It is hard to believe that it is already July and summer is in full swing. MACDL has been busy advocating for lawyers and clients in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. I am pleased to provide you all with several updates on our organization’s efforts to create an effective, accessible, and fun community for new and experienced criminal defense lawyers.
To those of you who helped kick off a strong first-half […]
On March 27, 2024, the MACDL executive board joined bar leaders from other bar associations at a Bench/Bar meeting. Chief Justices Budd and Brieger along with Court Administrator Tom Ambrosino and Dr. Natoschia Scrugg, the newly appointed Chief of Access, Diversity and Fairness for the trial court, gave updates on various topics involving the operations of the courts. Below are the handouts that we received. Here are a […]
The Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (MACDL) is deeply troubled by the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. This decision will have a profound impact on both our clients and members, as well as on the integrity of the legal process.
The Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade is not only an intrusion into the bodily autonomy of people who can become pregnant but is […]
MACDL’s Board recently sent a letter to Berkshire County District Attorney Andrea Harrington, strongly objecting to DA Harrington’s choice to write an ex parte letter to the Chief Justice of the District Court system requesting the removal of the Honorable Jennifer Tyne from criminal cases. As the letter states, MACDL is deeply concerned by this indefensible and unethical effort to circumvent fair process and undermine the independent decision-making of […]
Bail is not a form of punishment. It is set in almost every case to ensure that those charged with a crime return to court during the lengthy period that it may take for the case to resolve. If bail is set in an amount the person can’t afford, he or she will be held in jail without any conviction. In other words, based solely on probable cause to […]
We have received numerous calls and emails from members who are understandably distressed by the Phase 3 reopening of the state courts, which includes mandatory, in-person appearances for non-emergency hearings such as summons arraignments. In response, MACDL’s Board addressed a letter to Chief Justice Gants and Chief Justice Carey citing our concerns, along with the following proposals:
The Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers is outraged by the most recent show of force and violence against Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd, events that are endemic to Black America and reflect the history of racism and oppression in this country.
But it is not enough to be outraged. We must confront how our criminal justice system has failed people of color.
Our system has perpetuated racism […]
As reported in the Boston Globe and elsewhere, on April 30th, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins attacked defense lawyers during an appearance on WGBH, after a caller complained about having trouble reaching his attorney. Read MACDL President Victoria Kelleher’s response to her comments, below. The criminal defense bar has worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to protect individuals in custody from the spread […]
Commentary by MACDL Board president, Victoria Kelleher, posted on the WBUR website.
Last week, several men and women with preexisting health concerns were released from pretrial custody — some to home confinement, some with GPS monitoring — by agreement with the Suffolk County prosecutor. Each represented one less person imprisoned without due process; one less person to get infected with the coronavirus behind bars.
Since […]
Before any of us heard of COVID-19, MACDL had dedicated itself to pursuing constitutionally mandated rate increases–first in Carasquillo v. Hampden County, and then in lobbying efforts. These increases are: $85 for District Court, $125 for Superior Court, and $148 for Murder Panel. These are not fantasy figures. Consider that of those states that pay bar advocates hourly rates, only Oregon and Wisconsin pay less for misdemeanors than Massachusetts […]