Mediation for Families

Mediation is a tool that can be invaluable to families. At Fields and Dennis, we are well-versed in all aspects of Family Law, and we often turn to mediation as an agreeable and less distressing means to an end.  There are many ways that mediation can benefit families at various stages of life. From divorce to estate planning and everything in between, mediation can be an…

Read More

The Importance of Keeping Beneficiaries Updated

The importance of updating your beneficiary designations, specifically for policies which fall under Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance (“FEGLI”)  for life insurance policies has just been highlighted by the Supreme Court’s 9-0 decision in Hillman v. Maretta.  During the marriage of Mr. Hillman and Ms. Maretta, Mr. Hillman named Ms. Maretta as the beneficiary of his…

Read More

Husband Receives No Part of Wife’s $12,000,000 Inheritance

The Appeals Court upheld a Probate judgment in which the judge did not award husband any part of the wife’s $12,000,000 inherited interest in various trusts.  The decision does not indicate the precise extent of the marital estate but infers that the wife was left with substantially greater assets than the husband.  The parties lived…

Read More

MCFM Spring 2012 Family Mediation Quarterly Article by Attorney Fields

The most recent issue of the Massachusetts Council on Family Mediation Family Mediation Quarterly features the following article I wrote called MASSACHUSETTS FAMILY LAW: A Periodic Review. Value of Inherited Nantucket Home Divided Equally. The Appeals Court upheld a Probate and Family Court judgment that divided equally between parties the value of the husband’s interest…

Read More