Courts

Finneran loses pension appeal

Finneran loses pension appeal

SJC says lies tied to role as speaker

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THE STATE’S HIGHEST COURT has rejected an appeal by former House speaker Thomas Finneran to reinstate his pension, saying the one-time legislative leader’s lies during testimony in a federal lawsuit were related to his position and taking his retirement money away did not constitute an “excessive fine.” The Supreme Judicial Court overturned a 2015 ruling(...)

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Healey sues Trump

Healey sues Trump

AG says president’s executive order violates state, US constitutions

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MASSACHUSETTS ATTORNEY GENERAL Maura Healey on Tuesday sued President Trump over what she called his “startling and chaotic” executive order banning immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries, saying the act violated Bay State residents’ constitutional rights. Healey, joined by some of the state’s academic, business, and non-profit leaders and with the support of Gov. Charlie Baker,(...)

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A Massachusetts freedom agenda

Opinion

A Massachusetts freedom agenda

We must push back against threats of a Trump presidency

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THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION election unleashed forces of racism, sexism, anti-immigrant sentiment, and authoritarianism that, we now know, have been simmering just beneath the surface of the collective American polity. But the election of a president who campaigned on threats to dismantle protections for the least among us also has mobilized millions of freedom-loving people to(...)

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AG aide wins 5-3 vote for judgeship

AG aide wins 5-3 vote for judgeship

Opponents question experience, help on assault weapon ban

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STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE First Assistant Attorney General Christopher Barry-Smith received confirmation Wednesday for a Superior Court judgeship despite strong opposition from gun rights advocates. The Gun Owners Action League protested Barry-Smith’s judicial nomination because of his role in the office of Attorney General Maura Healey, who this summer announced an enforcement action against copycat(...)

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Gants launches study of racial disparities in incarceration

Gants launches study of racial disparities in incarceration

Chief justice also "encouraged" by progress on wider criminal justice policy review

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THE STATE MUST confront racial disparities in imprisonment rates and move to “reimagine” a flawed criminal justice system to focus less on incarceration and more on lowering recidivism, Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Ralph Gants said on Thursday. Delivering his third annual address on the state of the judiciary since becoming the Commonwealth’s top judge,(...)

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SJC upholds parent rights of same-sex partner

SJC upholds parent rights of same-sex partner

Applies even if unmarried, no biological connection to children

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STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE THE PARENTING RIGHTS of a mother in a same-sex relationship extend even when the couple is unmarried and the mother has no biological connection to the children, the state’s highest court ruled Tuesday. In a decision written by Justice Barbara Lenk, the Supreme Judicial Court overturned a Middlesex County family court’s(...)

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Supreme Court leashes prosecutors

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In an 8-0 ruling, the US Supreme Court dramatically scaled back the power of federal prosecutors to charge politicians with corruption. The ruling overturned the bribery conviction of former Virginia governor Bob McDonnell, who had been found guilty of trading “official acts” for $175,000 in goodies from Jonnie R. Williams Sr., a businessman seeking support(...)

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Walsh tourism chief indicted on extortion charge

Walsh tourism chief indicted on extortion charge

Feds allege Brissette pressured music festival to hire union workers

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STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE WITH HIS TOURISM chief due in federal court Thursday afternoon to face extortion charges, Boston Mayor Martin Walsh described 52-year-old Ken Brissette as a “good and hardworking person” and pledged continued cooperation with federal prosecutors who arrested Brissette on Thursday morning. “I am deeply concerned about today’s news. Everyone who knows(...)

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Judge says Uber, Lyft should be treated like taxis

Judge says Uber, Lyft should be treated like taxis

Ruling orders city to level playing field between apps and cabs in absence of state regs

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A FEDERAL JUDGE on Thursday ordered Boston officials to explain what regulations they plan to implement on ride-hailing companies such as Uber and Lyft to treat them like cabs until the state comes up with some action and why the court should not issue an injunction barring the companies from operating. In a lengthy ruling(...)

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