Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly articles from August 2005

Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly archives from August 2005

Concern mounting at Middlesex County Courthouse as relocation plans stall.
August 1, 2005... Byline: David E. Frank Two months after agreeing to temporarily shut down the Middlesex County courthouse to conduct an asbestos removal project, concerned court staff claim that they have had no communication with top ranking officials...

MA Supreme Judicial Court rules prior release protects attorney from subsequent, unrelated claim.(Massachusetts)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lisa Bruno A client who had discharged his attorney from liability under a broadly worded release was barred from later suing the same attorney for alleged malpractice in an unrelated transaction, the Supreme Judicial Court has...

MA Supreme Judicial Court rules preparing agreement for debtor not 'practice of law'.(Massachusetts)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Lisa K. Bruno An attorney who was not admitted to practice in the commonwealth did not engage in the "practice of law" by preparing and filing a reaffirmation agreement with a Massachusetts Bankruptcy Court on behalf of a pro se...

Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers Admonitions: August 1, 2005.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff BBO Public Reprimand No. 2005-12 IN RE: LAWRENCE M. SLATER Last known office address: 270 Union Street Suite 202 Lynn, MA 01901 Order (public reprimand) entered by the Board June 27,...

Commentary: It's time for MA to re-think statutory rape.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff The Milton Academy statutory-rape case is closed. But the future of Massachusetts' stat-rape law is still very much an open question. In the case, several teenage school boys were charged with...

Boston attorney encourages other lawyers to serve as Foreign Service officers for the U.S.(Marc D. Freiberger)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Sept. 11, 2001 was one of the worst and best days of Marc D. Freiberger's life. It was the worst for obvious reasons; the best because his daughter was born that day. The combination of...

Boston attorneys raise money to battle cancer through participation in Swim Across America.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff While attorneys spend a lot of time assisting clients through the legal process, a group of local lawyers recently devoted its efforts to a far different cause: raising money for men and women...

MA Land Court Case Summaries: August 1, 2005.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Zoning Building permit - Standing Where a plaintiff is seeking to appeal a zoning board decision upholding a building commissioner's grant of a building permit to a defendant landowner,...

Commentary: Hair restoration, bloggers and opening day.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Kirk Teska Here's an aptly written summary from a recent 9th Circuit decision concerning another gripe site case: Defendant Michael Kremer was dissatisfied with the hair restoration services provided to him by the Bosley...

Governor's Council grants disability pension to MA Superior Court judge.(Massachusetts)(Thomas J. Curley )(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff The Governor's Council voted to grant the request of a Superior Court judge to retire early on a disability. The 50-year-old judge was diagnosed two years ago with pancreatic cancer and an...

Governor's Councilors question would-be magistrate of Boston Municipal Court's South Division.(Margaret Flaherty Albertson )(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Margaret Flaherty Albertson appears to be slated as the next clerk-magistrate of the South Boston Division of the Boston Municipal Court, following her appearance before the Governor's Council. ...

MA Taxpayers Foundation report finds health care costs overwhelm municipal budgets.(Massachusetts)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff The cost of providing health insurance to municipal employees has risen by an average of 63 percent between 2001 and 2005, and is nearly double the annual growth of health care costs for employees...

MA governor vetoes emergency contraception bill.(Massachusetts)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Saying the proposal would change the state's abortion laws, Gov. Mitt Romney announced his veto of legislation expanding access to emergency contraception. The governor's decision fueled...

Commentary: State's sheriffs are just as underpaid as judges.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Andrea J. Cabral, Suffolk County Sheriff While I could not agree more with former Judge Daniel B. Winslow that Massachusetts judges are woefully under-compensated ("Decreasing the minimum rage: the case for fair judicial...

Commentary: Letter to the Editor: Legislature playing same old shell game.(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff To the editor: While, to the casual observer, it might appear that our Legislature has acted responsibly in its actions concerning the state's program for court-appointed attorneys raising...

Commentary: Letter to the Editor: Column on drinking wasn't funny.(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff To the editor: While my wife and kids may disagree, I believe my sense of humor is not only intact, but also pretty well developed. Nonetheless, I don't find humor in David Yas' July 25 "From...

