Episodes

  • Appealing a DCF Supported Finding in Massachusetts (Step-by-Step Guide) – EP 22

    Appealing a DCF Supported Finding in Massachusetts (Step-by-Step Guide) – EP 22
    Mar 25 2026
    Massachusetts DCF fair hearing process is critical if you are appealing a supported 51A or 51B decision for child abuse or neglect. In this episode of The Boston Barrister, I explain how to file a DCF fair hearing appeal within the 30-day deadline, how to request your 51A report and 51B investigation, and how to prepare properly so the hearing is truly fair. I also discuss due process rights, subpoenas, grievances, expert witnesses, and how to submit findings of fact and rulings of law after your hearing. Preparation is everything when challenging a supported DCF decision. Here is what you’ll learn: How to appeal a supported DCF decision within 30 daysThe difference between a 51A report and a 51B investigationHow to request your full DCF file and evidenceWhat due process means in a DCF fair hearingWhy preparation, witnesses, and expert testimony matterHow to submit findings of fact and rulings of law after the hearing CONNECT WITH US ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ Website: https://kevinseaverlaw.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LawOfficeOfKevinPatrickSeaver/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawofficeofkevinseaver/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-law-office-of-kevin-patrick-seaver/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvt_ckAv7fDcHw1Rb4sVV0Q/featured TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@attorneykevinseaver DisclaimerThis video is not intended as legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please consult a lawyer regarding your legal issue. Keywords:Massachusetts DCF fair hearingDCF 51A reportDCF 51B investigationsupported finding child abusesupported finding neglect Massachusettsappeal DCF decisionDCF hearing unit Bostondue process rights Massachusettssubpoena DCF recordsDCF grievance processDCF appeal 30 day deadlineMassachusetts child abuse appeal Since 1991 Boston attorney Kevin Patrick Seaver has specialized in family law, including divorce and fighting false child abuse allegations and getting DCF cases closed once and for all. Giving parents freedom and happiness. 617-263-2633kevin@kevinseaver.comKevinseaverlaw.com Transcript:Welcome to the Boston Barista. My name is Kevin Patrick Seaver. I am located in Boston, Massachusetts. Today’s gonna be a podcast about Massachusetts Department of Children and Families, Fair Hearings. And one of the nice things I like about the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families is where they make up these titles like Fair Hearings. Let’s be clear about this. Right out of the box, let’s come after DCF. These Fair Hearings are only fair if you make the hearing fair. And how do you do that? You gotta level the playing field and know what you’re doing and understand how to do it. Because if not, you will not be successful. So there’s pitfalls and things you need to watch out for. I begin with telling you that most Fair Hearings are done now by what’s called a team meeting. It’s the same thing as the fancy-spancy word for zone. It’s over the computer. You get a link, you go on the link on the appropriate time, date, and that’s what happens. Now, years ago, they used to do Fair Hearings in person. But I think due to technology, which I welcome, and we all should, we made life a lot easier. And we do them by zone. Because people then don’t have to travel out to the western part of the state, or Cape Cod, or down to the islands, up north all the way up to the New Hampshire border. And it just appears to make life a lot easier for all concerned. I wanna back up a little bit. When and how do you appeal to a DCF, they’re hearing. Well, first of all, if you have a matter in which a decision was supported against you, because it starts off with a 51A, it’s either screened in or screened out. If it’s screened out, it’ll go any further. If it’s screened in, it goes further. You assign a 51B investigator, or what DCF likes to call a response worker. Now, that response worker either has five days in an emergency situation, or 15 days in a non-emergency. But often I see these go beyond their time standards. Or the five day turns into a 15, and then they continue it from there also sometimes. But the end of the rainbow, when the 51B investigation by the response worker is completed, they can come up with various decisions. The first, which we all hope for, is that the decision was not supported. Everybody goes home happy. Can you hear me, DCF? Everybody goes home happy. That’s worth repeating a third time. Everybody goes home happy. The second is where the decision is, boo, supported. Give me another boo, and a third boo, supported. And that can happen. Now, here’s the tricky part. That can be supported for a decision of child abuse or neglect, or it can be a substantiated concern, regardless of whether it’s a substantiated concern or just an outright child abuse or neglect allegation supported. You have 30, 30, 30 days to appeal this to the DCF engineering ...
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    22 mins
  • Karen Read Trial Update: Civil Case, Fifth Amendment, and What Happens Next – EP 21

