With years of family law experience, the attorneys at Goldman & Sidgwick have negotiated, litigated, and resolved issues related to custody, child support, parenting plans and other parenting issues.
We are dedicated to helping our clients achieve their objectives while seeking to ease the emotional burden that many parents face in custody matters.
As parents ourselves, we understand how important family is and how your children’s best interests are of paramount importance to you. We have extensive experience in not only litigating child-custody and other child-related matters, but in also reaching creative solutions out of court which could negate the need for costly court intervention.
What Is the Difference Between Legal Custody and Physical Custody in Massachusetts?
In Massachusetts, there are two types of custody: legal custody and physical custody. Legal custody refers to a parent’s ability to make (or contribute to the making of) major decisions regarding a child, including those involving education, medical care, and emotional and moral development. Physical custody, on the other hand, refers to the location where a child resides some or all of the time.
Do Massachusetts Courts Favor Mothers Over Fathers in Child Custody Decisions?
No. In the past, child custody was oftentimes awarded to mothers who were historically the primary caregivers. However, as society and gender roles have evolved, the courts no longer automatically favor mothers in primary custody determinations. Rather, the Court bases it’s decision on what is the best interests of the children and while this may include considering which parent has been the primary caregiver, it is not the only consideration.
In Massachusetts, married parents are often awarded shared legal custody unless a judge finds that it is not in a child’s best interests for shared legal custody.
As child custody lawyers, we help parents and guardians with all matters surrounding child custody, including:
- Legal custody
- Physical custody
- Child support payments
- Parental relocation and removal
- Modification of existing custody orders, judgments, and parenting plans
- Parental alienation
- Contempt actions when one party is in breach of an agreement, order, or judgment