Experienced Family Law Lawyer

I am a strong advocate for my clients and will always help them keep in mind the bottom line: what about the children?

Belle F. Soloway

Determining the Custody of your Child

As a family law mediator and attorney, one of the most commonly asked questions I get is: “Am I going to get custody of my kids?” It’s frightening and upsetting to contemplate not being with your child on a daily basis. I can help you answer these questions.

In Massachusetts, there are two types of custody, physical and legal:

• Physical custody refers to the home where the children primarily live.
• Legal custody confers a right to make important decisions about the raising of the children, such as educational, medical or religious choices.

This is an area of law that is extremely emotional and painful. Redefining roles and altering parenting patterns is always a challenge. It is easy to feel threatened by the prospect of change. While I counsel all of my clients to protect their interests in a divorce, the focus in a custody battle really needs to be on the best interests of the children.

Creating Effective Parenting Plans

When it comes to visitation, the courts will often split parenting time in half. In my experience, this is often due to lack of a better solution. Parenting plans can be fluid — it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. There are a number of different custody and visitation plans that can work for both the parents and the children. With your input, I can help you determine which one will be most beneficial for you and your family.

Key Practice Areas

• Divorce
• Mediation
• Collaborative Law
• Child Custody & Visitation
• Child Support & Alimony
• Division of Assets
• Modifications & Contempts
• Juvenile Guardianships
• Juvenile Law / Abuse & Neglect
• Paternity