    Karen Read Trial Update: Civil Case, Fifth Amendment, and What Happens Next – EP 21
    Mar 25 2026
    Karen Read trial update continues to shape Massachusetts legal headlines. In this episode of The Boston Barrister, I discuss the aftermath of Karen Read’s hung jury and later acquittal on major charges, the future civil litigation where she may be required to testify, and the broader legal impact of the case. I also examine the roles of former Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey, former State Police officer Michael Proctor, and blogger Aidan “Turtleboy” Kearney, along with the unexpected involvement and withdrawal of attorney Alan Jackson in the separate Nick Reiner case. This story is far from over, and the next chapter may unfold in civil court. Here is what you’ll learn: What happens after a hung jury and later acquittalWhy a civil trial is different from a criminal trialHow the Fifth Amendment applies in criminal court but not the same way in civil casesThe impact of investigator conduct on high-profile prosecutionsWhat could happen next in the Karen Read legal saga CONNECT WITH US ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ Website: https://kevinseaverlaw.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LawOfficeOfKevinPatrickSeaver/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawofficeofkevinseaver/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-law-office-of-kevin-patrick-seaver/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvt_ckAv7fDcHw1Rb4sVV0Q/featured TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@attorneykevinseaver DisclaimerThis video is not intended as legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please consult a lawyer regarding your legal issue. Keywords: Karen Read trial updateKaren Read civil trialKaren Read acquittalNorfolk County District AttorneyMichael Morrissey BostonMichael Proctor Massachusetts State PoliceAidan Kearney TurtleboyAlan Jackson attorneyNick Reiner caseFifth Amendment rightscriminal vs civil trial differencesMassachusetts high profile trials Since 1991 Boston attorney Kevin Patrick Seaver has specialized in family law, including divorce and fighting false child abuse allegations and getting DCF cases closed once and for all. Giving parents freedom and happiness. 617-263-2633kevin@kevinseaver.comKevinseaverlaw.com Transcript:Welcome to the Boston Barrister. My name is Kevin Patrick Seaver. I’m located in Boston, Massachusetts.Today on the Boston Barista, we’re gonna talk about Karen Reed. This is a story that’s not gonna go away anytime soon for a whole bunch of reasons that we’re gonna discuss today on the Barista Barista. Karen Reed, of course, unless you were under a rock for the last couple of years, was a hung jury the first time she was tried. And the second time she was exonerated of all the major charges. Everybody has their theory on the case. What has certainly come out of all this is many different things, including the characters involved as well as possible Hollywood deals. In December, Rob Reiner and his wife were killed, allegedly, by their son, Nick Reiner. Everybody’s presumed innocent to have proven guilty. Alan Jackson, who was one of the attorneys representing Karen Reed, stepped forward and was retained to represent Nick Reiner in December of 2025. At the arraignment on January 7th, 2026, poof, Alan Jackson was no longer representing Nick Reiner. He didn’t even speak to the press who during the Karen Reed trial, he couldn’t say enough to them. So ironically, he left Snugglepuss stage left off stage, not to be heard from about Nick Reiner’s case. Now in fairness to Alan Jackson, Nick Reiner has what’s called an attorney client privilege. That privilege is held by the client, Nick Reiner, not by Alan Jackson. So I’m sure Alan Jackson would like to have said some things, but because it’s important right, the attorney client privilege, he was not and would not do such. Next in January, I call on the Michaels, Michael Morrissey, who was the district attorney and Michael Proctor, the lead investigator to offer the state police. Michael Morrissey was a state representative elected in 1976 by the good people of the city of Quincy, or city of presidents, Quincy, Massachusetts. In 1993, Michael Morrissey was elected from the fine city of Quincy, the city of presidents to be the state senator for Quincy and other areas in that region. In 2011,(…) Michael Morrissey was elected as the district attorney for Norfolk County. He in January of 2026 announced he was not running for reelection as district attorney or Norfolk County. Now many hold an opinion. Some good, some bad, some indifferent as to Michael Morrissey. All I can say is that Michael Morrissey as a state rep was on the Boston Harbor Commission, which Quincy neighbors in borderline Boston. And being on the Boston Harbor Commission, he helped clean up Boston Harbor. He did so by proposing and supporting legislation, which today Boston Harbor is in really good shape.
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    7 mins
  • The Nancy Guthrie Case A Missing Person Investigation That Gripped America – EP20

