Divorce and Family Law

The Law Offices of Andrew J. Schultz, P.C. is very sensitive to the emotional issues of divorce, child custody support and other family issues. We realize that the process of divorce can be very traumatic and we pay special attention to the needs of small children. In addition, divorce and family law cases also involve extensive financial issues and our office is committed to achieving the best possible monetary result for our clients through our experience and expertise. We take great pride in our ability to obtain excellent financial resolutions while making every step to obtain every dollar rightfully owed to our clients.

Our office practices regularly in the family law courts across Massachusetts and New Hampshire and we will strive to obtain the best possible result, always attempting to meet our client’s specific objectives on each case. We also realize divorce can cause great financial strain on a family and have different payment options available.

Divorce FAQ’s

Question: How long do I have to live in Massachusetts or New Hampshire before I file for divorce?
Answer: Generally speaking you will need to reside in Massachusetts or New Hampshire for one year prior to filing for divorce.

Question: How much does a divorce cost?
Answer: A simple uncontested divorce without children will generally cost between $2,000-$3,000. A typical contested divorced that does not involve any major custodial or property division issues will generally cost between $3,000-$7,000. High Asset cases involving division of large amounts of property, evaluations of a business, or cases including protracted custody battles can cost much more than this amount and can range from $10,000-$30.000, or even more, depending upon the complexity of the case. The Law Offices of Andrew J. Schultz, P.C. strives to keep legal fees to a minimum on every case and will educate you throughout the process as to the estimated cost of any strategic course of litigation you wish to pursue on your matter.

Question: Am I eligible for alimony and child support?
Answer: Child Support is established by child support guidelines based upon the income of the parties and coupled with the parenting plan in place. Alimony is also an available option in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire on cases where there is a large disparity in income and also depending upon the length of the marriage along with various other factors. Alimony is generally not awarded in short term marriages and is dealt with on a case by case basis.

Question: How do we develop a parenting plan for our children?
Answer: A parenting plan is developed by the parties and the court based upon the ages, needs, educational activities and extracurricular activities of the children. In addition, geography may play a part in parenting plans as it is much easier to have a flexible parenting plan when two parents live close to one another. Parenting plans for children of parents who live far apart differ greatly and are dealt with by the courts on a case by case basis. The Law Offices of Andrew J. Schultz, P.C. recognizes the sensitive nature of parenting plans of children and will work with our clients extensively to achieve the best possible result in this regard.

Question: Will my children’s wishes be taken into account as you whom they want to live with?
Answer: Generally speaking, the wishes of children who are in their teen years may be given more weight than the wishes of children who are younger. While the child’s wishes are not automatically accepted by a Judge in a Family Law setting, they can be given weight by a Judge and a Guardian Ad Litem can be appointed to investigate and speak on behalf of the children.

Question: How long will my divorce case take?
Answer: This really depends. In a matter of a non-contested divorce, a divorce can take a matter of a month or two. Most divorces will range from six (6)-twelve (12) months, although this varies based on the facts of the case. Protracted cases can last two (2) – three (3) years.