Consumers The Massachusetts Consumer Protection Act, G.L. c. 93A, protects consumers from unfair and deceptive acts and practices which occur in a business context. The statute provides for an award of double or treble damages and attorney’s fees. As such it is a powerful tool for consumers to obtain relief in consumer transactions that have […]
Massachusetts Law News
RSS feed for this sectionContacting Former Employees of a Company Involved in Litigation
By Robert Allison on October 7, 2019No Contact Rule Massachusetts Rule of Professional Conduct 4.2 states that “[i]n representing a client, a lawyer shall not communicate about the subject of the representation with a person the lawyer knows to be represented by another lawyer in the matter, unless the lawyer has the consent of the other lawyer or is so authorized […]
Hearsay & The Unavailable Witness In Massachusetts
By Robert Allison on July 31, 2019Witness Testimony Witness testimony is key to our system of justice, and civil and criminal trials are based on the admission of the testimony of live witnesses who can be questioned and cross-examined. In fact, hearsay, defined as an out-of-court statement offered for the truth of the matter asserted in the statement, is seen as […]
Massachusetts Jury Selection Process
By Robert Allison on May 6, 2019Selecting Impartial Jurors In Massachusetts any person, 18 or older, who lives in the state for more than 50% of the year can be called for jury duty, including college and high-school students. Jurors are picked at random and randomly assigned to court houses within the county in which they reside. Massachusetts has a “one […]
When the Rules of Professional Responsibility Collide
By Robert Allison on February 21, 2019
All lawyers have ethical obligations to the public, the courts, their clients, and even opposing counsel and parties. In Massachusetts, the Rules of Professional Conduct issued by the Supreme Judicial Court govern almost every aspect of legal practice. Two of the most recognized rules are those addressing the confidentiality of information and zealous advocacy. Preserving […]
