In an extremely important decision issued last week, the United States Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the police must obtain a search warrant before looking at the data contained in the cell phone of someone who has been arrested.  The name of the case is Riley v. California.  It overruled a Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court...

On June 11, 2014, the Supreme Judicial Court ruled that the law allowing for community parole supervision for life (CPSL) is unconstitutional. (more…)

The Massachusetts witness intimidation statute (chapter 268, section 13B) prohibits any person from misleading a police officer with the intent to impede a criminal investigation. (more…)

On June 18, 2014, the Supreme Judicial Court clarified the scope of the “one-party consent exception” to the state wiretap law (chapter 272, section 99).  In Massachusetts it is illegal to secretly record an oral communication unless all parties to the conversation consent.  However, the one-party consent exception allows a law enforcement officer, or...

Two Massachusetts drunk driving accidents earlier this year show the potentially severe penalties awaiting those convicted of driving under the influence in the state. These penalties increase dramatically when a driver, passenger or pedestrian is injured or killed in an accident involving intoxication. A recent example involved Jay Franklin, of Upton, Massachusetts, who was...