    The Nancy Guthrie Case A Missing Person Investigation That Gripped America – EP20
    Mar 24 2026
    In this episode of The Boston Barrister, Massachusetts attorney Kevin Patrick Seaver discusses two shocking missing person cases that have captured national attention. The first story focuses on the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, who was reportedly abducted from her home in Catalina, Arizona. Surveillance footage, ransom notes, forensic evidence, and a large-scale investigation involving local law enforcement, the FBI, and federal agencies have left investigators searching for answers in a case that has gripped the nation. The second story examines the extraordinary case of Michelle Lindley Smith, a woman who disappeared in 2001 and was discovered more than 24 years later living under a different identity. Her reappearance raises difficult questions for families left behind after decades of uncertainty and emotional trauma. These two cases highlight the complex and heartbreaking realities surrounding missing persons investigations in the United States. This episode covers: The timeline of the Nancy Guthrie disappearance in ArizonaKey evidence investigators have uncovered in the caseHow ransom notes and surveillance footage shaped the investigationThe remarkable discovery of Michelle Smith after 24 yearsThe emotional impact long-term disappearances have on families Missing Persons Resources If you have information about a missing person or need assistance, contact: National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) 855-626-7600 National Center for Missing & Exploited Children 800-843-5678 CONNECT WITH US ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ Website: https://kevinseaverlaw.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LawOfficeOfKevinPatrickSeaver/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawofficeofkevinseaver/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-law-office-of-kevin-patrick-seaver/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvt_ckAv7fDcHw1Rb4sVV0Q/featured TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@attorneykevinseaver DisclaimerThis video is not intended as legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please consult a lawyer regarding your legal issue. Keywords:Nancy Guthrie missing personNancy Guthrie casemissing person investigationArizona kidnapping caseSavannah Guthrie mother missingmissing persons investigation United StatesMichelle Smith missing 24 yearslong term missing person casesFBI missing person investigationnational missing persons resources Since 1991 Boston attorney Kevin Patrick Seaver has specialized in family law, including divorce and fighting false child abuse allegations and getting DCF cases closed once and for all. Giving parents freedom and happiness. 617-263-2633kevin@kevinseaver.comKevinseaverlaw.com Transcript:Welcome to the Boston Barrister. My name is Kevin Patrick Seaver. I’m located in Boston, Massachusetts. Today’s episode is going to be the tale of two stories. These two stories fall into the I can’t make it up category, but I wish I could so I could have a happy ending on one of them at least. The quiet night of February in Catalina, Arizona in the foothills, an 84-year-old woman, 2.47 a.m. and 2.48 a.m. was taken from her home. The world did not know then what we know now, some one month later, when this 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, the mother of NBC Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, was to become one of the most gripping stories America’s ever seen as to her, the 84-year-old mother, whereabouts. Last known hours of the 84-year-old mom, Nancy Guthrie, is now being put together with a timeline and the whereabouts of is still unknown. On the evening of Saturday, January 31st, Nancy Guthrie took an Uber to her daughter’s home, Anna. She was to have dinner with her family. At 9.48 p.m. on the evening of January 31st, 2026, Nancy Guthrie was driven by her son-in-law, Maso, who was kind enough to drop Nancy Guthrie back at her home. Nancy Guthrie went into her home through her garage door at approximately 9.50 p.m. This was the last time Nancy Guthrie, age 84, was seen alive. Less than four hours later, at 1.47 a.m., a masked and gloved figure appeared at Nancy’s front door. This individual was tampering with the doorbell camera on Nancy’s home. The individual was trying to knock the doorbell camera, ring camera, loose. When he couldn’t knock the doorbell off and therefore damaging it, he used a nearby plant to try to cover it with foliage from the plant. At 2.12 a.m., motion was detected. At 2.28 a.m., Nancy’s pacemaker app disconnected from her phone. It was gone. The following morning, Nancy failed to appear at a scheduled live stream of a church service. A concerned churchgoer called her family. Others arrived at Nancy’s home at approximately 11.56 a.m. The family found no sign of Nancy. They, however, found everything else her car, her phone, her necessary medications. 12.03, that same day, the family called 911. Companies from the Pima County ...
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    15 mins
  • ICE Protests in Minneapolis: Parental Rights, Child Safety, and Federal Use of Force – EP19

