Category Andover MA Divorce Attorney

New Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines

September 15, 2017 is the effective date of the new 2017 Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines.  These new Guidelines may be important for you to review due to the new calculations that will determine child support obligation.  This is particularly important for those of you who have a child or children in college due to the […]

Custody Cases in Massachusetts

Exceptional! Attorney Byers handled my divorce and custody battle, which was complicated and long. It was a removal case to a country that was not a signatory of the Hague convention. Attorney Byers exceeded all of my expectations, by being available on weekends, evenings, and even holidays. Always checking on me to make sure I […]

PRENUPTIAL AGREEMENTS

It’s that time of year again when I am seeing a lot of prenuptial agreement requests. I call this “happy law” and it is becoming more and more popular with couples who are planning to marry. Such an agreement should clearly define the assets of each party at the time of the signing of the […]

5.0 Star Review of Client

5.0 stars Posted by Niall on May 8, 2013 A good man, person and excellent attorney I have know Atty. Philip Byers personally and professionally for many years. He handled my divorce proceedings in a most professional manner. During the preliminary proceedings, he had provided the opposing counsel with a separation agreement that was both […]

Parenting Time and the Holidays

I was in Essex Probate and Family Court this week and seeing the lines going out the door reminded me that sharing time with your children during the holidays is easier said than done.  The probation departments are overflowing with distressed moms and dads, either armed with lawyers or not, waiting to meet with the […]

LANDMARK SJC DECISION INVOLVING THE RIGHTS OF A NON BIOLOGICAL PARTY TO DECLARE HERSELF THE PRESUMPTIVE PARENT OF A CHILD

A historical and remarkable decision has been issued today by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, entitled Karen Partanen v. Julie Gallagher, posted October 4, 2016, authored by Justice Lenk which addresses the legally enforceable rights of a non biological person in a same sex relationship in the midst of litigating the respective rights to the […]

THE BENEFITS OF MEDIATION

Philip J. Byers– Here are some of the benefits of mediation: You can schedule your meetings with the mediator, when it is convenient for the two of you and the Mediator. The time interval, whether it is an hour or several hours, will be exclusively for the mediator to work only with the two of […]

WHEN MEDIATION IS USUALLY NOT HELPFUL

From my experience as a litigator, I know that there are certain types of cases that usually do not settle despite attempts at mediation, among them, the most difficult being custody of children. While not impossible for parties to resolve their differences in custody cases, these cases involving the parties’ children are often “gut wrenchingly” […]

Why I Became a Massachusetts Mediator

I have been practicing law since June 10, 1975, and for many of my years, I have been a trial lawyer in the District Courts, Superior Courts, Land Court, Federal District Court, Massachusetts Court of Appeals, Supreme Judicial Court and, most of all, the Probate and Family Court. I continue to practice law as a […]

Mediation

My mediation practice ranges from Divorce, Post-Divorce Modifications, Parenting Plans, Child Custody, Pre-Nuptial & Post-Nuptial Agreements, Marriage Mediation, Cohabitation & Non-Marital Parenting, Mediation for Same Sex Couples, and Contempts, to other non Family Law matters such as Contested Probate Estate Matters.  I have over 30 years of experience in Family Law and bring to the […]