Extreme Divorce Avoidance: Man Jumps from Window to Avoid Divorce

Divorce is a difficult decision, one that is not came upon lightly, and it is hard on everyone involved.  This proved especially true for one couple in Jerusalem.  In early March, a man actually jumped out of a courthouse bathroom window to avoid divorce proceedings. This sounds extreme and it is safe to say that…

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Prenup: No Longer Binding?

After spending nearly half a million dollars and three years fighting a bizarre prenuptial agreement, a Long Island woman has won an “unprecedented” case against her estranged millionaire husband, Peter Petrakis. Elizabeth Cioffi-Petrakis had to prove in court that she was coerced into signing the prenuptial agreement that her husband threw at her only four…

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American Girl Dolls and Divorce

American Girl dolls have been a staple with children since they first debuted in 1986.  They initially presented historical characters at various tumultuous stages in history, surmounting obstacles and overcoming odds.  There was the Colonial American Girl facing the Revolutionary War, the young pioneer whose family was settling the West, and an Eastern European immigrant…

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Skype Aids in Proxy Marriages

Proxy marriages are on the rise. Web chat programs such as Skype allow for these marriages to occur more easily and for the bride and groom to exchanges vows from around the world. In the United States this practice is used, but infrequently and most often by members of the military in order to ensure…

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Social Media, Marriage and Divorce in China, 140 Characters at a Time

Marriage and divorce are huge decisions and both are not made hastily. At Fields and Dennis, we deal with the repercussions of divorce on a daily basis, finding resolutions to some of the most difficult situations. Divorce is not something easily decided upon by our clients, but sometimes it is the only solution. In our…

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Massachusetts Most-Divorced Towns – 2012

New data released by the United States Census Department in December 2012 reports that on average 9.2 percent of Massachusetts residents have reported themselves at one time as being divorced. Conveniently published by WCVB Boston on January 7, 2013, this date is released just in time to encourage any Valentine’s Day cynics that love might…

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Ode to a Spell Checker

ODE TO A SPELL CHECKER by Jerrold H Zar I have a spelling checker, It came with my PC. It plane lee marks four my revue Miss steaks aye can knot sea. Eye ran this poem threw it, Your sure reel glad two no. Its vary polished in it’s weigh. My checker tolled me sew.…

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Abraham Lincoln’s Advice to New Lawyers: Discourage Litigation

Abraham Lincoln has been in the popular culture a lot recently.  A summer hit reimagined him as a vampire hunter; the current Spielberg film casts him as a shrewd and effective politician whose deft maneuvering helped move the 13th Amendment through the House.  After seeing the movie, I went on the Internet and, by chance,…

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“Talking about the Law” with Bob Flynn on WRCN

Join Sheryl and Hugh this Veterans Day, Sunday, November 11, from 10 – 11 on “Talking about the Law”, an excellent WRCN radio show hosted by family law mediator Bob Flynn. The topic they’re discussing is “Navigating the VA System: Claims for Compensation, Pension and Medical”, and will be extremely interesting stuff. About “Talking about the Law“ Host and attorney Bob Flynn talks about the…

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MCFM President's Letter: The Genius of Family

On September 13, as most of you know, MCFM marked an important milestone – our 30th anniversary.  We honored the occasion with an event at the Endicott House in Dedham.  Thanks to the organizers (in alphabetical order – Lynn Cooper, Barbara Kellman, Diane Spears, Laurie Udell, and Fran Whyman,) it was a well-attended and unqualified…

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