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You are here: Home / Archives for Divorce and Technology

Tele-Mediation: A Game Changer For Divorcing Couples — Part I

by Vicki L. Shemin, J.D., LICSW, ACSW

Breaking the news to divorcing clients that courts are closed indefinitely (except for the most extreme of emergencies) has added yet another layer of stress and strain to the avalanche of burdens clients already bear.

It has not been easy to absorb the news that the trajectory of their divorce has been indefinitely derailed. In the old normal, trying as it was to go through the process, at least the promise of having had an end in sight engendered more than a small measure of hope.

For clients who have successfully negotiated and signed their divorce agreements, until they can have the judge’s blessing that their agreement passes muster and they are officially divorced, they are left with a pervasive sense that finality is outside their grasp. And, on the opposite end of the spectrum, for those clients who are well into the heart of the process but still far from settlement, the fact that the courts will be unavailable — and then certainly backlogged — brings on a different host of far-reaching concerns.

Fortunately, those of us who are trained mediators have been able to offer clients an efficient and effective alternative: tele-mediation. In short, tele-mediation is the distribution of mediation services and information through various telecommunication technologies. Most notable of these have been Zoom and Microsoft Teams, modalities that offer document-sharing capabilities and private breakout rooms.

Click to read more..

Filed Under: Coronavirus and Divorce, Covid and Divorce, Divorce and Technology, Firm News

Heading Back to School after a Divorce

With fall quickly approaching, it is that time again, at once bittersweet and anticipated by parents everywhere – back-to-school. But, if you are recently separated or in the midst of a divorce, this first back-to-school season will be another in a series of adjustments. Summer certainly had its own challenges and negotiating vacations when children are not in school can be tough, but the upcoming school year poses its own unique issues to face. Read more.

Filed Under: Divorce, Divorce and Technology, Marriage, Massachusetts Divorce Tagged With: back to school, Children, Co-Parenting, communication, Divorce, divorce and children, Parenting, Separation

Bitcoins and Divorce: Declaring your Digital Currency

Bitcoin has become a buzzword recently, more well-known to some than others, but unless you live under a rock that does not get WiFi, you have surely at the very least heard the term tossed around. For those less informed on the emerging value system, Bitcoin is a digital currency used as a peer-to-peer payment system. Developed in 2009, bitcoins can be exchanged for goods, services and other currencies. While bitcoins have been under fire for their use in illegal activities (e.g. the recently exposed online black market Silk Road), they have legitimate uses as well, making the debate over this new cryptocurrency a hot-button topic. Read more.

Learn more about Bitcoin, Cryptocurrency and Divorce:
“Bitcoin Bitterness Starts to Make Messy Divorces Even Worse,” Hannah George, Bloomberg News (2018) (Jonathan Fields quoted) 
Cryptocurrency and Divorce: A Primer
IRS Notice 2014-21: Virtual Currency Guidance

Filed Under: Divorce, Divorce and Technology, Marriage, Massachusetts Divorce Tagged With: Alimony, assets, Boston Divorce Lawyers, Contemporary Marriage, Divorce, Divorce Planning, spousal support

Believe-it-or-Not Tales of Divorce from Around the World

The Huffington Post recently highlighted “7 Weird Divorce Stories,” and the real-life marital tales of woe are hard to believe.

Framing these quirky anecdotes is the recent story of a UK woman, who claimed that she was not made aware that “divorce” would legally end her marriage. Read more.

Filed Under: Divorce, Divorce and Technology, Family Law Tagged With: Contemporary Marriage, Divorce, Divorce news, Divorce Stories, Infidelity, Marriage

Dating after Divorce

Beginning to date after a divorce can be tough. After all, you have been through a lot in your previous relationship, to put it mildly, and you may find it difficult to jump back into the dating pool. Dating someone who is also going through a divorce can pose further challenges. While dating someone who is in a similar situation can be beneficial and rewarding because they know what you are going through more so than anyone else, the situation may require a slower pace and a more carefully navigated path. Read more.

Filed Under: Divorce, Divorce and Technology, Marriage Tagged With: Divorce, Marriage, Relationships

Flushing the Negative at Mantokuji

Before modern divorce, the Mantokuji temple in Japan was known as the “divorce temple” — a place where women could separate from their husbands before law granted them the legal right to do so.  Historically, until the 19th century, Mantokuji was a women-only convent that assisted women in ending their marriages.  At the time, divorce was hard to come by when instigated by the woman and the temple offered a degree of legal protection. Read more.

