Press release
Trial Court Chief Justice Heidi E. Brieger has announced the formation of the 2024-2025 Massachusetts Trial Court Child Support Guidelines Task Force.
The Task Force is charged with reviewing the current Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines and offering any recommendations of changes. The Task Force members include:
- Hon. Katherine Field (Co-chair)
- Denise M. Fitzgerald, Esq. (Co-chair)
- Holly Hinte, Esq.
- Marc Moccia, Esq.
- Dolores O'Neill, Esq.
- Arron Pridgeon
- Anna Richardson, Esq.
- Jamie Sabino, Esq.
- Jennifer Walsh, Esq.
- Hon. Claudine Wyner
- Kelly Zawistowski, Esq.
The Task Force is seeking public comment and suggestions concerning the current Child Support Guidelines and the current Child Support Guidelines Worksheet.
Written comments may be submitted to the Task Force at: childsupport@jud.state.ma.us. If specific changes to the Child Support Guidelines or Worksheet are suggested, the specific sections to be changed should be referenced, suggested language should be included, and the reasons for the proposed change included.
The Task Force will also be holding virtual public forums where brief oral statements may be made. The dates will be posted when the forums are scheduled.
The deadline for submission of all comments is December 13, 2024.
Submit comments
Public comments may be submitted until December 13, 2024, at childsupport@jud.state.ma.us.
Virtual public forums
Overview
Federal law and regulations require that each state review its Child Support Guidelines at least every four years. To comply with the federally required review, Trial Court Chief Justice Heidi Brieger has appointed a Task Force to review the Child Support Guidelines that became effective on October 4, 2021, as amended July 31, 2023.
Chief Justice Brieger appointed Probate and Family Court First Justice Katherine Field of the Bristol County Probate and Family Court and Attorney Denise M. Fitzgerald as the Co-Chairs of the Task Force. The Task Force includes representatives from the Probate and Family Court, the Department of Revenue, the domestic relations bar, and legal services organizations. More information about this child support review can be found on the Child Support Guidelines webpage.
Public forums and written comments
The public is invited to provide comments on the Child Support Guidelines for the Task Force’s consideration. Public forums will be held on:
- October 10, 2024 — 2–4 p.m.
- October 29, 2024 — 4–6 p.m.
- November 4, 2024 — 12–2 p.m.
The forums will be held by Zoom and are open to the public to view. The forums are an opportunity to make a brief statement to members of the Task Force. Oral testimony is limited to 3 minutes per person, and should not refer to specifics about a speaker’s court case. The Task Force also encourages people to email written testimony or comments to childsupport@jud.state.ma.us by December 13, 2024. Please do not submit any written testimony or comments to Task Force members individually.
The public forums will be recorded by the host. Anything said will be captured and made part of the recording. No other recording is allowed.
How to participate
If you would like to speak at a forum, please send an email in advance to childsupport@jud.state.ma.us to register. The email must include your full name, your affiliation (if any), your phone number and email address, and the date you would like to speak. Please also include in the subject line of your email the date you would like to speak. You may register by email up to 15 minutes before each forum begins.
Please use the information below to join the virtual public forums via Zoom.
Zoom Virtual Public Forums link
Zoom Meeting ID: 160 491 8605
Passcode: 780426
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