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Children & Families

“The foundation of national morality must be laid in private families.”
- John Adams

A Day to Celebrate! Governor Patrick Signs Alimony Reform Act of 2011

Monday, September 26, 2011

Lisa C. Goodheart, President of the Boston Bar Association and BBA Family Law Co-Chairs Kelly Leighton and Lee Peterson will be among the many advocates for alimony reform as Governor Deval Patrick is expected to sign into law the landmark Alimony Reform Act of 2011 later today.


"As lawyers, we like to facilitate predictability and consistency in legal decisions," said Goodheart. "This legislation will provide a new blueprint for formulating alimony rewards, where appropriate, based on specific circumstances. Alimony reform has been a long time coming to Massachusetts, and this new law will provide greater clarity for lawyers and judges and, more importantly, greater fairness for divorcing and divorced parties."


The BBA has advocated zealously for alimony reform that would enable judges to limit the duration of alimony and to amend prior judgments that had no termination point, and joined forces with the Massachusetts Bar Association to convene a joint task force to develop recommendations for much needed change. With the leadership of Senator Gale Candaras and Representative John Fernandes, these recommendations became the basis for the Alimony Reform Act of 2011.

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The Issues

  • Alimony

    The BBA is a strong supporter of alimony reform in Massachusetts which would result in reasonable and accessible spousal support guidelines. Our recommendations have influenced much of the substance and debate in this area, and the BBA continues to advocate for a framework that would increase predictability and consistency in alimony orders.

  • Child Support

    The BBA endorses guidelines that promote predictability, fairness, and uniformity in orders of support for children and are workable for attorneys and pro se litigants alike. In January 2010, the BBA filed an amicus brief in Fathers & Families, Inc. v. Chief Justice for Administration and Management. In the brief, we argued that the Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines are constitutional.

  • Same-Sex Marriage

    The BBA believes that civil marriage is a basic civil rights issue fundamental to the freedoms and privileges guaranteed by the 14th amendment. In recent years, the BBA has taken other actions in support of same-sex marriage, including:

    In 2002, we filed an independent amicus brief in support of same-sex couples seeking the right to marry in Goodridge v. Dept. of Public Health. In the brief, we argued that denying civil marriage licenses violated the Massachusetts Constitution.

    In 2005, we drafted a brief supporting the position of Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD) in Cote-Whiteacre v. Dept. of Pub Health. We argued that the 1913 statute, which prevents non-resident couples from marrying in Massachusetts if that marriage would be void in their home state, was unconstitutional.

  • See More of Our Work

    For more information about our work in this area or to learn how to get involved, please email Kathleen Joyce, Director of Government Relations, at kjoyce@bostonbar.org.