In the Balance Between Safety and Privacy, Federal and State Laws Favor Safety As the world enters a “new normal”—a society which is not quite post-pandemic, but which seems to be through the worst of COVID-19—business owners face the new challenge of protecting employees and customers now that vaccines are widely available, and masks are […]
COVID-19
An Update on Massachusetts Probate & Family Court Reopening Procedures and What It Means for You
Slow Re-Open With COVID-19 still posing a serious risk to health and safety, the courts, like the rest of our society, continue to adapt their procedures to minimize the risk to court workers and private citizens. The Probate and Family Court is no exception and is adhering to the same general guidelines as the rest […]
COVID and Landlord Liability
Introduction In these unprecedented times, both residential and commercial landlords are facing numerous questions and challenges. Among these is the question of preventing COVID-19 infections on one’s own premises and the possibility of being held liable for a tenant, customer, or visitor being injured as a result of infection. While the particular concerns and mitigation […]
When Your Co-Parent Is an Essential Worker
Custody and COVID-19 These are difficult times for everyone, but for divorced and blended families there are particular and unique challenges. Many of these challenges center around custody. In a time when travel is discouraged and transportation—by plane, train, or public transit—is limited and fraught with worry, moving children between households, especially across great distances, […]
Contemplating Your Estate Plan During Covid-19
Get Your Affairs in Order For most of us, coronavirus and the threat it poses has made us contemplate the status of our estate plans. As thousands of people in the Commonwealth have died of COVID-19 and its complications, many thousands more are ill, and many, many thousands more face unemployment and financial hardship. There […]
Modification of Child Support due to job loss and COVID-19
Times Are Tough The spread of COVID-19 has thrown the certainties of life into disarray. Unfortunately, this uncertainty has had a devastating impact on both the stock market and the everyday commerce that sustains the economy. Freelancers, drivers, hotel and restaurant workers now find themselves physically or legally barred from working. Not only service workers […]
Landlord Eviction Options During Covid-19
Landlords and Coronavirus Long before any Governor issued emergency orders for their state, coronavirus was already altering the fabric of our lives and commerce in unexpected ways. In the last month, millions of workers across the country, from hotel and restaurant workers to office assistants and managers, have been laid off, furloughed, or prohibited from […]
Staying Safe and Saying NO to Domestic Abuse During COVID-19
Strict stay-at-home orders implemented for safety have placed abuse victims directly in harm’s way. Safety measures recommended to limit the spread of the coronavirus pandemic have led to a rise in domestic abuse. For many, this is not a surprise as domestic violence goes up whenever families spend more time together. With families in quarantine […]