Experience

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Compassion

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Integrity

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I missed my (criminal) court date! What do I do?

You’re going about your day and suddenly realize that you were supposed to be in court. Last week. You thought it was next week, but it was actually last week. Oh no! What do I do!? First, understand that you are in default and a warrant has likely been issued for...

Letting Go After Your Divorce

Divorce can be devastating even when both parties agree. Letting go after your divorce is difficult at best. It's an emotional roller coaster, particularly when children are involved. Sometimes, one party has been the "fixer" in the relationship; the one who has...

Social Media and Legal Action

The biggest piece of advice that I can give to a client is to refrain from social media when you are involved in litigation. Be it a criminal case, a divorce, a restraining order – no matter what type of case, the best bet is always to stay silent. Clients are often...

Who Gets the Engagement Ring?

The contemplation of marriage, instituted by the engagement of the parties, traditionally brings with it an engagement ring given from one to another. Some have sentimental value: engagement rings are handed down and are often heirlooms. An engagement ring may have...

Post Divorce Parenting: Helping Your Child Succeed

Life for a child of divorce can feel like a war zone. They often feel torn between two people who have completely different opinions and different life styles. The rules can vary from household to household which leaves the child with a sense of confusion and anger....

Paying Child Support Without a Court Order

Paying child support without a court order Paying child support without a court order is a question that comes up very often in my practice. This can apply anytime there is a child between two people, whether the couple is married, or unmarried. Here is a common...

Modification: The In’s and Out’s

As life changes, you may find yourself in a situation where your current order (or judgment) no longer applies to your circumstances or seems fair, given your life changes. If you find yourself in this situation, speak with an attorney to determine if you would...

Can I lose my inheritance to child support?

Can I lose my inheritance to child support? The question you are asking can also be stated as: Can the Court award child support based on the money I received in an inheritance? Child support is based on income. It is not based on gifts or inheritances. For example,...

Should You Date Before Your Divorce Is Final?

You filed a Complaint for Divorce and are ready to move on with your life. Should you date before your divorce is final? Can dating someone hurt you while you are going through the divorce process? Could dating hurt you at all? Although it is always best to wait...

Parenting During COVID-19

How do I handle parenting time during COVID-19 and a stay-at-home mandate? The world is abuzz amidst COVID-19 and daily life seems to have changed for most of us. In fact, it's continuing to change on a regular basis. This is a new situation - one that we have never...

Myths of Divorce

If you are considering divorce or even in the middle of one, it's critical that you are receiving good advice. Advice from family and friends may seem helpful but can lead you down the wrong path. Tips from the bar around the corner are even worse and sometimes...

Can I be arrested for a warrant in Massachusetts if I go to the local DMV in Massachusetts?

Q: Can I be arrested for a misdemeanor warrant in Massachusetts if I go to the local DMV in Massachusetts? If there is a warrant, you can be arrested at any time. They don't specifically have people standing by to take you into custody at the DMV, but certainly, law...

Appeal a Judgment

I recently came across this article "How to Appeal a Judgment without an Attorney." Being fairly intrigued, I read the article looking for holes that I could use in writing this post. However, I must admit, it was well written and it was thorough. It began by...

The Queen Had Soul But No Will

Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, was recently laid to rest. Her service was like no other in our history. Musicians from all genres came out to pay respects with praise and song for a women who battled against the odds to become one of the true legends of our...

Shared Physical Custody: A Growing Trend

Years ago, when a couple parted ways, it was simply assumed that the children would live with their mother and have visitation with their father. Typically, the father's visitation with his children was for two weekends per month and if feasible for him, a "dinner...

2017 Child Support Guidelines – Part 3

In part 3 of our series on the 2017 Child Support Guidelines, we will be addressing child support for children between 18-23 years old and parental contribution to post-secondary educational expenses. If you would like to read about other changes, please see Part 1 -...

I Want to Fire My Lawyer!

If you have every said "I want to fire my lawyer, you are not alone". Many times during a case it can seem confusing or overwhelming. If you are frustrated or dissatisfied with your attorney, are not happy with the speed, outcome or method of the case, or are at the...

Should my Ex’s New Girlfriend/Boyfriend visit with my child?

You’ve separated from your partner and he now has a new girlfriend. He sees nothing wrong with that girlfriend being present during visitation with your kids. You think that she should not be there. You are not alone. This is a very common issue in the world of...

When Children Take on Parenting: After Effects of Divorce

The son of recently divorced parents finds Mom crying in the kitchen. "What's wrong, Mom?" he asks. "Your Dad doesn't love me. He has a new girlfriend. How could he do that to us?" The boy is angered and hurt. He hugs his mother as she cries. He consoles her in...

