Massachusetts

‘Magic spell hypothesis’ may explain legalese, researchers say

Researchers studying the origins of legalese say lawmakers and lawyers may write laws and legal documents in a convoluted manner to confer a “ritualistic, spell-like element” signaling authority.

Aug 20, 2024 3:12 PM CDT

1st Circuit rules against Satanic Temple in challenge to city council snub

The Boston City Council’s failure to invite the Satanic Temple to deliver an invocation before its meetings did not violate the First Amendment, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday.

Aug 7, 2024 3:07 PM CDT

Lawyer once named most eligible bachelor sentenced to at least 5 years in prison for rape

A Boston lawyer who was once named one of People magazine’s most eligible bachelors was sentenced Monday to between five and 10 years in prison for raping a 21-year-old woman.

Jul 16, 2024 11:15 AM CDT

Record labels sue two startups for training AI models on their songs

The world’s biggest record labels are suing two artificial intelligence startups, taking an aggressive stance to protect their intellectual property against technology that makes it easy for people to generate music based on existing songs.

Jun 24, 2024 3:00 PM CDT

Ex-law school IT director accused of making unauthorized purchases worth $68K

A former information technology employee at New England Law in Boston was arraigned last week on larceny charges for allegedly making about $68,000 in unauthorized purchases using the law school’s Amazon account.

Jun 20, 2024 8:59 AM CDT

Public middle school can ban ‘There are only two genders’ T-shirt, 1st Circuit rules

A federal appeals court ruled Sunday that a middle school in Middleborough, Massachusetts, can prevent a student from wearing a “There are only two genders” T-shirt.

Jun 11, 2024 11:11 AM CDT

Dentons and Boies Schiller face $300M racketeering suit after client loses international arbitration

A Massachusetts businessman has filed a $300 million racketeering lawsuit against Dentons and Boies Schiller Flexner alleging that the law firms failed to inform him that his contract to develop a power plant in Senegal, a country in West Africa, was invalid.

May 2, 2024 2:12 PM CDT

1st Circuit allows suit by fired worker who refused to remove Black Lives Matter face mask

A federal appeals court on Wednesday revived a lawsuit alleging that Whole Foods Market retaliated against a worker who protested the company's ban on Black Lives Matter face masks for employees.

Apr 25, 2024 12:39 PM CDT

Lawyer reprimanded after mistakenly emailing opposing counsel with plan to avoid judge’s call

Updated: A Massachusetts lawyer who mistakenly copied the opposing counsel on an email has been reprimanded for its message to a bankruptcy attorney.

Apr 18, 2024 11:51 AM CDT

Pulling the Weed: Bankruptcy opinion shows debt restructure path for cannabis workers

While 24 states have legalized recreational marijuana use, it remains a criminal activity under the federal Controlled Substances Act, and bankruptcy courts generally have been a rather hostile forum for debtors employed in the marijuana industry.

Apr 18, 2024 11:35 AM CDT

Budding cannabis law courses are growing—but not fast enough

An increasing number of law schools around the country are offering cannabis law courses, but some professors think that even more are needed. “We’re still playing catch-up.”

Apr 15, 2024 9:30 AM CDT

Relationship Matters: Should you hire a divorce coach?

Divorce coaches don’t replace divorce attorneys, but they are designed to help clients handle everything surrounding the divorce, including offering emotional support and relationship advice, paperwork assistance and financial guidance.

Apr 1, 2024 8:56 AM CDT

Lawyer seeks damages after his snowmobile crashes into Black Hawk helicopter

A Massachusetts lawyer is awaiting a judge’s decision following a bench trial in his $9.5 million lawsuit alleging that the military was negligent for leaving a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter on a snowmobile route at dusk.

Mar 6, 2024 10:01 AM CST

Harvard, Columbia face spike in legal fees after antisemitism claims

Columbia University was sued for a second time over its response to an explosion of antisemitism on campus. The suit is yet another indication that top U.S. universities have a long road to redemption in the public eye, a path that could lead to massive legal expenses.

Feb 23, 2024 11:00 AM CST

Woman who says she found her father on 23andMe sues after learning of wrongful death settlement

A 26-year-old woman who said she confirmed the identity of her late father through 23andMe has filed a lawsuit after learning that she was left out of a wrongful death settlement reached between other family members and the hospital blamed for his death.

Feb 13, 2024 10:53 AM CST