Wareham Family Law Firm
Divorce, Support, and Custody In Wareham
Our law firm provides legal services to clients living in Wareham, in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. Located conveniently in New Bedford, our attorneys are available to meet with you immediately. We provide free, private consultations for any issue related to family law, including divorce, child custody and child support, alimony and spousal support, separate support actions (i.e. legal separations), paternity, domestic abuse, trial work, mediation and negotiation. We have free parking to make your visit to our office simple.
If you live in Wareham and you want to file a divorce or other family law case, or you need to respond to a case filed by your spouse or significant other, the case will be filed in the Plymouth County Probate and Family Court. To file a divorce case, you’ll need the following information:
- Certified copy of marriage certificate
- Complaint for divorce (or other relief sought, such as separate support)
- Declaration under the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act (UCCJA) if children are involved
- Certificate of Absolute Divorce
- Affidavit of Irretrievable Breakdown
- Filing fee
- Financial statement completed in full
For uncontested cases, you will need a Joint Petition for Divorce instead of a Complaint, and you will also need a completed Separation Agreement, which should be prepared by an attorney to keep help ensure your rights and obligations are secured.
After a contested case is filed, a judicial officer is assigned to the case. The documents will then be served on the other party and they have 20 days to respond. The court will provide a summons, which also needs to be served. If they do not respond, it may be possible to “default” them, which means that the case will go forward even without their involvement. Assuming a response is filed, each party will need to fill out their financial statements and start conducting discovery as may be necessary in the case. If either party needs something addressed immediately by the court, they can complete the necessary paperwork and set a hearing date. The parties should continue to work together to try and resolve the case, which will end ultimately by a trial or by an agreement.
Wareham is a residential town with over 20,000 residents located in Plymouth County, Massachusetts just west of Cape Cod, 18 miles east of New Bedford, 45 miles east of Providence, Rhode Island and 55 miles southeast of Boston. Although the town is mostly residential, Wareham is home to many popular beaches and is a summer “hot spot”. Wareham has been home to the Tremont Nail Factory since 1819, the oldest nail manufacturer in the United States. The town is also home to Water Wizz, Cape Cod’s only water park, which includes many slides and attractions for children. This water park was featured in one of Steve Carell’s more recent movies,The Way Way Back.
Wareham is the home to many “mom and pop” restaurants and stores. Check out: http://www.yelp.com/search?find_loc=Wareham%2C+MA
Also of interest, Academy Award and Golden Globe winning actress Geena Davis was born and raised in Wareham. Google Maps indicates that Wareham is only 17 miles from New Bedford, which is a short drive down Interstate 195.
Our firm specializes in all family law matters, including divorce, separate support, child custody and paternity, and domestic abuse. We offer a private, free consultation with our expert divorce lawyers to discuss the issues involved in your case and to discuss your options. We handle cases in Plymouth County and Bristol County.
Please call us today or email us at your convenience.