After decades of successful personal injury and wrongful death litigation, KJC Law Firm and Sheff Law are merging to form Sheff & Cook. Management will be shared between Douglas K. Sheff and our own Kathy Jo Cook, both tenacious litigators who share a philosophy of maximizing restitution for each and every one of their clients. […]
The Massachusetts court system is one of the oldest of its kind in the country and handles hundreds of trials each year. You might be surprised to learn that only around 5% of personal injury cases actually make it that far, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. The majority of these types of cases […]
If you’ve ever read through a contract or examined the fine print of a warranty, you know the letter of the law can be dense and confusing stuff. It becomes even more complicated once you become involved in actual legal proceedings. In light of this, we’ve put together our “Legalese, Translated” blog post series. Each […]
On November 16, 2017, in Suffolk County Superior Court, a jury of twelve returned a verdict of not guilty in favor of Attorney Benjamin Duggan’s client. Attorney Duggan’s client was charged with, among other things, illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition. Due to certain sentencing enhancements, Attorney Duggan’s client was facing a minimum mandatory state […]
Can a Massachusetts prosecutor use a defendant’s refusal to take a breathalyzer test as evidence of drunk driving? The short answer is no, but understanding why this is the answer is a bit more complicated. Everyone is familiar with the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution’s provision that no person “shall be compelled in […]
Massachusetts is often considered an immigrant-friendly state, but according to the General Laws, only citizens of the United States can obtain admission to the Massachusetts Bar. The three statutes governing admission are G.L. c. 221, §§ 37, 38A, and 39. Section 37 and 39 both specifically require applicants to be citizens of the United States […]
Last month, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court heard oral arguments for Bridgeman v. District Attorney for Suffolk County for the second time. Once more, the Committee for Public Counsel Services (“CPCS”) and the American Civil Liberties Union (“ACLU”) both argued that the only fair conclusion to the Dookhan drug scandal is to provide a global […]
It’s easy to get lulled into believing that the toys you buy for your children are safe. After all, it’s 2016, and surely if toys get through testing and get placed on the market, they must be safe, right? According to a number of organizations committed to keeping children safe, this is false. Last month, […]
In Rass Corporation v. The Travelers Companies, Inc., 2015-P-0358 (Mass. App. Ct. 2016), the Massachusetts Appeals Court reviewed a case brought by a sauce company, Rass, against its insurance carrier, Travelers, for breach of contractual duties to defend, indemnify, and settle an underlying action brought against Rass. The underlying action alleged Rass committed the torts […]
When a person commits a crime and causes property to be damaged, destroyed, or lost, the issue of restitution may become relevant. Restitution comes into play when, as part of his punishment for the crime he committed, a defendant is ordered to pay the former owner of the property that he damaged or destroyed the value […]
This November in Massachusetts, Ballot Question 4, entitled “The Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act,” proposes the complete “legalization” of possession of certain amounts of marijuana for personal use. This stands in contrast to the current state of marijuana law in Massachusetts, which “decriminalizes” possession of certain amounts of marijuana for personal use. What’s the […]
It is routine that people who have been charged with a crime give relevant evidence to their attorneys so that they can obtain legal advice regarding that evidence. After all, without being able to take possession of such items, attorneys would have a difficult time advising clients their cases. This was what happened when disgraced […]
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