A Westford Family Lawyer: Providing Trustworthy Guidance

Any time parents or a family find themselves entangled in a legal conflict, it is bound to be emotionally difficult. Our founding attorney, Kristin Bullwinkel, and her associates have dedicated their legal careers and practice to helping families in Massachusetts with their family law challenges.

At Bullwinkel Law Group, LLC, in Westford, our team of dedicated lawyers are committed to helping you through the legal process. Whether you are contemplating a divorce or embroiled in a child custody conflict, our family law attorneys can provide compassionate support and legal guidance that is founded in experience.

Comprehensive Legal Representation For Family Law Conflicts

Our family law attorneys provide comprehensive legal representation for parents and families struggling with legal challenges. Our lawyers handle:

• Divorce: The issues that arise in ending a marriage will be unique to each couple. Couples need to divide their marital assets and financial accounts. Spousal maintenance or support will be considered when there is a significant difference in spousal incomes. Families with children will need to determine custody and establish a parenting plan or visitation schedule.

• Paternity: Establishing the paternity of your child is important. Biological fathers are entitled to custody consideration and visitation rights or parenting time. The laws in Massachusetts also require that fathers share in the financial responsibilities for raising a child with respect to child support and health insurance.

• Pre- and postnuptial agreements: Our firm’s family law attorneys work with couples who would like to enter into a prenuptial agreement before they get married. They also provide legal guidance and assistance to couples who are already married but would like to outline their intentions for how assets and wealth should be divided in the event of a divorce or death.

• Post-decree modifications: After a couple gets divorced or settles their custody and support issues in a paternity action, circumstances can change. If these changes are significant, you may need to modify your existing court order. Our family lawyers can advise you with respect to the proper procedures for modifying an existing order and guide you through the process should you need one.

Our seasoned family lawyers are well-versed in Massachusetts laws. They provide compassionate support to families and parents who are dealing with legal conflicts. We know that your circumstances are unique. Our lawyers at Bullwinkel Law Group, LLC, will assess your case and develop legal strategies that are designed to protect your interests and meet your goals.

The Elements Of A Divorce

While a divorce ends the marriage relationship, there are numerous elements within the divorce process that must be decided before a final resolution can be reached.

• Child-related issues: The amount of time each parent spends with the children and parental involvement are paramount issues. Although the language is antiquated, the terms “physical custody” (where the child lives and how often the child sees each parent) and “legal custody” (parental involvement in major issues) remain labels for the issues to be discussed and determined.

• Child support: While child support is often determined by a statutory formula, the elements and components of the calculation can be complex, and guidance from an experienced attorney is invaluable. You can quickly calculate the presumptive child support amount using the Massachusetts Court provided 2025 Child Support Guidelines Worksheet.

• Alimony or spousal support: Whether this issue is involved in your situation, and if so, the calculation of an appropriate amount is determined by a complex, multifactor analysis with recent changes on both the federal and state level. Attorney Bullwinkel can help you determine your rights and protect your interests.

• Property division: Divorce in Massachusetts requires the equitable division of marital property. The nature of your assets and debts, and whether same are considered “marital property” are issues that need to be carefully considered and determined. It is important to do this correctly, as courts generally do not permit changes to the property settlement after the final order is entered.

Seeking Orders For Contempt In Massachusetts

If one party does not live up to the obligations set forth in the divorce decree or in temporary orders established by the court, that party can be held in contempt of court. Civil contempt orders are designed to induce compliance and to compensate the filing party (the plaintiff) for the violation of the order. Because the violation of orders such as custody agreements or child support can have a significant impact on the well-being of your children, it is important to speak with a family law attorney as soon as possible.

Guardian Ad Litem: Protecting The Best Interests Of A Child

For divorce and family law cases involving children, our founding attorney is also a guardian ad item (category F). Even if she does not serve as a guardian ad litem in your case, her experience in this role can help your case, as she can provide insight on how courts work to protect children and what the “best interests of the child” standard means in practice.

Mediation And Conciliation: Resolving Conflicts In A Collaborative Environment

Pursuing a family conflict in the courts through litigation can take time and resources. It is usually in the best interests of everyone involved if conflicts can be resolved sooner rather than later. Mediation and conciliation are common alternative methods for resolving family law disputes. Our family lawyers can provide legal guidance and support throughout the process of mediation or conciliation. In addition, in the event you are looking for a mediator, our founding attorney, Kristin Bullwinkel is also a certified mediator.

Consult A Westford Family Lawyer Today

Our experienced family lawyers are available for confidential initial consultations. To schedule an appointment, you can call our Westford office at 978-320-3400 or send us a message using our firm’s online contact form.