From college through retirement, individuals and families face many changes throughout their lives. They may need experienced guidance to create contracts for family businesses, prepare estate planning documents that protect their legacy, or manage and negotiate the terms of a divorce. They should be able to depend on a trusted Newton family law attorney for strong and legally binding documents.
At DangerLaw, LLC, we provide knowledgeable, compassionate, and honest legal representation for marital agreements, divorce negotiations, child support, child custody, and other family law concerns. We focus on serving each client as if they are our only one and offer specific assistance to those in the LBGTQ community.
Why Choose DangerLaw, LLC?
You have a wide choice of family lawyers in Newton, MA, who can file documents and advise you. Yet, finding the one that is right for you may seem overwhelming when you need help right away. At DangerLaw, LLC, we make it easy to get superior legal representation without making your way through complicated jargon.
We believe our team of family attorneys has the background, experience, and integrity to provide the service you need without wasting your time or talking over your head. Our guiding principles keep us focused on:
- Crafting documents that are effective and stand up in a court of law.
- Educating you about your options and aiding you with making the right choices for your and your family’s needs.
- Keeping our pricing competitive.
- Listening to your story to guide our work in crafting solutions.
- Meeting with you at convenient times, whether that is early, late, or on weekends.
- Simplifying or explaining the language we use so you clearly understand what we are doing and how your legal documents work.
- Researching the law thoroughly so we can advise you accurately.
At DangerLaw, LLC, we employ a collaborative approach and share each case’s strategy with a team so you benefit from different perspectives. While you will partner with your Newton family attorney throughout your case, relying on the rest of our team’s input helps us identify potential loopholes or strategies. We believe you will appreciate our approach and have the confidence to choose us for your family law needs.
DangerLaw, LLC Can Manage Any Family Law Matter
Family law concerns often come with a range of emotions, from joy at preparing for marriage or adoption to worry when dealing with divorce and child custody. At DangerLaw, LLC, we blend legal excellence with compassion, allowing our Newton family attorneys to carefully guide you through negotiations and document preparation to focus on clear-eyed thinking. We can manage a variety of cases, including:
Prenuptial and Post-Marital Agreements
Many couples concentrate on starting their new lives together by planning the ceremony and where they will live. While romance is important, for many individuals, it is also crucial to protect their financial interests for themselves and their children. Those entering a marriage with children or significant assets often make the wise choice to craft prenuptial or post-marital agreements.
Even if you are already married, post-nuptial agreements exist to protect new-found wealth or inherited property. There are a few requirements under Massachusetts law for these documents, which are:
- Both parties must be able to sign voluntarily, meaning they are legally competent and are not signing under duress or threat.
- Both parties must make full and fair financial disclosures.
- Both must sign spousal waivers indicating that they will allow the agreement to override any standard legal right of asset distribution during divorce.
- The court will conduct a first and second look at the agreement to ensure it is fair and reasonable, so that one party is not taken advantage of by the other.
- While not required, it is highly advisable for each party to retain legal counsel to protect their rights and interests in the agreement.
Some may argue that these “kill the romance,” but we feel they are a mark of a considered and caring relationship. Choosing to legally codify each partner’s wishes before there is bitterness means divorce proceedings often go much faster and are less stressful and contentious. However, Massachusetts law does not allow these documents to address issues regarding child support or custody, as these remain the domain of the family court judge who will rule in the children’s best interests.
Adoption
Our Newton family law lawyers are always ready to support families as they prepare to bring a child into the relationship or family. Our law firm proudly educates same-sex couples and others in the LGBTQ community as to how to solidify their parental rights to make education, medical, and other important decisions about their children’s upbringing and enforce them.
Collaborative Law and Mediation for Divorce
While many divorces are stressful and adversarial, some couples part amicably without wishing the worst for one another. In situations like these, spouses and children can benefit from using alternative dispute resolution methods, such as collaborative law or mediation. Our Newton family lawyers bring top-notch negotiation skills and educate clients prior to these discussions to keep things neutral and focused so that work toward a satisfactory settlement can be accomplished.
Couples may choose to find a professional third-party mediator or a financial expert to guide them, whom they meet with on their own schedules to develop a solution that they bring to their attorneys for consideration. This approach often reduces the stress, expense, and time required to reach a consensus and finalize a divorce. Both parties must participate voluntarily, and success depends on each spouse being honest with themselves and each other.
Collaborative divorce and mediation are not for everyone. In circumstances where there is animosity or one spouse fears retribution from the other, our clients may prefer to follow a more traditional route to divorce.