Filed Under: Divorce, Divorce and Technology, Marriage Tagged With: Divorce, divorce customs, history of divorce, Japan, Mantokuji, modern divorce, Spirituality

Art Student Aces Exam with Divorce Paper Wedding Dress

A fifteen-year-old student in the small town of Crawley, England recently created an art project that has gone viral on the internet.  Hoping to symbolize the tendency of people to rush into marriage and end up divorced, she created a wedding dress completely out of divorce papers.  The dress used divorce papers, arranged in a puffy, princess-style gown.  In fact, unless you look close at the flat front panel, you may not even realize that the dress is comprised entirely of divorce papers.  In order to get the material, she printed a divorce form from the internet and photocopied it 1,500 times. The one-of-a-kind dress was completed in the span of a ten hour art exam.  Read more.

Filed Under: Divorce, Divorce and Technology Tagged With: Divorce, Marriage, Social Media

Social Media, Marriage and Divorce in China, 140 Characters at a Time

Marriage and divorce are huge decisions and both are not made hastily. At Fields and Dennis, we deal with the repercussions of divorce on a daily basis, finding resolutions to some of the most difficult situations. Divorce is not something easily decided upon by our clients, but sometimes it is the only solution. In our ever-changing society, we must adapt to newly emerging concerns and issues that arise in our technology-driven world.

Relationships are complex, unique, and ever changing. An article from the largest Psychology website in China [www lansin. com] recently explored the benefits of social media on marriage and how social media may also negatively enforce existing problems within failing relationships headed for divorce.  Read more here.

Filed Under: Divorce, Divorce and Technology Tagged With: Divorce, Facebook, Marriage, Relationships, Sina Weibo, Social Media, Twitter

E-mail Privacy and the Price of Curiosity

Divorcing couples tempted to break into their spouse’s e-mail may wish to reconsider.  A Michigan man going through a divorce used his wife’s password to access her e-mail account through a home computer they shared.  He then attempted to use some of those e-mails in the divorce proceeding.  The local D.A. pressed charges under a state privacy statute and, if convicted, the man could face five years in prison. Certainly, one lesson here is that curious spouses should not hack into their spouse’s email.  The other lesson: divorcing couples should change passwords and, if possible, limit use of a shared computer.  Check out the story at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40820892/ns/technology_and_science-security/

Filed Under: Divorce, Divorce and Technology, Privacy Tagged With: Boston Divorce Lawyers

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Recent Posts

Sheryl J. Dennis Quoted in Second Most Read Article in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly

January 3, 2023

Attorney Sheryl Dennis was quoted in Massachusetts Lawyer Weekly’s second most read article of the year. The article discusses the feasibility of remote work from the viewpoint of a number of major law firms in the Boston area. If you are in the office, you are much more invested in the firm and the people […]

Fields and Dennis LLP Fundraiser for K9s for Warriors

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Over the years Fields and Dennis have been proud to sponsor an annual holiday fundraiser for K9s for Warriors. We will be holding another holiday fundraiser through the end of the year. K9s For Warriors is a program to reduce veteran suicide and help our warriors return to a life of dignity and independence. The […]

Here are 4 Ways Divorced Parents Can Make the Holidays Joyful for Their Children – Attorney Vicki L. Shemin’s Article Featured on Divorcemag.com

November 29, 2022

Just because you and your ex-spouse are no longer together doesn’t mean you can’t co-parent peacefully during the holiday season. There are many ways divorced parents can make the holidays memorable for their children. Read the full article on Divorcemag.com https://www.divorcemag.com/blog/here-are-4-ways-divorced-parents-can-make-the-holidays-joyful-for-their-children

Congratulations to Fields and Dennis LLP Firm members who were selected as Top Lawyers for 2022 by Boston Magazine

November 22, 2022

  Fields and Dennis LLP is proud to congratulate Sheryl Dennis, Vicki L. Shemin and Jonathan Fields on being selected as Top Lawyers for 2022 by Boston Magazine. The Boston Magazine Top Lawyers list is extensively peer-reviewed and curated to bring together the top quality attorneys in Boston, making it easier for anyone seeking an […]

Sheryl J. Dennis Quoted in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly

November 16, 2022

Attorney Sheryl Dennis was quoted in Massachusetts Lawyer Weekly this week. The article discusses the feasibility of remote work from the viewpoint of a number of major law firms in the Boston area. If you are in the office, you are much more invested in the firm and the people around you. It really is […]

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    • Sheryl J. Dennis Quoted in Second Most Read Article in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly

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    The Boston metro family law, divorce and estate planning attorneys at the law firm of Fields and Dennis LLP are based in the Newton Wellesley area and serve the city of Newton: Auburndale, Chestnut Hill, Newton Centre, Newton Corner, Newton Upper Falls, Newton Lower Falls, Nonantum, Oak Hill, Waban and West Newton and town of Wellesley: Babson Park, Wellesley Hills, Wellesley Square Fields and Dennis also serves many clients in the Greater Boston and Massachusetts region including Ashland, Dover, Holliston, Medfield, Needham, Sherborn, Westwood, and all of Massachusetts. Attorney Jonathan Fields is a recognized authority on bitcoin and divorce

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