tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-986535678046702992009-07-14T02:26:51.689-04:00Boston area attorney Steven Ballard discusses recent developments in divorce & family law.Steven Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00813343751143639124noreply@blogger.comBlogger187125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98653567804670299.post-41780989036721445322009-06-07T21:49:00.008-04:002009-06-07T22:29:24.320-04:00

If you think you have the child support blues, because of frustration in trying to receive or to pay child support, here's a real story for you. A minimum-wage-earning 29-year-old man in Knoxville, Tennessee, is already the father of 21 children with 11 different mothers. On second thought, I also should have mentioned frustration of the taxpayers, as they will in their own way undoubtedly be

Steven Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00813343751143639124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98653567804670299.post-9229460707854946882009-06-03T22:45:00.000-04:002009-06-04T01:01:56.405-04:00

Well, now it has happened: the New Hampshire legislature passed the final version of its gay marriage bill and the governor signed it this afternoon. It will become law in January of next year: N.H. Governor Signs Gay Marriage Bill.EXCERPT FROM TODAY'S AP ARTICLE:CONCORD, New Hampshire - New Hampshire became the sixth state to legalize gay marriage after the Senate and House passed key language

Steven Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00813343751143639124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98653567804670299.post-82451556006632174432009-05-31T23:00:00.006-04:002009-06-01T10:27:30.508-04:00

As recently reported by Nolo’s Divorce, Custody & Family Law Blog, cities that have acquired professional baseball teams have subsequently seen their divorce rates fall at faster rates than other cities that have wanted but did not get baseball teams. Nolo's blog points to last month's Business Week article which discussed the interesting study on this from the University of Denver's Center for

Steven Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00813343751143639124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98653567804670299.post-37102678917937719352009-05-31T09:30:00.001-04:002009-05-31T23:47:52.574-04:00

This past month, Maine has become the fifth state to legalize gay marriage. For the basic story, see the Huffington Post's article from earlier this month: Maine Gay Marriage Legalized. Meanwhile it seems New Hampshire is on the verge of approving same-sex marriage as well, although there is presently what supporters hope will only be a slight delay. For information about Massachusetts

Steven Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00813343751143639124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98653567804670299.post-20084012431817787202009-04-09T06:38:00.004-04:002009-04-09T06:38:00.399-04:00

Thanks to John Bolch at the blog Family Lore, for the news that former divorce attorney, turned Playboy columnist, Corri Fetman, is no longer writing the "Lawyer of Love" column for the magazine, and is instead suing the magazine for sexual harassment, claiming over $4.5 million in damages for "gender violence" and emotional distress. You may recall that she became famous, and got her position at

Steven Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00813343751143639124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98653567804670299.post-20527914974293359502009-04-08T18:26:00.005-04:002009-04-08T19:27:31.863-04:00

And yes, now it's happened in Vermont: Vermont has legalized gay marriage. Vermont legalizes gay marriage | burlingtonfreepress.com | The Burlington Free Press. Yesterday, Vermont joined Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Iowa and is now the fourth state with a right to gay and lesbian marriages. Unlike the other states before it, however, Vermont created this right through legislative rather than

Steven Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00813343751143639124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98653567804670299.post-55703944299713119682009-04-03T10:39:00.008-04:002009-04-03T11:09:56.783-04:00

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the EconomyWow, there have been quite a few developments on the gay marriage front - today, yesterday, and this past week. As Vermont moves closer to becoming, possibly, the first state to create gay marriage by legislative enactment, now that its House has joined the Senate in passing a bill that would permit gay and lesbian couples

Steven Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00813343751143639124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98653567804670299.post-58385564755792321862009-04-01T21:10:00.002-04:002009-04-01T21:22:24.902-04:00

Another very good divorce blog I've recently discovered is the Australian Divorce Blog. We Yanks can learn a lot from it, just as we can from the family law blogs in the UK. So, here's yet one more for my ever-expanding blogroll.For information about Massachusetts divorce and family law, see the divorce and family law page of my law firm website.