MA Appellate Tax Board Case Summaries: August 1, 2005.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Taxation Real estate - Hearsay Where the owner of a mixed-use property seeks a real estate property tax abatement, that request must be rejected in light of the owner's failure to prove...

The Big Picture: August 1, 2005.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Changing with the times In his 52nd year of practice, Boston's Monroe L. Inker is gearing up for his next professional move. As of the first week of September, White, Inker, Aronson will...

MA Lawyers in the News: August 1, 2005.(Massachusetts)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff New associations Theresa R. Boni has joined the Boston firm of Nutter, McClennen & Fish as an associate in the business department. She focuses on corporate and securities law. Prior to...

Verdicts & Settlements-August 1, 2005: Laborer tumbles from staging, fractures his ankle.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff $130,000 settlement The plaintiff, who was employed as a laborer, was injured on Jan. 4, 2000, when he fell off a stage and hurt his left ankle. The plaintiff was initially diagnosed with...

Verdicts & Settlements-August 1, 2005: Employee returns from leave, asked to 'divorce' co.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff $83,000 settlement The plaintiff was a high-performing salesperson who had worked for the defendant employer for seven years. Prior to her second maternity leave, the plaintiff had 36...

Verdicts & Settlements-August 1, 2005: Patient who was discharged from hospital dies.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff $1.5 million settlement Aside from the condition that prompted the 27-year-old plaintiff's decedent to seek treatment at St. Luke's Hospital on the morning of Sept. 10, 2000, she was an...

Verdicts & Settlements-August 1, 2005: Woman falls on icy stairs; fractures require surgery.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff $30,000 settlement On Feb. 6, 2000, the plaintiff visited a relative's residence in Montague. The relative was a member of the defendant corporation and held the rights to occupy the subject...

1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Case Summaries: August 1, 2005.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Criminal Sentencing - Credit card fraud Where a defendant, who was convicted of credit card fraud, has appealed his sentence, we hold that the appeal must fail (1) because he has...

U.S. District Court Case Summaries: August 1, 2005.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Civil practice Subpoena - Enforcement Where (1) a discrimination charge filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission was served upon the respondent beauty career school, (2) the...

U.S. Bankruptcy Court Case Summaries: August 1, 2005.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Bankruptcy Mortgage - Motion to avoid lien Where Chapter 13 debtors have moved to avoid a lien asserted by a mortgage holder, the motion should be allowed on the ground that the mortgage...

U.S. Magistrate Judges Case Summaries: August 1, 2005.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Attorneys Fees - Settlement Where (1) a settlement has been entered into in a class action suit and (2) the defendants have not opposed the plaintiffs' motion for attorneys' fees and...

MA Supreme Judicial Court Case Summaries: August 1, 2005.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Attorneys Release - Settlement - Malpractice Where a defendant attorney asserted that the plaintiff's legal malpractice claim was barred by a release executed in connection with a...

MA Appeals Court Case Summaries: August 1, 2005.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Appeals Judgments Affirmed The Appeals Court has affirmed, pursuant to Rule 1:28, judgments in the following cases. Although the decisions do not appear to address any substantive issues...

MA governor bypasses selection process with judicial pick.(Massachusetts, Mitt Romney )
August 1, 2005... Byline: Melissa A. Murphy Gov. Mitt Romney has named a lawyer to the Juvenile Court without approval from the current Judicial Nominating Commission, bypassing a complex system that was designed to combat patronage and favoritism in...

MA Superior Court Case Summaries: August 1, 2005.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Contract Commission and bonuses Where a plaintiff at-will salesperson contends (1) that a defendant employer failed to pay him commission and bonuses due to him under his sales incentive...

District Court/BMC Trial Division Case Summaries: August 1, 2005.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Civil practice Dismissal - Service of process - Father's illness and death Where a plaintiff's complaint, charging the defendants with conversion and trespass, was dismissed on the ground...

MA Labor Relations Commission Case Summaries: August 1, 2005.
August 1, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Labor Prohibited practice - Receipt of benefits Where the town of Harwich (1) unilaterally changed the criteria for police officers receiving benefits under G.L.c. 41, Sect. 111F, and (2)...

MA Department of Industrial Accidents Case Summaries: August 1, 2005.(Massachusetts)
August 1, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Workers' compensation Employees - Independent contractors Where a workers' compensation insurance company charged a policyholder $22,400 in premiums for 15 employees, the insurer must be...