Child Custody and Support
Perhaps no topic during divorce is more stressful than defining child support and custody. Under Massachusetts law, each parent may be eligible for custody, although the details can vary widely depending on the circumstances. Massachusetts courts allow parents to present a proposed parenting plan to their judge, but the court is given the final say on what serves the children’s best interests.
Generally, family court judges begin with the assumption of 50/50 custody and visitation between parents. They may adjust this according to their assessment of the situation and any evidence brought by either parent to support a different arrangement. To decide physical and legal custody, courts will consider the following criteria:
- Each parent’s relationship, including how much care and support they provided for each child
- Each parent’s ability to provide a stable, supportive, and loving home
- Whether a parent has a history of domestic violence, criminal acts, or substance abuse
- The wishes of the children, provided they are mature enough to voice their preferences
- Each parent’s ability to provide the appropriate financial and emotional support for each child’s needs and care, especially if the child has special physical or medical needs
- What arrangement will maintain stability and support for the children and is in their best interests
Calculating child support uses a statutory formula that assesses the following criteria:
- Each parent’s income and financial resources
- Any existing child support payments to other individuals
- Each child’s age
- Each parent’s parenting time, including physical custody and visitation
- Each child’s insurance, medical, educational, and other expenses
When one parent’s financial circumstances or living arrangements change appreciably, the other has the right to request a modification of either the child support or child custody arrangements. As with every matter, our family law lawyers work to reduce the strain, expense, and time required to make these adjustments.
Estate Planning
Along with guiding you through important life events, our Newton estate planning attorneys are dedicated to ensuring your final wishes are honored after you pass away. We believe it is imperative for each individual to begin planning their legacy as soon as possible in their adult life rather than waiting until near the end. Unfortunately, an unexpected illness or accident can bring incapacitation or death before you are prepared, leaving your survivors unsure of what you intended.
Using a combination of wills, trusts, health care proxies, durable powers of attorney, and other legal instruments, your time spent with our estate planning team can bring you peace of mind and security for your assets. Our estate planning lawyers will help you craft a tailored, durable power of attorney or discuss a plan to finance your healthcare needs in your elder years. Ultimately, we assist you in protecting your wealth while it sits in your hands and when you pass it along to your heirs.
LGBTQ Families
One of the areas where our Newton family law attorneys focus their work is supporting people and families in the LGBTQ community. These people often have unique circumstances that are not fully addressed by current law and require careful research to create appropriate documents for their needs. While we recognize that Massachusetts is ahead of the curve when it comes to legal equality, the Movement Advancement Project map shows that this is not the case in other U.S. states.
Some examples of these concerns your estate planning or family law attorney might address include:
- A single woman without heirs wishes to ensure her assets transfer to a partner or close friend without interference from relatives.
- A same-sex couple chooses to adopt a child or use a surrogate, and they want to ensure parental rights for both.
- One spouse (or both) in a married couple transitions genders and adopts a new name, requiring a change in their gender marker and name on the marriage certificate.
- Married couples in a polyamorous relationship want to ensure another member of their triad, throuple, or polycule holds the same inheritance and power of attorney rights as a legal spouse.
- One parent in a divorce tries to use the other parent’s gender or sexual orientation against them, and the second parent needs their family attorney to provide substantial legal research and support to prevent this.
Each Newton family law lawyer at our firm believes every person has the right to zealous legal representation without discrimination or fear. By choosing DangerLaw, LLC, you can put your trust in the hands of professionals who champion your rights and needs. Your family lawyer is committed to helping you deal with life’s changes without losing your dignity or humanity.
DangerLaw, LLC Should Be Your First Choice for Professional Family Law and Estate Planning Representation
At DangerLaw, LLC, your family law or estate planning lawyers will answer your questions and address your concerns during your initial consultation. We offer competitive pricing so you get the help you need without breaking the bank. Because we know every penny counts in many family law situations, we strive to provide top-tier service for each client every time.
We provide years of experience guiding families and individuals through the nuances of family law and estate planning, ensuring they can find peace of mind. Each family law and estate planning attorney is committed to using our collective knowledge and skill to ensure all your documents are legally binding and stand up to scrutiny in the future.
Do not wait a moment longer to schedule a complimentary consultation with our Newton family law lawyers. Whether you need us for a few days or a lifetime, you can trust in our dedication to quality, honesty, integrity, and excellence. We are just a phone call away at (857) 767-7480, or you can complete our contact form to speak with someone today.