Nobody explains any of this to you. So we did.
The Massachusetts Probate & Family Court runs on rules, forms, and unwritten habits that everyone in the room already knows except you. These guides are written for the parent walking in alone — no jargon, no billable hour, no assumptions.
This is general information about how the courts work, not legal advice about your case.
What is a GAL, and what are my rights?
If a judge appoints a guardian ad litem in your case, a stranger is about to have enormous influence over how much time you get with your child. Here is what that actually means, in plain English.
Read the guide →How to request court audio or a transcript
What was actually said in the courtroom matters more than what anyone remembers. In Massachusetts, hearings are recorded — and you can order that recording.
Read the guide →How to file a complaint about a judge
There is a real process for judicial misconduct in Massachusetts. It is narrow, it is slow, and most complaints fail for reasons you can avoid.
Read the guide →What to expect at your first hearing
Most first hearings are shorter than the drive there. Knowing that in advance changes how you prepare.
Read the guide →How to document everything (the right way)
The parent with the better record usually does better. Not the parent who is more upset, and not the parent who is more right.
Read the guide →How to find legal help when you can't afford a lawyer
Going pro se is not the only option, and full-freight private counsel is not the only alternative. Massachusetts has several in-between routes most parents never hear about.
Read the guide →Questions parents ask us most
- Do I need a lawyer for Massachusetts family court?
- You are allowed to represent yourself in the Probate & Family Court. Many parents do. But there are middle options most people never hear about: Court Service Centers, Lawyer for the Day programs, legal aid, and Limited Assistance Representation, where you hire an attorney for one motion or one hearing instead of the whole case.
- Can I get a recording of my hearing?
- Yes. Massachusetts trial court proceedings are recorded, and you can request a copy of the audio from the register's office in the division where the hearing took place, for a fee. An official transcript is produced separately by an approved transcriber and billed per page. If you are indigent, you can request a fee waiver.
- What does a guardian ad litem do?
- A GAL is appointed by the judge to investigate and report on issues in your case, usually custody and parenting time. A GAL is not your lawyer. Their report is impounded, and the judge is not required to follow it — but an unchallenged report usually stands.
- How do I file a complaint about a judge in Massachusetts?
- Judicial misconduct complaints go to the Massachusetts Commission on Judicial Conduct. The Commission reviews conduct, not rulings — it cannot change your custody order. If your issue is that the decision was wrong, the remedies are reconsideration, recusal, or appeal.
- Is parental alienation recognized in Massachusetts courts?
- There is no separate cause of action called parental alienation in Massachusetts. Courts decide custody by the best interests of the child, and one parent's interference with the other's relationship is a factor a judge can weigh. How much weight it gets varies enormously between courtrooms — which is exactly what we track.
New guides, as we publish them.
We're writing one of these a week. Get them in your inbox, along with hearing alerts and registry releases.