    ICE Protests in Minneapolis: Parental Rights, Child Safety, and Federal Use of Force – EP19
    Mar 24 2026
    ICE shooting in Minneapolis raises serious legal and constitutional questions. In this episode of The Boston Barrister, I examine the fatal January 7, 2026 shooting of Renee Nicole Good during an ICE operation, the ongoing FBI investigation, and the growing tension between Minnesota state officials and federal authorities. I also discuss the St. Paul incident involving the detention of a U.S. citizen and the broader debate over excessive force, federal power, and constitutional rights. Finally, I address an important question: when parents bring children to volatile protests, does that create potential legal concerns about child safety? As always, we return to the foundation of our republic, the United States Constitution and the principle of We the People. Here is what you’ll learn: The legal issues surrounding the Minneapolis ICE shooting investigationWhat excessive force means under federal lawThe constitutional right to protest and its limitsFederal versus state authority in law enforcement operationsWhen child safety concerns could become a legal issue CONNECT WITH US ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ Website: https://kevinseaverlaw.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LawOfficeOfKevinPatrickSeaver/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawofficeofkevinseaver/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-law-office-of-kevin-patrick-seaver/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvt_ckAv7fDcHw1Rb4sVV0Q/featured TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@attorneykevinseaver DisclaimerThis video is not intended as legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please consult a lawyer regarding your legal issue. Keywords:ICE shooting MinneapolisRenee Nicole Good caseICE use of forceMinneapolis ICE investigationFBI investigation ICESt. Paul ICE incidentconstitutional right to protestexcessive force lawfederal vs state authoritychild safety at protestsUnited States Constitution rights dcflawyer #dcf #familylaw #massachusettslaw #dcfdefense #parentalrights #substanceabuse Since 1991 Boston attorney Kevin Patrick Seaver has specialized in family law, including divorce and fighting false child abuse allegations and getting DCF cases closed once and for all. Giving parents freedom and happiness. 617-263-2633kevin@kevinseaver.comKevinseaverlaw.com Transcript:Welcome to the Boston Barista. My name is Kevin Patrick Seaver . I am located in Boston, Massachusetts. This week’s episode is about Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the ICE event. ICE stands for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. On January 7th, 2026, not a very good Happy New Year, Renee Nicole Good, age 37 years old, when she was sought by a ICE agent. She was struck in her head, transported to the hospital where she died. She had three children, ages 15, 12, and a six-year-old. She had just dropped off at school prior to the incident. Her authorities have stated that the agent fired because he feared for his safety, claiming that the vehicle that Renee was driving was weaponized. Local authorities in witness dispute this characterization by the federal government as to what did or did not happen. The FBI, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, has taken the lead on investigating this situation. It says limited state access in Minnesota to evidence. This is causing tension with the state authorities in Minnesota and the federal government. It’s reported that there are thousands of ICE agents in the Minnesota state. They are arresting and deporting individuals due to immigration violations. January 19th, 2026, there was another incident. ICE agents entered into a St. Paul home without a search warrant. They detained the home owner. The owner’s name was Chung-Li Tao. Home owner was in briefs and crocs in sub-zero temperatures. Then they later found out he was, oops, a U.S. citizen, and they released him. Officials in Minnesota said it was excessive use of force and wrongful detention. There has been some serious political and public reaction to all of this, resulting in protesters and hostile feelings, attitudes, and actions towards the federal ICE agents. The question this week on The Boston Barista is, parents and adults have the right to protest. It’s been in our DNA since a fight with the Revolutionary War with the King of England, who was doing all types of things he wasn’t supposed to, and our patriots, as they were called, pushed back and fought back. Resulting in the shot that was heard around the war, the shot that was heard around the world at Lexington Concord, which started the beginning of the American Revolutionary War. In America, we won the war, therefore we got the right to history. But make no mistake about it that if England had won the American Revolutionary War, the first people to be hung would have been all those that were on the Declaration of Independence, and especially John Hancock, who wrote his signature on the Declaration of Independence so large that King George could ...
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    5 mins
  • Can You Reverse a DCF Abuse or Neglect Finding Before a Fair Hearing? – EP14