Steven Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00813343751143639124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98653567804670299.post-12842874375157386302009-04-01T20:36:00.014-04:002009-04-02T00:14:13.398-04:00

I must say, I find myself agreeing entirely with the following article by Matthew Rothschild in this past month's Progressive Magazine: Nationalize the Banks | The Progressive. The Obama administration, and Congress, are continuing the Big Heist begun by Bush, as the oligarchy continues to pull the strings of our federal government officials. As usual, there are only a few in Congress who are

Steven Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00813343751143639124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98653567804670299.post-30187619898830335422009-03-30T09:39:00.005-04:002009-03-30T09:57:21.260-04:00

Thanks to Kyra Crusco at the New Hampshire Family Law Blog for calling my attention to the fact that Nancy Van Tine, one of the very best and most experienced family law practitioners in Boston, has just started a new Massachusetts divorce law blog, the Massachusetts Divorce Law Monitor. Also my friend Steve Zlochiver, another excellent, experienced family law attorney in the Boston area,

Steven Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00813343751143639124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98653567804670299.post-39969755404059927472009-03-29T12:21:00.001-04:002009-03-29T12:22:17.671-04:00

Yes, we're in a recession, and that's obvious in family court, where pink slips have resulted in more child support modification cases: Fighting Over Child Support After the Pink Slip Arrives - NYTimes.com.For information about Massachusetts divorce and family law, see the divorce and family law page of my law firm website.

Steven Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00813343751143639124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98653567804670299.post-78982593454129323952009-03-28T21:59:00.012-04:002009-03-28T22:29:01.565-04:00

New England continues to be center stage in the gay marriage debate.Both Vermont and New Hampshire each have legislative proposals that were recently approved by one of their legislative bodies to legalize gay or same-sex marriage. See yesterday's New York Times article, Gay Marriage, Set Back in One State, Gains in a 2nd - NYTimes.com. New Hampshire's House of Representatives just narrowly

Steven Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00813343751143639124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98653567804670299.post-6640902377430159042009-03-18T16:05:00.000-04:002009-03-18T16:56:26.087-04:00

A colleague, who happens to be a psychotherapist and not a lawyer, just gave me a copy of the following New Yorker Divorce Cartoon a few days ago. The cartoon is very good and to publish it here I would have to pay more than I am willing to pay for the license, so if you want to see it, you will have to follow my link. But I may have to order a print of this myself.The cartoon, by Mick Stevens

Steven Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00813343751143639124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98653567804670299.post-88335531602552209712009-03-18T12:54:00.012-04:002009-03-18T16:40:52.468-04:00

Now it is often said that he who represents himself has a fool for a client. But is that always true? When something very important is at stake, the answer is usually yes.However, I was just quoted in today's Boston Globe, by relationship columnist Meredith Goldstein, in her short piece DIY divorce: Is it a good idea? - The Boston Globe. I appear in the article as the attorney who surprised

Steven Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00813343751143639124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98653567804670299.post-67125686830741857612009-03-10T13:59:00.011-04:002009-03-18T16:54:19.978-04:00

Advice columnist Meredith Goldstein of the Boston Globe had a great column this past week on "finding the perfect dumping grounds," exploring the art of picking the right restaurant in which to break up with your partner: Finding the perfect dumping grounds - The Boston Globe.Taking one's spouse to a nice restaurant and breaking the news over dinner is probably a better way to break up than

Steven Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00813343751143639124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98653567804670299.post-42888323365141086132009-01-14T21:39:00.006-05:002009-01-16T00:14:14.104-05:00

Here's a little bit of news on the ongoing Big Heist, from video-journalist Robert Greenwald, on how the Bank of America used the $25 Billion in bailout funds our supposed representatives in Washington have already given to it: Taxpayers have given Bank of America $25 billion in bailout funds to help jumpstart our economy, but instead the bank has misspent on executive salaries and corporate

Steven Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00813343751143639124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98653567804670299.post-19354429342453901422009-01-09T00:24:00.004-05:002009-01-09T00:36:01.669-05:00

The organization Fathers and Families (www.fathersandfamilies.org) has recently gone to federal court in an unsuccessful attempt to block use of the new Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines in our family courts. See The Docket » Blog Archive » Fathers’ group sues to stop new child support rules. I am writing an article on the new child support guidelines for a law journal, and am trying to keep