Legal Meaning of the Cosby Mistrial

I’m sure you’ve all heard by now that Bill Cosby’s trial resulted in a mistrial on Saturday. The jury came back to the judge, for the second time, on Saturday and informed him that they could not reach a verdict. As a result, the Court declared a “mistrial.” So,...

Making an Appeal in Massachusetts

Update: In recent news, Avery's attorneys have submitted a number of appeals documents. Several of these have been denied, however it appears one or more of these are still winding their ways up through the Appeals Courts. Brandan Dassey, however, may have exhausted...

Prenuptial Agreements: Why Would I Want That?

It's hard to think that a divorce might happen when you are in the midst of planning your marriage and happily dreaming about the rest of your life, isn’t it? How do you plan a happy life while deciding what to do if it all goes south? The problem is that most...

Do I have to pay child support without a court order?

Do I have to pay child support without a court order? This is a question that I see often in my practice. The answer is two-fold: there’s the legal advice and the practical advice. Picture this: you and your partner have separated. You’ve moved out of the home. ...

For my Massachusetts Divorce, do I need my marriage certificate?

In Massachusetts, when you file a Complaint for Divorce, you must also file a certified copy of your marriage certificate. You may want to keep your copy or you may not have it. So, how do you get one? This is an easy issue to resolve. Contact the city hall in the...

2021 Update! Still Missing – Maura Murray

March 2021 Update: For those of you following this case, you are probably aware of Tim & Lance's podcast, Missing Maura. For years, the podcast was its own entity. Over the years, they began highlighting other cases as well. To learn about Maura's case, there...

Absent Parents: The Parent Who Used to be Absent

Absent parents is a topic that I see frequently in my practice. Here’s a perfect example: Mom was pregnant but dad wanted nothing to do with her, or the baby, during pregnancy and for a while thereafter. At some point, for whatever reason, the dad becomes interested...

New Hampshire: The First Appearance

You’ve filed for divorce and you’ve received a notice that you must attend something called a First Appearance. So, what is this? If you are a party to a divorce action, and you have children of the marriage that are...

2017 Child Support Guidelines – Overview

As most of you know, the new version of the child support guidelines has now been released and were effective beginning September 15, 2017. Every four years, a task force reviews input and issue regarding the guidelines, making changes to accommodate problematic,...

Who Gets Our Family Dog in the Divorce?

It's a common scenario. Boy meets girl and they fall in love. They buy a home or rent an apartment. Wanting to share their love, they adopt a dog. Over the next year or so, they get married. Their dog is their baby. They share photos of him on social media sites,...

Should I contact an Attorney about Divorce?

If you’re having trouble in your marriage, you feel overwhelmed. You feel like it's going to get better, yet it never does. Your friends and family may be unaware of the true depth of your situation. Often this is when you may think: "should I contact an attorney...

Massachusetts: The Annie Dookhan Drug Lab Scandal

Update: if you have not watched Netflix’s “How to Fix a Drug Scandal”, we recommend you do so. It discusses this case and the Sonja Farak case. If you feel you have been impacted by either of these, please contact us. By now I am sure that a lot of you have heard of...

Filing a Protective Order: Preparing to Leave

Filing a protective order is an extremely difficult decision. It takes a toll physically and emotionally on a person. After the filing, many decisions still have yet to be finalized. This article is not intended to override your existing plans regarding self help;...

Is It Safe To Leave an Abusive Marriage?

A co-worker, "Pat", confides to you during lunch one day that her "marital bliss" has all been a sham and that she thinks she has just learned to accept her husband's abusive behavior. All of the stories she shares at work about her family are lies and have been for...

Legal Lessons From a Mistress

The following is from someone who asked to share her story so others could learn from her Legal Lessons From a Mistress. Several years ago I went through a nasty divorce after 17 years of marriage. At the end of it, I vowed never to allow myself to fall for another...

Custody Case Takes a Turn – The Brad Pitt Saga

If you’re not living under a rock, and if you are a loyal reader here on my site, I am sure you’ve heard about the custody battle between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Some months ago, Angelina claimed that Brad abused their child and sought full custody of all six...

How to Complete a Financial Statement

One of the biggest concerns in family court is the creation of a financial statement (or in New Hampshire, a financial affidavit). I see clients stress day after day about the information to include, the necessary documents and the mandated disclosure. Here are some...

Family Vacation After the Divorce

The reality of a divorce or separation often hits families the hardest over holidays and vacation time. Family vacations may have been where many memories were created over the years. Now, after a breakup of the family, it's an emotional time since nobody is quite...