    Can You Reverse a DCF Abuse or Neglect Finding Before a Fair Hearing? – EP14
    Feb 12 2026

    Most parents don’t know you can ask DCF to overturn and reverse a supported finding of abuse and neglect or substantiated concern during the assessment period in Massachusetts, before you ever get to a fair hearing. I’m Attorney Kevin Seaver, and this is one of the most underutilized strategies in DCF defense. In this video, I explain how asking DCF to reconsider their decision at the end of the assessment can save you time, money, and the stress of going through the entire DCF appeal process. The worst they can say is no, and then you move forward to a fair hearing. But if you don’t ask, you don’t get. This simple step could change the outcome of your case and save you thousands of dollars in legal fees.

    Here’s what you’ll learn:

    • How to request DCF overturn a supported finding during the assessment period in Massachusetts
    • Why this underutilized strategy can save you money and avoid a DCF fair hearing
    • The benefit of taking every possible opportunity to challenge DCF findings
    • What happens if DCF says no to overturning the supported decision
    • Why asking DCF to reverse abuse and neglect findings costs you nothing but could save everything

    CONNECT WITH US

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    Website: https://kevinseaverlaw.com/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LawOfficeOfKevinPatrickSeaver/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawofficeofkevinseaver/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-law-office-of-kevin-patrick-seaver/
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvt_ckAv7fDcHw1Rb4sVV0Q/featured
    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@attorneykevinseaver

    Disclaimer This video is not intended as legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please consult a lawyer regarding your legal issue.

    Keywords:

    DCF supported finding Massachusetts, overturn DCF finding, DCF appeal Massachusetts, supported finding abuse and neglect, substantiated concern DCF DCF fair hearing Massachusetts, reverse DCF decision, DCF assessment period, challenge DCF finding, DCF appeal process Massachusetts, Massachusetts DCF lawyer

    #dcflawyer #dcf #familylaw #massachusettslaw #dcfdefense #parentalrights #substanceabuse

    Since 1991 Boston attorney Kevin Patrick Seaver has specialized in family law, including divorce and fighting false child abuse allegations and getting DCF cases closed once and for all. Giving parents freedom and happiness.

    617-263-2633 kevin@kevinseaver.com Kevinseaverlaw.com

    Transcript:

    This week’s episode of the Boston Pirates, I wanna talk about some questions that my clients had for me and also questions DCF also had for me. This was a very interesting week. I had a client email me and say, “Kevin, I never knew that you could have a supportive decision of abuse and neglect or substantiated concern, overturn and reverse during the assessment period.” And I get that. I understand why she didn’t understand that. And I told her such, “You’re a layperson. There is no way that I can tell you about every process, procedure, and protocol, time standards, or the laws, statute, and regulations that apply in every situation.” It’s just impossible, there’s so many. This often underutilized question administratively to ask DCF to look at, at the conclusion of the assessment, whether or not they can overturn and reverse the supportive decision of abuse and neglect or substantiated concern is rarely used. Philosophy though is, however, if you take as many bites at the apple as possible, every single DCF case, I want to take as many

    bites at the apple as I possibly can. The benefits from that, you do as the client. What you want to do is you want to keep coming. You keep coming, you keep coming, you keep coming. Never ever give up, never quit. What’s the downside of taking a bite at the apple? An apple day keeps the doctor away. But more importantly, if you don’t ask, you don’t get. I believe it’s better to ask for a goodness than it is to ask for permission. Ask, you have any doubt? Ask and ask and ask and keep asking. This also does by taking the bite at the apple. It saves your clients money. You don’t go to a fair hearing. You don’t have to exercise the time, the energy and the money to pay for a fair hearing and pay a lawyer. Put your kids through college, mom and dad, not your lawyers. Be smart, seek a remedy, ask, ask, ask at the end of each assessment, reach out to DCF and say, “Hey, DCF, can you overturn and reverse this allegation of child abuse or substantiated concern?” All they can say is what? No. And then you move on to the fair hearing. I love apples. So don’t be afraid to take a bite of the apple.
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    2 mins
  • 7 steps parents must take to guard themselves against DCF – EP13

    7 steps parents must take to guard themselves against DCF – EP13
    Feb 12 2026

    Protect your rights against DCF in Massachusetts by understanding the seven important steps every parent should take the moment the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families becomes involved. In this Boston Barrister episode, I walk parents through how to handle unannounced home visits, when you are required to speak and when you are not, why knowing your constitutional rights matters, and how early legal guidance can prevent serious long-term consequences. I also explain recording rules, appeal deadlines, and why acting quickly and deliberately can make the difference between keeping control of your case and losing it.

    Here Is What You’ll Learn

    • How parents can protect their legal rights during a DCF investigation
    • What to do when DCF shows up unannounced and asks to enter your home
    • Why parents have the right to an attorney and when to exercise it
    • How and when to appeal a supported DCF decision within the 30-day deadline
    • Why preparation, documentation, and quick action matter in every DCF case

    CONNECT WITH US

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    Website: https://kevinseaverlaw.com/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LawOfficeOfKevinPatrickSeaver/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawofficeofkevinseaver/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-law-office-of-kevin-patrick-seaver/
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvt_ckAv7fDcHw1Rb4sVV0Q/featured
    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@attorneykevinseaver

    Disclaimer This video is not intended as legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please consult a lawyer regarding your legal issue.

    Keywords:

    protect your rights against DCF in Massachusetts parents rights during DCF investigation Massachusetts DCF home visit rights should parents talk to DCF without a lawyer DCF appeal rights Massachusetts recording DCF conversations DCF supported decision appeal Massachusetts DCF lawyer guidance

    #dcflawyer #dcf #familylaw #massachusettslaw #dcfdefense #parentalrights #substanceabuse

    Since 1991 Boston attorney Kevin Patrick Seaver has specialized in family law, including divorce and fighting false child abuse allegations and getting DCF cases closed once and for all. Giving parents freedom and happiness.

    617-263-2633 kevin@kevinseaver.com Kevinseaverlaw.com

    Transcript:

    his week is going to be all about what Seven steps parents must take to guide themselves against the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families. Step one, how do you know your legal rights is apparent against the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families? What you need to know when DCF comes on your door is that you have constitutional rights, but ignorance of the law is no defense. So you got to know what they are. No matter who it is, unless they got a search warrant, you do not have to let them into your home. Although DCF may come, standing there taking your children with police, then you pretty much got no choice. But that’s a scenario you never ever want to experience. So now what you want to do is when DCF on your door unannounced, you ask for identification. Who are they? What’s their name? What’s their telephone number and email? Ask them what their supervisor is and then ask them, what are the allegations that brings you to my home? They’re going to ask them into your home, and sometimes they’re going to show up with police and blue uniforms and badging guns, trying to intimidate you. You do not still let them in your house. You take your children outside on the porch. You let DCF look at your children, make sure there’s no marks or bruises. Then you tell them very politely and be curious and kind at all times, even if they’re not, and sometimes they’re not. You tell them that you want to have your attorney present. Here’s your constitutional right. You’re entitled to counsel at any time, and that’s contained in DCF’s own parents’ pamphlet.
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    9 mins
  • How Review and Redetermination Works in Massachusetts Juvenile Court – EP12

    How Review and Redetermination Works in Massachusetts Juvenile Court – EP12
    Feb 12 2026
    Review and redetermination in juvenile court is an underused legal process that allows a parent whose rights have not been terminated to return to court and ask for a new evaluation of their fitness as a parent. In this Boston Barrister episode, I explain who qualifies to file for review and redetermination, when it can be used, how often it can be filed, and how parents can use this process to show real progress after setbacks such as substance relapse, housing delays, or mental health treatment. I also walk through how the juvenile court assigns a new investigation, how evidence is evaluated, and what happens if Massachusetts Department of Children and Families disagrees, so parents understand how this process works from start to finish inside the Massachusetts Juvenile Court. Here Is What You’ll Learn Who can file for review and redetermination in juvenile court and why parental rights must not be terminatedWhen and why parents may agree to an adjudication of unfitness to gain time for recovery or stabilityHow often a review and redetermination petition can be filed and what the six-month timeline meansWhat a court investigation includes and how parents can present proof of sobriety, treatment, and parenting progressWhat happens if DCF disagrees and how parents can proceed to a trial for redetermination of fitness CONNECT WITH US ▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀ Website: https://kevinseaverlaw.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LawOfficeOfKevinPatrickSeaver/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawofficeofkevinseaver/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-law-office-of-kevin-patrick-seaver/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvt_ckAv7fDcHw1Rb4sVV0Q/featured TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@attorneykevinseaver Disclaimer This video is not intended as legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please consult a lawyer regarding your legal issue. Keywords: review and redetermination in juvenile court Massachusetts juvenile court review and redetermination parents rights juvenile court Massachusetts adjudication of unfit parent explained juvenile court reunification process DCF review and redetermination getting children back after adjudication juvenile court court investigation #dcflawyer #dcf #familylaw #massachusettslaw #dcfdefense #parentalrights #substanceabuse Since 1991 Boston attorney Kevin Patrick Seaver has specialized in family law, including divorce and fighting false child abuse allegations and getting DCF cases closed once and for all. Giving parents freedom and happiness. 617-263-2633 kevin@kevinseaver.com Kevinseaverlaw.com Transcript: I want to talk about review and redetermination in the juvenile court. I want to talk about the who, what, where, when, and how you implement and execute a right to review and redetermination. The first is who can file for a right to review and redetermination in the juvenile court. The answer is a parent who has not, let me repeat, not had your parental rights terminated. So that’s the first factor. This is an adjudication. We agree that you’re unfit at some point in time during the juvenile court proceedings. Examples of this, when you might do that, when would I file for a right to review and redetermination and agree to adjudication? I’m unfit. And that happens in juvenile court where perhaps you have a substance abuse problem, that you relapse, need more time to show the judge, DCF, and the court that you are a fit parent. But right now, because you relapse, you may need more time to do substance abuse treatment, your AA and NA meetings, get that sponsor, prove to the court that you are sober and drug free. So in essence, what you’re doing is you’re buying more time. So once you sign and adjudicate that you’re unfit, but your rights are not terminated, and that’s the important thing here. You don’t want to have your rights terminated. When your rights are terminated, you have no more rights to your child. And they can have the child put up for adoption or guardianship. What are examples of when a right to review and redetermination in juvenile court is executed? And that’s a great question. I recently had a client call me. She had indicated that her two children are with a friend of hers. So the child or children in this case, are outside the foster care system. They’re with friends of the family, friends of the mother. So the mother had had a relapse. Part of sobriety is relapse. Part of drug treatment, substance abuse, is relapse. The crazy part is that we in America treat substance abuse problems which should be treated like a disease. So if you had cancer, they wouldn’t be being punitive or punishing you. But in cases of substance abuse, at times it feels that way. And I’ve heard from many clients that tell me that they feel that they’re being punished, that it’s punitive, that they don’t trust or believe them. So trust and believability, ...
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    11 mins
  • Divorce in Massachusetts: How to Protect Your Children and Avoid DCF Involvement – EP11