Steven Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00813343751143639124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98653567804670299.post-1286713735133354532008-12-21T15:02:00.007-05:002008-12-21T15:22:45.351-05:00

Although many parents in and around Boston are already familiar with it, I want to make a plug for the free monthly publication Parents and Kids Magazine, and its parent site (pun intended), Wicked Local Parents (http://www.wickedlocalparents.com/). I was just looking through its recent articles online, including articles on ideas for parents in the coming holidays and New Year's, when I found an

Steven Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00813343751143639124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98653567804670299.post-37673748957715150852008-12-21T14:42:00.006-05:002008-12-21T14:58:24.396-05:00

I just came across this article, The Life of a Single Dad, in which I am quoted, quite extensively, and not just as a divorce and family law attorney this time, but rather, primarily at least, as a single, custodial father. The article was published in the award-winning local Parents and Kids Magazine back at the end of May, but I have just now gotten around to finding it today. It's a good story

Steven Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00813343751143639124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98653567804670299.post-20284687578145152562008-12-16T08:09:00.009-05:002008-12-16T10:11:33.377-05:00

News was just released of the Madonna divorce settlement, under which Guy Ritchie will take around $76 Million as his part of the couple's marital assets division. For more, see the Guardian's report, Madonna divorce deal 'worth £50m' to husband Guy Ritchie | guardian.co.uk, and look at People Magazine's web story, Rep: Madonna to Pay Guy Ritchie $76 Million in Divorce Settlement -

Steven Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00813343751143639124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98653567804670299.post-18593756139729294932008-12-11T21:17:00.013-05:002008-12-11T21:56:23.788-05:00

Cathy Young is back! For quite some time, I have patiently followed The Y Files, the blog by former Boston Globe columnist Cathy Young, one of the most fair minded, intelligent, reasonable, and important commentators on gender issues today, and author of what is in my humble view the best book of the last ten years on gender issues, hands down. (If it doesn't sound as if my view is very "humble"

Steven Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00813343751143639124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98653567804670299.post-13310313576047986592008-12-05T10:51:00.010-05:002008-12-05T11:06:09.544-05:00

There was an interesting blog post by Leanna Hamill at the Massachusetts Estate Planning and Elder Law Blog yesterday commenting on a recent report that more men have in recent years taken on caregiving roles for aging parents or other relatives: Massachusetts Estate Planning and Elder Law: More Men Taking Over the Caregiving Role. It's interesting to see that just as men have become more active

Steven Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00813343751143639124noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98653567804670299.post-25542125459335089022008-11-25T22:22:00.003-05:002008-11-25T22:27:53.892-05:00

Today in the news there was yet another interesting development in the world of gay rights, this one in Florida: Florida ban on gay adoptions ruled unconstitutional - MiamiHerald.com.EXCERPT FROM MIAMI HERALD ARTICLE OF TODAY:BY CAROL MARBIN MILLER (cmarbin@MiamiHerald.com)A Miami-Dade circuit judge Tuesday declared Florida's 30-year-old ban on gay adoption unconstitutional, allowing a North

Steven Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00813343751143639124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98653567804670299.post-23138066533177883612008-11-13T10:09:00.005-05:002008-11-13T10:33:13.451-05:00

Two more states besides California - namely, Arizona and Florida - have joined the list of nearly 30 U.S. states banning gay marriage, as the result of last week's elections. Although California still has civil unions for gay and lesbian couples, most of the states with bans, including Arizona and Florida, do not have civil unions, domestic partnerships, or any kind of recognition of these

Steven Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00813343751143639124noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-98653567804670299.post-31085698937798772152008-11-12T10:01:00.011-05:002008-11-12T10:33:49.720-05:00

California voters approved the gay marriage ban in that state, by voting for Proposition 8, during their election last week. Meanwhile, Democratic legislators are asking the California Supreme Court to void Proposition 8, in what the manager of the Proposition 8 campaign derides as a "Hail Mary" pass: Democratic legislators ask state Supreme Court to void Prop. 8 - Los Angeles Times. Some gay and

Steven Ballardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00813343751143639124noreply@blogger.com2