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About Jane Peachy

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So far Jane Peachy has created 11 blog entries.

SJC ruling on indigent defendants’ constitutional rights

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, March 16, 2026

Supreme Judicial Court ruling leaves indigent defendants’ constitutional rights dependent on legislative goodwill

BOSTON, MA — The Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (MACDL) responds today to the Supreme Judicial Court’s decision in Committee for Public Counsel Services v. Middlesex and Suffolk County District Courts, issued this date, in which the Court declined to authorize judicially ordered increases to […]

By |2026-03-26T14:13:45-04:00March 17th, 2026|News|Comments Off on SJC ruling on indigent defendants’ constitutional rights
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Pathway to the Bench — Becoming a Judge

MACDL and the Governor’s Councillor, Tara Jacobs, presents:

Pathway to the Bench — Becoming a Judge

Thursday, April 16, 2026, 5pm in Room C
WNE School of Law, 1216 Wilbraham Rd, Springfield, MA

Join us for a conversation with our panelists about their experiences and advice regarding the judicial nomination process.

Featured panelists:
Jesse Boodoo, Chief Legal Counsel to the Governor
Dara Kesselheim, Deputy Legal Counsel to the Governor
Kathleen C. Henry, Chair of […]

By |2026-03-12T15:23:13-04:00March 12th, 2026|Events|Comments Off on Pathway to the Bench — Becoming a Judge
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New Organization Advocates for Fair Compensation

Massachusetts Association of Private Appointed Counsel (MAPAC) is a new organization launched to advocate for fair compensation for bar advocates and the preservation of constitutional representation in Massachusetts. Please Join MAPAC in their mission advocating for systemic change and the right to counsel.

By |2025-12-09T11:24:10-05:00December 9th, 2025|News|Comments Off on New Organization Advocates for Fair Compensation
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MACDL Statement on the Frances Choy Case

On June 3, 2020, the Supreme Judicial Court sent a letter to the “Judiciary and Members of the Bar” condemning racism in the courts and in the legal profession. It was an unprecedented call to action: “As judges, we must look afresh at what we are doing, or failing to do, to root out any conscious or unconscious bias in our courtrooms…We must recognize and address our own […]

By |2025-10-21T13:33:18-04:00October 21st, 2025|Board Messages, News|Comments Off on MACDL Statement on the Frances Choy Case
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Statement on Legislative Proposal Regarding Bar Advocate Compensation

Yesterday, the Massachusetts legislature voted to pass an increase in bar advocate hourly rates over two years — with a $10 increase to go into effect August 1, 2025, and another $10 increase to go into effect August 1, 2026. We know this is not enough, and MACDL will continue to support the tireless advocacy, commitment, and selflessness of the many bar advocates who stand in solidarity to […]

By |2025-08-08T13:08:46-04:00August 8th, 2025|News, President's Messages|Comments Off on Statement on Legislative Proposal Regarding Bar Advocate Compensation
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Constitutional Crisis Deepens

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 9, 2025

Constitutional Crisis Deepens: Hundreds in Massachusetts Now Without Court-Appointed Lawyers as Indigent Defense System Buckles.

BOSTON, MA – Two weeks after the Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (MACDL) warned of a looming crisis in the Commonwealth’s indigent defense system, the crisis is no longer theoretical—it is unfolding in real time, and the numbers are troubling.

People in Courts across the state are currently […]

By |2025-06-13T12:28:04-04:00June 13th, 2025|News|Comments Off on Constitutional Crisis Deepens
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MACDL Supports Bar Advocates’ Action

Massachusetts Defense Lawyers Warn of Impending Crisis as Bar Advocates Halt Case Acceptance Due to Unsustainable Pay

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 27, 2025

BOSTON, MA – The Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (MACDL) stands in full solidarity with bar advocates who are refusing to take additional court-appointed cases as a result of the unsustainably low compensation rates. Bar advocates—independent attorneys appointed by the state to represent low-income defendants—currently […]

By |2025-05-27T11:35:31-04:00May 27th, 2025|Board Messages, News|Comments Off on MACDL Supports Bar Advocates’ Action
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Response to the Attack on the Legal Profession

The Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (MACDL) condemns the March 22, 2025, Presidential Memorandum titled, “Preventing Abuses of the Legal System and the Federal Court.” As the only statewide association of criminal defense attorneys, we strive to preserve the adversarial system of justice and protect the rights of persons charged with crimes. The President’s Memorandum is a transparent attempt to chill our professional duty and moral obligation […]

By |2025-03-25T18:45:25-04:00March 25th, 2025|Board Messages|Comments Off on Response to the Attack on the Legal Profession
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Call to Action

Has the rollout of recent executive orders left you variously enraged and overwhelmed?

MACDL rejects all action taken by the current federal administration to deny our clients’ rights, especially those who are most marginalized and vulnerable. To this end, we have convened a working group to review the current and future federal policies, educate our members as to how these policies are likely to […]

By |2025-02-26T17:00:48-05:00February 26th, 2025|Action Alert, News|Comments Off on Call to Action
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