Sexual assault is a serious crime, and MA punishes it harshly. It is loosely defined as the unwanted and offensive sexual touching of another. The type of touching can vary widely; forced penetration is one form of sexual assault, but so is slapping a woman’s buttocks without permission. In the…
During a criminal investigation, police may ask you questions whether you’re under arrest or not. But you don’t have to answer. Well, at least not most questions, and not initially. You must provide basic identifying information, such as your name and date of birth. If law enforcement asks you additional…
If you were falsely accused of domestic assault and battery, it’s important to seek the counsel of an experienced defense attorney, and fast. The charges – also known as domestic violence or domestic abuse – have serious implications in MA. In addition to a criminal record and fines, you may…
The words “assault” and “battery” are usually used together to describe the criminal act of physical violence, or the threat of physical violence, against another person. These two words have distinctly separate meanings. However, they also have many similarities and often occur together. While assault can involve just a threat…
In MA, if you are charged with certain criminal offenses, you may be eligible for something called a pre-trial diversion program. But what exactly does that mean? Well, in short, it’s a program that allows defendants with little to no criminal past to avoid the traditional criminal justice system. In…
The United States Constitution holds that a citizen is presumed innocent until proven guilty. However, there are some exceptions. In Massachusetts, an individual accused of a crime can be detained in the county jail, before his trial, for up to 90 days if he is deemed a “dangerous person.” This…
Former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed new legislation in 2014 dramatically changing the way domestic violence is penalized in MA. The new law, An Act Relative to Domestic Violence, created two new crimes: domestic assault and domestic assault and battery. A MA criminal defense attorney can help you determine how…
Assault, by itself, is a crime. But the penalties for that crime are largely dependent on the nature of the assault. You may have heard of the terms simple assault, aggravated assault, and assault & battery. What do these terms mean and what are the implications for someone facing these…
Court records are public domain. Essentially that means that anyone with a few bucks to spend can access your criminal record, arrests, and even your mug shot. An expungement is a process in Massachusetts whereby these records are sealed. Although criminal records are not erased, they become inaccessible to the…
Hello there. Attorney Sam Goldberg here with a question. What do the new motion picture “Patriots Day”, the issue of bullying and this blog have in common? The answer is a certain hip hop artist I have mentioned from time to time by the name of Token. Token has a…