WHILE WE HAVE BEEN in federal court arguing the constitutionality of the Massachusetts eviction moratorium, the Trump administration’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) just issued an emergency order imposing a nationwide residential […]
Courts
Posted inCriminal Justice
Appeals court reverses ban on ICE courthouse arrests
A FEDERAL APPEALS COURT has lifted a ban that kept immigration authorities from civilly detaining immigrants in and around Massachusetts courthouses. The First Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday vacated […]
Posted inUncategorized
Healey sues Trump over immigrant ed aid
MASSACHUSETTS ATTORNEY GENERAL Maura Healey sued the Trump administration on Thursday seeking to block a rule barring colleges and universities from using federal stimulus money to provide financial aid to certain immigrant college students. “This is yet […]
Posted inEconomy
State judge blocks attempt to end eviction moratorium
A SUFFOLK SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE on Wednesday rejected a request by two landlords to suspend the state’s moratorium on evictions, saying the ban is not an “unreasonable exercise” of power. […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Rollins withdraws motion for higher bail in case involving Bail Fund
SUFFOLK COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY Rachael Rollins said on Monday that her office is withdrawing a motion seeking a steep increase in bail for a homeless defendant whose original bail was […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
DA seeks bail increase after learning nonprofit fund would pay it
IN A MOVE that reform advocates call an alarming turn away from the effort to reduce the role of bail in the criminal justice system — a movement her own […]
Posted inHealth Care, Opinion
Finding middle ground on abortion
ELECTION DAY 2020 approaches amid pandemic, police brutality, renewed alarm about racism, anxiety about reopening schools and businesses, and social division and political polarization. While public attention is understandably elsewhere, […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Opinion
Legislature must seize the opportunity for ‘expungement’ reform
BRYAN STEVENSON, the renowned attorney and civil rights activist, says that “each one of us is more than the worst thing we have done.” This is especially true for adolescents. […]
Posted inUncategorized
Mail-in ballot applications on their way to voters
SECRETARY OF STATE William Galvin has started mailing out applications for absentee ballots to all registered voters in Massachusetts, and all the applications should be sent out by Tuesday. If that […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Collins faces heat over vote on policing reform bill
WHEN THE VOTE finally came in the wee hours of Tuesday morning on a vigorously debated police reform bill, the measure easily cleared the state Senate by a 30-7 margin. But […]
Posted inEducation
Trump administration reverses course on international student ban
IN A STUNNING reversal, the Trump administration has agreed to abandon its earlier order for international students to leave the country if their college or university is only offering online […]
Posted inEducation
Healey, fellow AGs sue ICE over international student ban
MASSACHUSETTS ATTORNEY GENERAL Maura Healey on Monday joined more than a dozen other state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to stop a new federal rule that threatens to bar […]
Posted inUncategorized
House wants more transparency in foster care system
A BILL THAT the Massachusetts House is set to vote on Thursday would bring more transparency to the state’s troubled foster care system – but would not bring in the […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Opinion
SJC judges decry racism in criminal justice system
The seven justices of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court released the following letter on Wednesday, June 3. Dear Members of the Judiciary and the Bar: The events of the last […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Courts to start reopening in phases this summer
MASSACHUSETTS COURTHOUSES are tentatively planning to start reopening for in-person proceedings in phases at some point this summer with jury trials set to resume in September if schools reopen, according to […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Coalition presses Baker to reduce prison population
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE WARNING THAT PUBLIC HEALTH precautions are impossible with prisons and jails at their current population levels, a coalition of legal aid and community groups increased their […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Judge orders COVID-19 testing for ICE detainees
DECLARING THAT A lawsuit filed on behalf of immigration detainees was likely to succeed in demonstrating “deliberate indifference” to their risk of contracting COVID-19, a federal judge ordered coronavirus testing […]
Posted inUncategorized
Virus notes: Baker questions antibody testing accuracy, utility
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER threw up a caution flag on Monday on the rush test people for coronavirus antibodies. Along with urgent efforts to expand testing for the coronavirus, public health […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Lawsuit seeks release of sentenced prisoners during coronavirus
A NEW CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT filed in the state’s highest court by advocates aims to release sentenced and civilly committed prisoners to stem the spread of coronavirus in prisons. Prisoners’ […]
Posted inEconomy
Equifax will pay Massachusetts $18.2 million settlement
THE CREDIT REPORTING agency Equifax will pay $18.2 million to the state of Massachusetts under a settlement reached with Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey over its 2017 data breach. The […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
SJC orders release of most defendants awaiting trial
THE STATE’S HIGHEST COURT Friday ordered nearly all people held in jails awaiting trial be released on their own recognizance because of the threat of COVID-19 infection. The unanimous opinion […]
Posted inArts and Culture
Virus notes: Discrimination warning issued
SUFFOLK COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY Rachael Rollins said she has received no official complaints about discrimination against Asian-Americans in connection with the coronavirus, but representatives of the community say incidents are occurring […]
Posted inUncategorized
Advocates: No evictions during pandemic
YOU FEEL SICK. But you could get evicted from your home if you don’t show up in court. What do you do? Boston-area activists are mounting a campaign to end evictions during […]
Posted inThe Download
Advocates: No evictions during pandemic
You feel sick. But you could get evicted from your home if you don’t show up in court. What do you do? Boston-area activists are mounting a campaign to end evictions […]