An Act protecting survivors of domestic abuse

This bill (SD 1413) requires Massachusetts courts to consider documented evidence of domestic abuse - defined under Chapter 209A - when determining alimony awards in divorce cases. It mandates that courts evaluate abuse history, including emotional distress, between spouses or against a child, using records from the state’s domestic violence database. The law prohibits alimony judgments benefiting a convicted abuser (e.g., if one spouse has a criminal conviction for abuse against the other or their child). Additionally, it allows payors to seek termination of existing alimony orders if a post-judgment conviction for abuse is obtained. The bill directly affects divorce proceedings and alimony decisions involving domestic violence cases.