Commentary: When an out-of-shape lawyer reports for duty.
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff When you think about it, we'll try anything to talk ourselves into exercising. There's a stroller that allows me to run while I push my oblivious infant child? Great! There's this new exercise...

Massachusetts House leaders unveil $297M stimulus plan.(Brief Article)
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff House leaders unveiled a $297 million economic stimulus plan that includes money to improve aging cultural facilities, expand access to workforce training and adult basic education, and increase...

Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination Case Summaries: August 8, 2005.
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Employment Age and handicap discrimination - Emotional distress Where evidence indicates that the complainant, a 60-year-old receptionist suffering from knee problems, (1) was treated...

Real estate broker may get commission without written agreement.(Meredith and Grew Inc.)
August 8, 2005... Byline: David E. Frank A licensed real-estate broker may be entitled to a commission for performing commercial mortgage brokering services for a longstanding client, even where there was no compensation agreement in writing, the Appeals...

Superior Court judge says fraud allegation won't save 'late' med-mal suit.
August 8, 2005... Byline: Lisa K. Bruno A minor and his mother could not sue a physician and a nurse for injuries the minor allegedly sustained during birth more than eight years after the date of delivery, even though the plaintiffs claimed the defendants...

Commentary: Letter to the Editor: New Education Department reg is discriminatory.(Letter to the Editor)
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff To the editor: Regulations adopted by the Department of Education on July 28 regarding access of non-custodial parents to their children's school records at 603 C.M.R. 23.00 perpetuate the...

Commentary: Letter to the Editor: Mass Assn. of Court Appointed Attys. extends widespread thank you.(Letter to the Editor)
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff To the editor: Chapter 54 of the Acts of 2005 is now law, the first major change to the compensation of Massachusetts bar advocates in 25 years. Many messages of thanks have been circulating,...

Commentary: Letter to the Editor: Taking a wait-and-see approach to recent legislation.(Letter to the Editor)
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff To the editor: "Innocent until proven guilty" is the cornerstone of American democracy. Thus, access to zealous representation for the indigent has been the goal when providing court-appointed...

Commentary: Boat owners found liable for fire damage done to marina.(Peter and Karen Rhoten)
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Ah, the joys of boat ownership! Peter and Karen Rhoten undoubtedly enjoyed plenty of long summer days on their 47-foot-long Jersey yacht, the "M/V Just Because," which they docked in a slip at...

Appeals Court says errant golf balls constitute trespass.
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff If there's one thing you can count on in life, it's that pig farms give off a tremendous odor in the summertime. Another no-brainer: living near a golf course almost guarantees there will be...

Verdicts & Settlements: August 8, 2005: Motorist at risk for spinal cord injury after collision.(Brief Article)
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff $250,000 settlement On June 24, 2002, the plaintiff was operating his motor vehicle on Route 6A in Orleans when a delivery truck, operated by the defendant, pulled in front of him, causing him...

Verdicts & Settlements: August 8, 2005: Patron says she was assaulted at restaurant.
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Defense ruling An incident occurred on Dec. 3, 2003, at approximately 12:30 a.m., on the premises of the defendant restaurant a small Chinese restaurant located in Quincy Center in the...

Verdicts & Settlements: August 8, 2005: Laborer falls in hole at worksite, injures his shoulder.
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff $830,000 settlement The plaintiff was a 30-year-old laborer at the time of the accident in November 2001, which involved a fall into an unguarded hole on a construction site in Westford. ...

Car accident victim claims soft tissue injuries.
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Defense verdict The plaintiff driver alleged that he sustained personal injuries when his car was rear-ended by the defendant's car as the plaintiff was stopped at a red light. The plaintiff's...

Verdicts & Settlements: August 8, 2005: Trooper alleges sexual harassment at workplace.(Brief Article)
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Defense verdict The plaintiff, a former state trooper, claimed that the defendant sergeant sexually harassed her by giving her a cartoon that she felt was offensive. The plaintiff also claimed...

Massachusetts Lawyers in the News: August 8, 2005.(appointments)
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff New associations Gwynne Wiatrowski Guzzeau has joined the Orleans firm of La Tanzi, Spaulding & Landeth as an associate. Guzzeau focuses her practice on estate planning and probate. Prior to...

