their marriage, including how to split their assets, custody and parenting time, who will provide health insurance, who will remain in the marital home (or how to distribute any related equity or debt), among other considerations. The parties to the action file a Joint Petition for Divorce with the Court along with other necessary documents. The parties usually need only appear before the Probate and Family Court on a single occasion for approval of their detailed Separation Agreement. Following this court appearance, the divorce becomes final after a brief waiting period. The Law Office of Renee K. Mahoney handles most uncontested matters on a reasonable flat-fee basis. This flat fee arrangement affords clients the benefit of knowing exactly how much their divorce will cost, without the surprise of unanticipated legal fees.
The Law Office of Renee K. Mahoney handles family law-related issues outside of divorce such as paternity, child support and parenting for unmarried parties, modifications of prior court orders (when changes are necessary) and contempt issues (when a former spouse or obligor is not abiding by the prior court order).
Please contact The Law Office of Renee K. Mahoney for a no-obligation consultation regarding your specific legal situation. I look forward to helping you move on to the next stage of your life.
