(413) 256-6234 - Calls Answered 24/7 | 1403 South East ST Amherst, MA 01002

Blog

Apr 21
Judge excited to demonstrate authority

Massachusetts Passes Sweeping Overhaul of Criminal Justice Procedures

Massachusetts is ready to revamp the criminal justice system. In a previous post, we discussed how state legislators were proposing a sweeping bill that would focus more on rehabilitation than on punishment. On April 4, 2018, the compromised bill, written by a House-Senate conference committee, was approved 37-0 in the Senate... read more →
Apr 07
Mar 20
Mar 07
Image of a man in cuffs being placed in a police car after being arrested for drug and weapon charges.

Massachusetts Man Arrested On Drug & Weapon Charges

During the early hours of February 19, 2018, a Massachusetts resident was pulled over by a state trooper and arrested for drug possession and illegally carrying a handgun with a defaced serial number. Scott E. Spinney, 28, who faces nine drug- and weapon-related charges, is now facing an upcoming trial. The Incident... read more →
Feb 21
Image of a prosecutor making a deal, marking Massachusetts criminal justice reform.

Major Criminal Justice Reform Legislation Underway in Massachusetts

The last several months have seen tremendous efforts made by both the Senate and the House to bring change to Massachusetts’ criminal justice system. Proposed amendments to existing laws include eliminating mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent drug crimes, repealing certain drug-related crimes (including being in the presence of heroin), and... read more →
Feb 07
Image of a man walking outside of a jail, due to the fact that Massachusetts holds the second-lowest incarceration rate in the U.S.

Massachusetts Holds Second-Lowest Incarceration Rate in U.S.

The Bureau of Justice Statistics recently released new data detailing incarceration rates around the United States. According to this data, current through 2016, Massachusetts had the second-lowest rate of incarcerations (behind Maine). Prosecution policies vary from state to state, producing a significant discrepancy in the rate of incarcerations around the country. A... read more →
Jan 21
Image of marijuana, representing the new changes in Massachusetts' marijuana prosecution policy.

New MA U.S. Attorney Reveals State Marijuana Prosecution Policy

In light of U.S Attorney General Jeff Session's recently-reported pledge to roll back Obama-era policies around state-regulated marijuana prosecution, Massachusetts' new U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling has revealed how he and his office plan to approach cannabis crimes. Let's take a closer look at what you can expect going forth. Previous... read more →
Jan 07
Image of an inmate's cuffs being released after over 6,000 cases tainted by drug scandal in Massachusetts are dismissed.

Update: Over 6,000 Cases To Be Dismissed in MA Drug Scandal

As we're sure you remember, the Massachusetts state criminal justice system has been wracked with turmoil in the wake of a statewide drug-testing scandal. As we've written about before (and then again), thousands of cases are in limbo following the discovery of two separate lab testing workers employed by the state admitted to... read more →
Dec 21
Image of a female Massachusetts criminology expert examining an opioid sample as courtroom evidence.

Opioid Samples May Soon Be Banned From MA Courtrooms

Earlier this month, Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Trial Court Paula Carey wrote a letter to state prosecutors proposing a ban on opioids brought into courtrooms as evidence. She fears that even adequately packaged samples pose a risk to those present in the room due to the extreme potency of... read more →
Dec 07
Image of a woman shoplifting a bottle of prosecco and who may be affected by the new proposed Massachusetts state felony theft minimum law.

MA Legislature Considering Raising Felony Theft Minimum

According to the Associated Press (AP), Massachusetts lawmakers will soon vote on whether or not to raise the minimum dollar amount that separates misdemeanor and felony theft in our state. This decision comes as part of the sweeping criminal justice reform bill that passed in October 2017. As can be expected, supporters... read more →