Browse recent court opinions from the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. AI-powered plain English summaries, key holdings, and legal analysis of 30 cases. State Supreme Court.
Juvenile's Confession Deemed Voluntary by SJC
Commonwealth v. Ushon U., a juvenile, decided by Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court on April 24, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court considered whethe...
Confession Admissible After Miranda Waiver, SJC Rules
Morales v. Commonwealth, decided by Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court on April 24, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court considered whether a defendant...
Prior Bad Acts Evidence Admissible for Motive, Intent, and Scheme
Commonwealth v. Arias, decided by Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court on April 15, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court affirmed a defendant's convictio...
Plaintiff fails to prove unpaid overtime wages
Ortins v. Lincoln Property Company, decided by Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court on April 14, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The plaintiff, Ortins, sued Lincoln Property Company for all...
Court Rules on Defamation Claims Over Online Statements
Mayfield v. Reardon, decided by Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court on April 13, 2026, resulted in a mixed outcome. The plaintiff, Mayfield, sued the defendant, Reardon, for defamation after Reardon ...
MA court dismisses suit against Meta over misinformation
Commonwealth v. Meta Platforms, Inc., decided by Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court on April 10, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts sued Meta Platforms, Inc...
SJC Affirms Conviction Based on "State of Mind" Hearsay Exception
Commonwealth v. LeBlanc, decided by Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court on April 9, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts reviewed a defendant's convi...
Juvenile's statements to police inadmissible without Miranda warnings and parental notification
Commonwealth v. Sonny S., a juvenile, decided by Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court on April 7, 2026, resulted in a reversed outcome. The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts reviewed a juvenile'...
Child Victim's Statements Admissible Under State of Mind Exception, Court Rules
Commonwealth v. Donovan, decided by Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court on March 31, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the defendant's convi...
Prior Bad Act Evidence Admissible in Murder Conviction
Commonwealth v. Williams, decided by Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court on March 30, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the defendant's conv...
Broker Denied Commission for Hotel Sale Due to Lack of Enforceable Contract and Failure to Prove Procuring Cause
This case involves a dispute between Allegaert, the plaintiff, and Harbor View Hotel Owner LLC (Harbor View), the defendant, regarding a contract for the sale of the Harbor View Hotel. Allegaert, acti...
Appellate Court Upholds Judgment Against Construction Company for Breach of Contract in Home Renovation Dispute
This case involves a dispute between a homeowner, Mr. Hidalgo, and a construction company, Watch City Construction Corp., regarding a home renovation project. Mr. Hidalgo sued Watch City for breach of...
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Rules Warrantless Cell Phone Tower Location Data for Over Six Hours is Unconstitutional; Reverses One Murder Conviction, Upholds Another Due to Harmless Error
This case involves two separate appeals, Commonwealth v. Psikarakis and Commonwealth v. Smith, both concerning the admissibility of evidence obtained from cell phone tower location information (CTLI) ...
Massachusetts SJC Vacates Injunction Enforcing Overly Broad Non-Compete Agreement
This case involves a dispute over the enforcement of a non-compete agreement between a company, 'Company A,' and its former employee, 'Employee B.' Employee B left Company A to work for a competitor, ...
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Rules Defendants Have Right to Counsel Before Breathalyzer Test
This case, Committee for Public Counsel Services v. Middlesex and Suffolk County District Courts, addresses the critical issue of a criminal defendant's right to counsel during the booking process, sp...
Appeals Court Affirms Summary Judgment for Employer in Age Discrimination Case, Finding Insufficient Evidence of Pretext
This case involves Ryan, a former employee of Mary Ann Morse Healthcare Corp., who sued her employer for age discrimination after she was terminated. Ryan, who was 67 years old at the time, argued tha...
Supreme Judicial Court Denies Late Appeal, Upholding Dismissal for Failure to Prosecute
This case, Berry v. Commonwealth, involved a plaintiff who sought to appeal a decision from the Massachusetts Superior Court. The plaintiff's appeal was dismissed by the Appeals Court for failure to p...
Massachusetts Court Rules Mystic Valley Charter School's Hair Extension Ban Discriminatory
This case involved the Attorney General of Massachusetts suing the Mystic Valley Regional Charter School over its dress code policy, specifically a rule that prohibited students from wearing hair exte...
Massachusetts SJC Rules Health Insurance Waiver Payments Count Towards Retirement Benefits
This case, Agostini v. Commonwealth, involved a dispute over the calculation of retirement benefits for a former state employee, Mr. Agostini. Mr. Agostini had worked for the Commonwealth for many yea...
Massachusetts SJC Upholds Admissibility of Defendant's Statements, Finding Valid Miranda Waiver
In Commonwealth v. Ferguson, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court addressed the admissibility of a defendant's statements made during a custodial interrogation. The defendant, Ferguson, was arrest...
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Affirms First-Degree Murder Conviction
In this case, the defendant, Moscaritolo, was convicted of murder in the first degree. The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts reviewed the conviction under G. L. c. 278, § 33E, which requires the...
Massachusetts Appeals Court Affirms Dismissal of Harihar's Claims Against the Commonwealth
This case, Harihar v. Commonwealth, involved a plaintiff who sued the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The details of the plaintiff's claims and the specific legal issues are not provided in the given t...
Court Rules in Favor of Employer, Dismissing Former Property Manager's Racial Discrimination and Retaliation Claims
This case involves a dispute between a former property manager, Latham, and her employer, POAH Communities, LLC, regarding her termination. Latham, who is Black, alleged that she was subjected to raci...
Staybridge Suites Ordered to Pay Former Employee Unpaid Wages and Damages for Wage Act Violations
This case involves a dispute between a former employee, Linardon, and Staybridge Suites. Linardon sued Staybridge Suites, alleging that the company failed to pay him for all hours worked, including ov...
Massachusetts SJC Rules Defendant's Interrogation Statements Admissible, Affirming Voluntary Miranda Waiver
In Commonwealth v. Tanner, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts addressed the admissibility of a defendant's statements made during a custodial interrogation. The defendant, Tanner, was questio...
Appeals Court Upholds Ruling Against Contractor for Breach of Home Renovation Contract
This case involves a dispute between a homeowner, Gorbatova, and a contractor, Lynn, over a home renovation project. Gorbatova hired Lynn to perform work on her house, and a written contract was signe...
SJC Affirms Murder Conviction, Upholding Evidence and Closing Argument
Commonwealth v. Bateman, decided by Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court on February 20, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts affirmed the defendant's...
Prior Bad Acts Admissible to Prove Motive in Murder Conviction
Commonwealth v. Robinson, decided by Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court on February 13, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court affirmed the defendant's c...
Confession Admissible After Valid Miranda Waiver, Preceding Counsel Request
Pierce, decided by Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court on February 9, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court considered whether a defendant's confession, ...