Legal Blog

Legal Insights for Massachusetts Families

81 posts and counting — practical guidance, case analysis, and updates from John Taylor to help families make informed decisions when DCF or family court issues arise.

DCF/Fair Hearings

Can You Represent Both of Us? Why One Lawyer Usually Can't Handle Both Parents in a DCF Fair Hearing

JUL 23, 2026

A parent calls for a DCF fair hearing consultation. A day later — sometimes an hour later — their spouse calls too, asking the same lawyer to represent both of them against the same 51B allegation. It's one of the most common calls a fair hearing attorney gets, and the honest answer is almost always no. Here is why, grounded in the Massachusetts Rules of Professional Conduct governing prospective clients and conflicts of interest.

DCF/Fair Hearings

When DCF Breaks Its Own Rules: What Families Can Do in Superior Court

MAY 13, 2026

A grandmother won her DCF fair hearing — the hearing officer reversed DCF's removal of her three grandchildren — and DCF ignored the result anyway. A May 2026 SJC decision, the first to directly address what Superior Court can do when DCF refuses to follow its own administrative procedures, draws a clear line: no placement injunctions, but declaratory relief is available. Here is what that means, and why winning that relief is harder than it sounds.

Book a Call