|
MASSACHUSETTS
TRIAL COURT TO HOLD PUBLIC FORUMS
ON CHILD SUPPORT GUIDELINES
Boston, MA--In
an effort to obtain public input in this year’s review of
the Trial Court’s Child Support Guidelines, Chief Justice
for Administration and Management Barbara A. Dortch-Okara
today announced that five public hearings will be held in
courts throughout the state during July. The meetings will
be held from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. Attendees can speak or submit
written testimony. (see attached schedule)
The
Child Support Guidelines are used by Trial Court judges, primarily
in the Probate and Family Court, to help them determine what
level of child support payment should be provided to custodial
parents in cases before the courts. The Guidelines also help
lawyers and litigants understand what payment might be expected
given the relative income of the parties involved in a case.
Chief
Justice Dortch-Okara said she is interested in hearing from
the public as to whether the current Guidelines work as intended
by providing “for the best interests of the child.” Every
four years the Child Support Guidelines are reviewed by the
Trial Court, in accordance with federal law (42 USC, 667).
The last review of the Guidelines was conducted in 1998.
The
public forums will be held in the following locations:
| Boston:
Tuesday, July 10 |
Suffolk County
Courthouse
Pemberton Square
Jury Assembly Room
|
| Brockton:
Wednesday, July 11 |
Brockton
Trial Court
215 Main Street
Jury Assembly Room
|
| Worcester:
Tuesday, July 17 |
Worcester
Courthouse
50 Harvard Street
Jury Assembly Room
|
| Lawrence:
Wednesday, July 18 |
Fenton Judicial
Center
2 Appleton Street
Courtroom 1
|
| Springfield:
Tuesday, July 24 |
Hall of Justice
50 State Street
Jury Assembly Room
|
| |
|
| |
|
For
those who cannot attend the meetings, but would like to submit
written testimony, they can do so by sending it to: Planning
and Development, Administrative Office of the Trial Court, 1
Center Plaza, Boston, MA 02108, no later than September 4, 2001.
The Office requests that if specific changes to the Guidelines
are suggested, specific sections should be referenced, amendatory
language proposed, and quantifiable justification for the change
included.
|
