If you’ve been charged with shoplifting in MA you might be wondering what penalties you face, and if you even need a lawyer. After all, shoplifting charges are relatively minor, right? Well, not exactly. For starters, the penalties you face are largely dependent on the severity of your charges and…
Boston Criminal Lawyer Blog
MA Man Among 10 People Arrested in Death of LSU Fraternity Pledge
On September 14, an 18-year-old college student from Roswell, Georgia was killed during a hazing incident at Louisiana State University. Maxwell Gruver died of complications related to acute alcohol intoxication while trying to join Phi Delta Theta. Students hoping to be accepted into a particular fraternity or sorority are called…
Can I Appeal a Criminal Conviction?
A criminal conviction in Massachusetts doesn’t necessarily mean the end of a case. If you feel that you’ve been wrongfully convicted of a crime, you may have a few more options. Depending on the circumstances surrounding your wrongful conviction, you may be able to move for a new trial with…
Despite New Evidence, “Making a Murderer’s” Stephen Avery Denied a New Trial
Steven Avery, subject of the popular Netflix show “Making a Murderer,” was denied a new trial by a Wisconsin judge last week. Avery maintains his innocence in the 2005 murder of 25-year-old photographer Teresa Halbach. Despite the finding of new evidence in his case, the judge ruled that there simply…
Upcoming Supreme Court Decisions on Several Big Ticket Criminal Law Items
The fall of 2017 will be a time of major decision making for the U.S. Supreme Court and its new Justice Neil Gorsuch. The Court will be deciding on a number of cases, but its focus on the following cases and criminal law issues is of particular interest to attorneys…
MA Gun Laws in the Wake of Las Vegas Shooting
On Sunday, a Nevada man opened fire at a Las Vegas concert, killing 58 and wounding more than 500. Stephen Paddock used automatic weapons to shoot concertgoers from his room at the Mandalay Bay hotel. Following the massacre, police discovered .223 caliber and .308 caliber assault rifles, and other firearms…
Florida Physician Sentenced to Eight Years for Medicare Fraud
Dr. Roberto A. Fernandez was sentenced to 97 months in prison for prescribing medically-unnecessary drugs to patients in exchange for financial kickbacks. In addition to his prison sentence, Fernandez was ordered to pay $4.8 million in restitution after he plead guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud.…
Charged with Child Endangerment in MA?
If you are caring for a child – whether your own or someone else’s – you have a legal responsibility to keep that child away from unreasonably harmful or dangerous situations. If you put a child in an unhealthy, inappropriate, or dangerous situation, or you don’t intervene to help remove…
I Have Violated The Terms of My Probation – What Happens Next?
Following a criminal conviction, individuals are sometimes released back into the community with specific restrictions. This system – known as probation – may be served in lieu of, or in addition to, time behind bars. With probation comes an extensive list of potential restrictions, including regular meetings with a probation…
When is “Sexting” a Crime in Massachusetts?
Most people have heard the term sexting by now. It’s a play-on-words, combining “sex” and “texting” to refer to sending and receiving lewd or suggestive images via smart phone or another electronic device. When sexting occurs between two consenting adults, no criminal offense is committed. However, when one or more…