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Read. Follow. Verify.Massachusetts Bill H.1887 streamlines child custody transfers from juvenile court to probate and family court
Last action · March 26, 2026: Accompanied a study order, see H5281 (under House Rule 27)Sponsor: Joan Meschino
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What This Bill Would Do
Massachusetts Bill H.1887 requires juvenile courts, when transferring of a child to a parent, to either file the order in an existing case or initiate a new civil custody action while waiving the initial filing fee.
Families transitioning from juvenile court supervision to parental custody must navigate family court proceedings without incurring initial filing fees unless specifically ordered otherwise by the court.
- Joan Meschino serves as the state representative who filed House Bill 1887 to address administrative efficiency in child custody determinations. context
- The bill was referred to the Judiciary committee for review during the 194th session of the Massachusetts General Court. context
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Parents receiving permanent legal custody
Parents gain custody transferred from juvenile court into a probate and family court civil action with waived initial filing fees and concluded juvenile oversight.
Probate and Family Court clerks
Clerks are instructed to treat incoming juvenile court orders as new civil actions for custody or file them in existing dockets and designate appropriate captions.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to pay a filing fee when a custody order is transferred to the probate and family court?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
5 actions- Mar 26, 2026HouseAccompanied a study order, see H5281 (under House Rule 27)
- Oct 20, 2025JointHearing scheduled for 06/10/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-2
- Jun 5, 2025JointHearing scheduled for 06/10/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-2
- Feb 27, 2025SenateSenate concurred
- Feb 27, 2025HouseCommitteeReferred to the committee on The Judiciary
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Streamlining Court Jurisdictions
The legislation formally bridges juvenile court proceedings and probate/family court actions to eliminate redundant oversight when permanent custody is awarded to a parent.
Connected Entities
Sources
malegislature.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance60How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy10Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz15Current news / social attention level
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