It's A Dog's Life

The Battle Over "Fido" Becomes More Common

By: Attorney Michelle F. Rosenberg

It was the mid 1980’s.  I had recently begun a new job at a small firm that handled a lot of divorce cases when my employer approached me about arguing a motion involving custody and visitation for a five year old named Max.  Thrilled to be given such an important responsibility so early in my career with that firm, I jumped at the chance.

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Then I looked at the case file.  Max was not a five year old boy; Max was a five year old beagle, whose owners were divorcing and were at odds regarding where Max should live post-divorce.

As far-fetched as it may seem, “custody” of the family pet is becoming an increasingly common issue in divorce cases.   In recent years, pets have achieved a status within the family unit that was previously unheard of.  While a generation ago, families may have formed “attachments” to their pets, today, it is not uncommon for pets to be considered actual “members” of the family, much the way children are – especially in families where the couple is either childless, or has children who are grown and have moved away.

New Trends in Divorce & Divorce Mediation-- As Massachusetts Economy Picks Up and Winter Finally Ends, Divorce Filings Increase Putting Pressure on Housing Market; Divorce Mediation Becoming a More Popular Choice

Divorces Continue to Increase As a Thaw Melts the Winter and Economy

The brutal winter and some aspects of the economy have caused some to put off taking a major step

By: Steven Rosenberg

Ending a marriage can be a costly and painful endeavor, in some instances. And when the economy is down and people don't have extra income coupled with the brutal winter weather keeping people inside, some couples choose to stay together instead of taking a step towards positive change and filing for divorce. Just as the thaw is occurring outside, there appears to be a thaw of the backlog and an increase of couples wanting to explore divorce as the next step in their lives is occurring.  

Child support, splitting assets and other costs associated with certain contentious divorces can seriously impact a family's savings.  

But as the economy picks up and spring wakes us all up from our winter slumbers, those couples who put off divorcing, appear to be exploring divorce as well as divorce mediation options more frequently. One trend we have noticed is these couples are seeking out more cost effective divorce options such as mediation, which allows couples to divorce using a mediator instead of judge.