Massachusetts Bar of Board Overseers: August 8, 2005.
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Supreme Judicial Court No. BD-2005-056 IN RE: VALERIA JEAN BIANCO Last known address: 475 Furnace Street Marshfield, MA 02050 S.J.C. Order of Term Suspension entered by Justice Spina on...

Commentary: Keeping estate plans up-to-date is a must.
August 8, 2005... Byline: Alyssa Adams and Michael Horn One of the main reasons why people execute estate plans is to establish who will receive their property after they have passed away. Typically, people name their spouse and children as beneficiaries....

Commentary: Dispelling the 'CSI effect' in court.
August 8, 2005... Byline: David E. Frank While network executives produce programs such as "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" and "Law & Order" to entertain viewers and raise revenue, their increased popularity has created an unexpected phenomenon in criminal...

Mock juries can provide attorneys with invaluable info.
August 8, 2005... Byline: Lisa K. Bruno It may be the closest thing to a crystal ball a litigator has: the mock jury or focus group a sampling of individuals who reflect the expected demographics of the jury pool before whom the case will be presented. ...

Making the best use of trial presentation technology.
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff It may take a genius to write computer software, but it shouldn't take one to use it in the courtroom, say experts who offer some fundamentals to bear in mind before launching these whiz-bang...

Memorable moments in cross-examination.
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff The judge turned shades of white According to Worcester's John "Jack" F. Keenan, it's seldom that a lawyer discovers a smoking gun on cross-examination. "More often, it's a subtle erosion of...

1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Case Summaries: August 8, 2005.
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Administrative Railroads - STB Where the Surface Transportation Board upheld restrictions that a railroad placed on another railroad using the first railroad's lines, the STB's decision...

U.S. District Court Case Summaries: August 8, 2005.
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Attorneys Fees - G.L.c. 231, Sect. 6F Where a consulting firm, which was dismissed as a defendant in a civil suit, seeks costs and attorneys' fees pursuant to G.L.c. 231, Sect. 6F, the...

U.S. Bankruptcy Appellate Panel Case Summaries: August 8, 2005.
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Bankruptcy Administrative expense - Attorneys' fees Where a creditor, having obtained a state court judgment against a debtor, now seeks payment of her attorneys' fees and costs, that...

U.S. Bankruptcy Court Case Summaries: August 8, 2005.
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Bankruptcy Student loans - Dischargeability Where a debtor and a creditor both seek summary judgment in an adversary proceeding concerning the dischargeability of the debtor's student...

Supreme Judicial Court Case Summaries: August 8, 2005.
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Contract UCC - Sale of goods Where a judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts has certified to us the question: "Under the Massachusetts version of the Uniform...

Judicial Scouting Report: Superior Court Judge Carol S. Ball.
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff In this new Lawyers Weekly feature, a different Massachusetts judge will be highlighted on a regular basis in an effort to provide practitioners with a snapshot of the jurist and a flavor of his or...

Advocates seeking redistricting panel for Massachusetts.(proposals for election districts)(Brief Article)
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Recognizing an uphill battle for a pending proposal to change the way legislative districts are drawn, a coalition of advocacy and government watchdog groups are taking another route to help voters...

More protections from sex offenders sought in Massachusetts.(Brief Article)
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Photographs of some moderate-risk sex offenders would be posted on the Internet under legislation pending on Beacon Hill that would also add new penalties for sex offenders and give new weapons to...

Bill would overhaul U.S. patent system.(Brief Article)
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Lawyers say the Patent Reform Act of 2005 would fundamentally change patent law to provide more predictability and let more companies use their patents without fear of lawsuits. Patents would...

Gay marriage foes begin ballot push.(Brief Article)
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Gay marriage opponents began a new ballot drive, delivering a proposed constitutional amendment to the Attorney General's Office that they hope to place on the 2008 statewide ballot. "The...

Changes to 'free care' program planned in Massachusetts.(Brief Article)
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Gov. Mitt Romney's administration, which recently launched an initiative to help all residents get health insurance, is changing the rules for a "free care" program that advocates say will make it...

Commentary: Hanging out with the Federalist Society.
August 8, 2005... Byline: Daniel J. Kelly On July 27, the Washington Post quoted Emory University Law Professor David Garrow on confusion over U.S. Supreme Court nominee John Roberts' association with the Federalist Society: "What matters is whether he hung...