Just When We Thought He Was Beyond Reach

By now you may have heard that Bill Cosby was recently criminally charged by one of the women who claims that she was drugged and touched by him in the past. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania charged Bill Cosby today with aggravated indecent assault, sneaking the...

Can You Get a Divorce Reversed?

Sometimes one or more parties to a divorce will be unhappy with the results of the divorce order and may wish to have the result reconsidered. For whatever reason the question becomes "can you get a divorce reversed?". This process of having the order reconsidered...

Questions You Should Ask Your Divorce Attorney

When seeking a divorce attorney, there are a million questions running through your mind. It’s wise to make a list of the topics you wish to address so that you can make the most of your time together. Here are some questions you should be sure make that list: 1. ...

Can I stop paying my child support without going to Court?

Often things happen that makes a parent think that they are no longer required to pay child support. A daughter joins the military. A son drops out of college. A child graduates high school and is going to college part time and working part time but still living with...

The Safe Driving Law in Massachusetts

There is a lot of press recently about texting while driving all over our country but particularly in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Many states have banned texting while driving. There are commercials on TV about texting while driving. There are signs on the...

Changing Attorneys Mid-Case

Changing Attorneys Mid-Case Often, folks just like you call me part way through a divorce, or even after a divorce is over, that say that are not satisfied with their attorney. Most people feel that if they have hired someone, they “probably shouldn’t” switch...

Why Family Should Not Provide Your Legal Representation

It's a common situation. A person is in need of legal representation for one reason or another, and because of restricted funds, reaches out to a family member who is also an attorney. The family member, be it a brother, sister, aunt, uncle, parent or child, wants...

Missing Mollie – Trial Update

UPDATE According to the Des Moines Register, a trial date has been set for the man accused of abducting and killing Mollie Tibbetts. The trial date is set for April 16th, 2019. He is accused of kidnapping and killing Mollie while she was out for a run. Updates can...

Getting a Divorce Without Notifying the Spouse

The heading reads: "Man Got Divorced Without Ever Telling His Wife, Police Say". (https://www.wmur.com/article/man-got-divorced-without-ever-telling-his-wife-police-say/29101534). That title holds a lot of information. Just reading the first part of the title,...

Supervised Visitation: The Brad and Angelina Case

Brad and Angelina I’m sure you’ve seen recently that Brad and Angelina have made strides in settling their parenting agreement. Angelina is maintaining primary custody of the children. Brad will have “therapeutic visits” with the kids. Basically, that amounts to...

Termination of Parental Rights

Separation and divorce are never easy times for a couple in distress. Couples may be disagreeing over money, their relationship and everything in between. I often receive calls asking about the "termination of parental rights". What I learn after listening to the...

Should I Stay Married For the Sake of My Children?

I often see the question posed to me in the middle of a conversation with a potential client, current client or even an acquaintance who knows I practice family law: should I stay married for the sake of my children? Should I wait until they are older before we...

The Only Person that can Change a Court Order is the Court!

I come across this issue fairly often, many different contexts, and decided that it was a great issue to discuss here. It is very clear in all contexts. If you are subject to a Court’s Order, that Order remains effective until 1) that order expires or 2) the Court...

Am I the right attorney for you?

Schedule a free phone consultation today to discuss your case and decide if I am the person you want on your side.

Contact me now at: 978.225.0661 or 603.373.0545. You may also email directly at: [email protected] in confidence.

©2021 The Law Office of Christine G. DeBernardis. Any information contained on this website is for general information purposes only. It is not legal advice, nor is it intended to be. A retained attorney is best able to give you advice on your individual situation. Please be aware that contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Until an attorney client relationship is established, please withhold sending confidential information to us.

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Appeals

An appeal is a request for relief from a decision of a lower court. It’s basically asking the Court to overturn a lower court’s ruling, order or finding based upon the fact that the lower court’s decision was in error. Christine is an experienced lawyer; both at trial and appeals. She can help if you’ve been convicted at trial. You have the right to appeal — contact us today for a free consultation of your case.

Criminal Law

When you are in a difficult situation that requires the assistance of a knowledgeable, caring representative, turn to the Law Offices of Christine G. DeBernardis. Christine has the experience to help you get the best results. The outcome of a criminal matter will affect your future. Make sure that your interest is protected and that you have an experienced advocate on your side. You can contact Christine G. DeBernardis in her Massachusetts office at (978-225-0661).

Divorce

Divorce and separation are tough on a family. Everyone want to provide advice and it's hard to know who to trust. You need an advocate that is fair, experienced and compassionate. Christine has nearly 20 years experience working with families both in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Contact us here to schedule a free phone consultation.

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