Fields and Dennis

Postnups OK’d in Massachusetts (or “the Fogg has Lifted”)

Attorney Jonathan Fields — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 00:28:55 +0000

Nearly 20 years ago, in the Fogg case, the SJC “left to another day” the question of whether postnuptial agreements were valid in Massachusetts. Well, that day has come. In a recent case, the SJC finally resolved the long-deferred question by approving such agreements so long as certain requirements were met. Among such requirements, according to the SJC, the court must find that the agreement was fair and reasonable at the time of signing as well as at the time of enforcement. In permitting such agreements, Massachusetts appears to be in line with the majority of states.

Bigamists Beware: Make Sure Other Wife Doesn’t Post Wedding Pictures on Facebook

Attorney Jonathan Fields — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 00:11:48 +0000

Another marriage destroyed by Facebook? A Cleveland bigamist’s big secret was uncovered when his wife discovered wedding pictures of him and his “other wife” on Facebook. According to this CNET piece, she had suspected him of cheating and discovered the posts on the other wife’s Facebook page. For his part, the bigamist now claims his first marriage wasn’t legal.

Your Husband is Stalking You? Throw Away Your Cell Phone!

Attorney Jonathan Fields — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 00:04:32 +0000

A stalker can easily find his prey by using the GPS in your cell phone, as a recent WSJ piece notes. The stalker can install certain software on the victim’s phone and (as long as it’s turned on and receiving a signal) the phone becomes a tracking device. Even worse — you may want to check your cell bills if you share a phone account with the stalker. Apparently, the cell provider can simply add the tracking feature for a fee at the request of only one of the account holders.

Prenup Article Receives Honor

Attorney Jonathan Fields — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 23:40:51 +0000

I was proud to learn that the prestigious Journal of the Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers has honored for its “exceptional ” quality my recent article published in their pages about prenuptial agreements.

The Un-Divorced?

Attorney Jonathan Fields — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 22:26:43 +0000

The NYT reports on a trend where couples stay married for long periods without getting legal divorces. Who knew that Warren Buffet was separated from his wife for over 25 years until she died — all the while living with another woman?

Having a Fool for a Lawyer

Attorney Jonathan Fields — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 22:12:44 +0000

Litigants needing more warnings about self-representation in court should check out this piece in the WSJ.

http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2010/07/22/lawyering-on-the-fly-more-learning-its-not-that-easy/?mod=djemlawblog_t

Is your Husband’s Lawyer Looking at your Facebook Page Right Now?

Attorney Jonathan Fields — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 02:13:46 +0000

Check your privacy settings, divorcing couples. A recent Newsweek piece notes that divorce attorneys routinely scour Facebook looking for dirt on the other spouse. Indeed, a CNN article points out that Facebook has become ” a tool for cheating spouses and that an increasing number of cases involve Facebook in some way. Confirming that there’s a niche for everything, a Massachusetts man has even started a website, FacebookCheating.com, in order to “help others cope with someone…who is using Facebook to cheat on them.”

Is Divorce Contagious?

Attorney Jonathan Fields — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 01:53:20 +0000

Is your wife hanging out a lot with her newly divorced friend? Watch out. A recent study suggests that divorce may be contagious. Having a divorced friend or relative, according to the new study, increases the odds that you will get divorced. An article published yesterday details a case in which a married couple may have gotten divorced, in part, because their adult daughter got divorced.

New Study Proves Mediation has Positive Long-Term Effects on Children of Divorce

Attorney Jonathan Fields — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 01:11:46 +0000

An exciting new study from Dr. Robert Emery, Ph.D., of the University of Virginia confirms what experienced divorce mediators have intuited for a long time. Divorce mediation has long-term positive benefits for children of divorce and the parties themselves. You should check out a synopsis of the research at http://emeryondivorce.com/divorce_mediation_study.php.

Boston Globe Alimony Article

Attorney Jonathan Fields — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 00:59:45 +0000

On Sunday, The Boston Globe headlined a piece that highlighted some of the problems with our state’s alimony law and reported on some efforts to reform the law. It’s definitely worth the read.