Appeals Court Case Summaries: August 8, 2005.
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Appeals Judgments affirmed The Appeals Court has affirmed, pursuant to Rule 1:28, judgments in the following cases. Although the decisions do not appear to address any substantive issues...

Superior Court Case Summaries: August 8, 2005.
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Civil practice Preliminary injunction - Building demolition Where (1) a plaintiff college sought permission from a defendant building inspector to demolish a structure on its campus which...

District Court/BMC Appellate Division Case Summaries: August 8, 2005.
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Appeals Dismissal - Summary process - Nominee trust Where a plaintiff trustee of a nominee trust brought a summary process action to evict the defendant, his daughter, and to recover her...

Massachusetts bar advocates return in droves.(legislation for hourly rates)
August 8, 2005... Byline: Tony Wright Legislation raising the hourly rates for bar advocates has prompted hundreds of private lawyers to renew their contracts and return to court-appointed work, bar advocate leaders say. Four months after a bipartisan...

Land Court Case Summaries: August 8, 2005.
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Civil practice Service of process - Subdivision approval Where plaintiffs filed a complaint challenging the Andover planning board's decision to approve a defendant's subdivision plan,...

Labor Relations Commission Case Summaries: August 8, 2005.(cases of employee benefits )(Brief Article)
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Labor Prohibited practice - Receipt of benefits Where the town of Harwich (1) unilaterally changed the criteria for police officers receiving benefits under G.L.c. 41, Sect. 111F, and (2)...

Department Of Industrial Accidents Case Summaries: August 8, 2005.
August 8, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Workers' compensation Employees - Independent contractors Where a workers' compensation insurance company charged a policyholder $22,400 in premiums for 15 employees, the insurer must be...

MA Governor Romney signs bills: August 15, 2005.(Public Notice)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff 53. An act relative to financing the production of affordable housing. App. and eff. July 28, 11 pages. 54. An act providing counsel to indigent persons. App. and eff. July 29, 9 pages. ...

MA Appeals Court rules 'live' expert testimony not required to prove injury causation.(cases)
August 15, 2005... Byline: David E. Frank A woman injured when an ambulance rear-ended her car did not need to present live expert testimony at trial when attempting to prove causation, the Appeals Court has found. The defendants argued that the trial...

MA Appeals Court rules foreign divorce won't preclude asset division in state court.(cases)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Tony Wright A woman who was divorced from her husband in Turkey could bring a complaint for equitable distribution of assets and alimony in Massachusetts where the foreign court failed to address any economic claims, the Appeals...

U.S. magistrate judge rules insurance company can sue policyholder's lawyer.(St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Co. v. Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & Birch, LLP)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Lisa K. Bruno An insurance company has standing to pursue a legal malpractice action against its policyholder's defense counsel under its rights of subrogation, a U.S. magistrate judge has ruled. The defendants argued that...

Boston attorney Mark S. Boudreau enjoys his small part in "Shakespeare in the Park" program.(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff "In that and all things will we show our duty." In Shakespeare's "Hamlet," one of the longest plays ever written in the English language, this is the only line spoken by the character...

Co-owner of Atlanta Hawks files suit to stop fellow owners from striping him of his authority.(cases)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Although they direct most of their efforts to competing against opponents on the basketball court, the owners of the NBA Atlanta Hawks recently found themselves in a court of a different nature....

Springfield lawyer Henry L. Rigali withdraws as Juvenile Court nominee.(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Springfield lawyer Henry L. Rigali withdrew his name from consideration for a judgeship on the Juvenile Court last week just before the Governor's Council was set to vote on his nomination. ...

Judicial nomination of Bristol County prosecutor held up pending probe.(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff Gov. Mitt Romney has put on hold the judicial nomination of Bristol County prosecutor Renee P. Dupuis while authorities investigate allegations made by her ex-husband during their child custody...

First Assistant Clerk-Magistrate Whitney Brown in line for Gardner District Court.(Brief Article)
August 15, 2005... Byline: Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Staff First Assistant Clerk-Magistrate Whitney J. Brown will move from the second spot in one of the state's busiest courts to the top spot in a much smaller one if confirmed by the Governor's Council....