- Affidavit of Indigency
- A sworn form asking the court to waive fees — filing, transcript, service — because you cannot afford them. Commonly granted; ask for it rather than assuming cost ends the conversation.
- Complaint for Modification
- The filing you use to change an existing judgment — custody, parenting time, or support — because circumstances have materially changed since it was entered.
- Contempt
- A filing claiming the other party clearly disobeyed a court order. It requires a clear order and a clear violation; disagreement about interpretation is usually not contempt.
- Ex parte
- Contact with the judge, or a request to the judge, without the other side present. Ordinarily prohibited except in narrow emergency situations defined by rule.
- Financial Statement
- The mandatory sworn disclosure of income, expenses, assets, and debts. Short form or long form depending on income. Inaccuracy here damages your credibility on everything else.
- GAL (Guardian ad Litem)
- A court-appointed investigator who reports to the judge on custody and related issues. Not your lawyer and not the child's lawyer.
- Impounded
- Sealed from public access. GAL reports and certain other filings are impounded; sharing them can violate a court order.
- LAR (Limited Assistance Representation)
- Hiring an attorney for part of a case — one motion, one hearing, drafting only — rather than the entire matter. Often the most affordable route to real legal help.
- Legal custody
- Decision-making authority over major issues: education, medical care, religion. Separate from where the child lives.
- Motion
- A written request asking the judge to order something. Almost everything that happens between filing and trial happens by motion.
- Physical custody
- Where the child actually lives day to day. Can be sole or shared, and is distinct from legal custody.
- Pro se
- Representing yourself without an attorney. Also called self-represented. You are held to the same rules as a lawyer.
- Probate & Family Court
- The Massachusetts trial court department that handles divorce, custody, support, paternity, guardianship, and probate. Each county has at least one division.
- Recusal
- A judge stepping aside from a case because of bias or a conflict. You request it by motion; the judge decides in the first instance.
- Register of Probate
- The elected official whose office maintains the records and docket for a county's Probate & Family Court. Where you file, and where you request audio.
- Service of process
- Formally delivering filings to the other party in the way the rules require. Improper service is one of the most common reasons a case stalls.
- Status conference
- A short scheduled appearance to review where the case stands and set next steps. Not a trial, but what you say still lands in the record.
- Temporary order
- An order that governs custody, parenting time, or support while the case is pending. Temporary orders often become the de facto baseline for the final judgment — treat them as high stakes.
Need the longer version? Read the guides.