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Massachusetts

State Divorce Resources

Grounds for Divorce: The court shall grant a no-fault divorce upon a finding of the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage. The court shall grant a no-fault divorce upon a finding of any of the following causes:

1. Adultery
2. Impotency
3. Utter desertion continued for one year next prior to the filing of the complaint
4. Gross and confirmed habits of intoxication caused by voluntary and excessive use of intoxicating liquor, opium, or other drugs
5. Cruel and abusive treatment
6. If a spouse being of sufficient ability, grossly or wantonly and cruelly refuses or neglects to provide suitable support and maintenance for the other spouse
[Massachusetts General Laws]

Residency Requirements: "A divorce shall not, except as provided in the following section, be adjudged if the parties have never lived together as husband and wife in this commonwealth; nor for a cause which occurred in another jurisdiction, unless before such cause occurred the parties had lived together as husband and wife in this commonwealth, and one of them lived in this commonwealth at the time when the cause occurred.

If the plaintiff has lived in this commonwealth for one year last preceding the commencement of the action if the cause occurred without the commonwealth, or if the plaintiff is domiciled within the commonwealth at the time of the commencement of the action and the cause occurred within the commonwealth, a divorce may be adjudged for any cause allowed by law, unless it appears that the plaintiff has removed into this commonwealth for the purpose of obtaining a divorce.

Actions for divorce shall be filed, heard and determined in the probate court, held for the county where one of the parties lives, except that if either party still resides in the county where the parties last lived together, the action shall be heard and determined in a court for that county. In the event of hardship or inconvenience to either party, the court having jurisdiction may transfer such action for hearing to a court in a county in which such party resides." [Massachusetts General Laws]

Massachusetts Child Support Enforcement Service Links and Telephone Numbers
Department of Revenue Child Support Enforcement
Telephone: 617–660–1234
Toll Free: 800–332–2733

Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines and Calculator
Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines
Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines Calculation Worksheet

Massachusetts Child Support Calculator

Massachusetts Divorce Forms Online
Hampshire Family Court Forms
Massachusetts Court System Family Court Forms

Massachusetts Divorce Laws
General Laws of Massachusetts, Chapter 208

Massachusetts Domestic Violence Resource Links and Telephone Numbers
Jane Doe Inc./Massachusetts Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence
Telephone: 617–248–0922
TTY/TDD: 617–263–2200

Massachusetts Free or Low Cost Legal Services Programs
Legal Services Corporation, Inc.
Telephone: Listed by program on website.

Massachusetts Mediation Centers and Service Links and Telephone Numbers
Massachusetts Council on Family Mediation, Inc.
Telephone: 781–449–4430 Toll Free: 877–449–4430

Mediation Works, Inc.
Telephone: 617–973–9739
Toll Free: 800–348–4888

Massachusetts State and Local Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service Links
Boston Bar Association
Essex County Bar Association
Hampshire County Bar Association
Massachusetts Bar Association

Massachusetts State and Local Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service Telephone Numbers
Boston: 617–742–0625 or Toll free: 800–552–7046
Cambridge: 617–494–4150
New Bedford: 508–990–1303 or Toll Free: 800–647–5151
Northampton: 413–732–4648
Salem: 978–741–7888 or Toll Free: 800–228–2574
Springfield: 413–732–4648
Worcester: 508–752–1311

To find resources in another state, click the State from the drop–down below: