Do not wait until the last minute to change holiday schedules. Above all, do not put children in the middle. Divorce may not be a dirty little secret, but most of us cherish our privacy. As soon as you file divorce papers, the details of your divorce are a matter of public record. With the exception of your financial statement and the name of an alleged co-respondent in an adultery case, all your divorce papers are available for inspection by anyone at any time.
Lawmakers recognize the importance of privacy and allow judges to impound papers in certain cases.
Only you, your spouse, your lawyers, and court employees have access. This is an extraordinary limitation on the public's right to know. The court must consider the public's right to know, even if you and your spouse agree to impound. On occasion, the judge may allow a third party, such as the press, to argue in favor of public access. Massachusetts divorces are not heard by juries.