    Divorce in Massachusetts: How to Protect Your Children and Avoid DCF Involvement – EP11
    Feb 12 2026

    In this episode of The Boston Barrister, I talk about divorce in Massachusetts and why planning and perspective matter so much, especially when children are involved. I explain how the divorce process works in probate and family court, what judges expect from parents, and why excuses and games often make cases worse. I also address how DCF can become involved during divorce, particularly when allegations of abuse or neglect are raised, and how that involvement can deeply affect children. My focus in this episode is helping parents understand how their choices during divorce shape their children’s future, and why keeping kids out of conflict, prioritizing fairness, and moving forward with clarity can protect them from lasting harm.

    CONNECT WITH US

    Website: https://kevinseaverlaw.com/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LawOfficeOfKevinPatrickSeaver/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawofficeofkevinseaver/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-law-office-of-kevin-patrick-seaver/
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvt_ckAv7fDcHw1Rb4sVV0Q/featured
    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@attorneykevinseaver

    Disclaimer This video is not intended as legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please consult a lawyer regarding your legal issue.

    Keywords:

    divorce in Massachusetts Massachusetts divorce process probate and family court Massachusetts child custody during divorce child support Massachusetts divorce with children Massachusetts DCF involvement during divorce false allegations in divorce DCF and custody disputes Massachusetts family law attorney protect children during divorce divorce and DCF Massachusetts child neglect allegations divorce best interests of the child Massachusetts high conflict divorce Massachusetts parent rights during divorce Massachusetts divorce lawyer

    #dcflawyer #dcf #familylaw #massachusettslaw #dcfdefense #parentalrights #substanceabuse

    Since 1991 Boston attorney Kevin Patrick Seaver has specialized in family law, including divorce and fighting false child abuse allegations and getting DCF cases closed once and for all. Giving parents freedom and happiness.

    617-263-2633 kevin@kevinseaver.com Kevinseaverlaw.com

    Transcript:

    Today’s episode is gonna be about divorce, not a fun subject. When we grew up, some of us, especially those of my generation, never thought they’d get divorced. And they dreamed about getting married. And so when I had people call me up and I see Kevin, I’m looking for divorce, no one ever calls me up and say, “Ah, ha, I got married so I get divorced.” This is not something that people plan.And when you fail to plan, you plan to fail. So what you need is someone’s gonna explain the process, procedures, and protocols to you. What venue and jurisdiction you’re gonna file a divorce and then follow through with all the discovery on both sides of the fence to make sure that everything is equitably divided so that you get a fair shake. The judges don’t wanna hear you want, complain, and make excuses. They don’t wanna hear alibis, they wanna get you divorced. They want you to move on and find the happiness that you so richly deserve. So utilize the process by making sure the process goes smoothly. But there’s a lot of games played in the probate and family court. Unfortunately, judges become kinda skeptical after a while. I don’t blame them. But as you hear so many stories, especially when it comes to child support, “My dog ate my homework, I hear all the time. “Judge, I lost my job and I can’t work anymore.” Even though they’re physically able to work, but the excuses go on and on and on in the probate court and everybody’s still on rocks at each other. It’s not a fun place.
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    8 mins