Just when I was getting used to using regular white paper for financial statements, the Massachusetts Probate & Family Court has changed the rule again: all financial statements (both long and short) filed in family court are once again required to be printed out on colored paper. The new rule, which went into effect on Monday, April 7, requires that both types of financial statement be printed on pink paper only, and child support guidelines worksheets once again be printed on yellow paper.
There had long been a requirement that all short statements be printed on pink paper, long statements on purple paper, and child support guidelines worksheets on yellow paper. Then last year, the court briefly permitted all statements to be printed on white paper - a sensible move, I thought.
But now fans of colored paper have complained and apparently contend that the use of colored paper will make it easier for court workers to avoid inappropriately putting these financial documents in the public court files. Financial statements are supposed to be kept in separate files, unavailable to the public. The court's press release says "requiring that the forms be printed on colored paper will assist our staff and judges in identifying the forms in the case folder and that they remain unavailable for public inspection."
Colored paper will be no guarantee. In fact, the only financial statements I have ever found to have been wrongly placed in public court files were in fact on colored paper. Of course, that's probably just because the white paper rule only lasted a short time - eventually I'm sure I will find a white financial statement form in a public file. Still, as a realist, I expect to continue on occasion to find colored financial statement forms in public court files, only now, thanks to the new rule, they should all appear to be pink, and never purple.
If you have read this far, I am very sorry if you feel you have completely wasted your time!
For information about Massachusetts divorce and family law, see the divorce and family law page of my law firm website.
3 comments:
What's with this colored paper fiasco? I never could understand Mass. law. Now, with routine physical examinations being scheduled by Mass. general practitioners for May of next year, under the new compulsory health care law I'm beginning to think the state is all screwed up beyond hope of repair.
Nice blog, mines still in design but getting closer to full lauch: www.MassachusettsLawyerBlog.com
Anyway, under the limited assistance representation agreeement (pilot project), maybe I can enter into fee agreements based on the color of the form. I'll charge x dollars for yellow, y dollars for purple, and z dollars for pink. Oh well, sometimes we go one step forward and two steps back...
Good luck with the full launch of your own blog. I just checked it out and it already looks great. Thanks for the compliment.
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