Massachusetts Supreme Court
Recent News About Massachusetts Supreme Court
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Mass. Supreme Court blocks class action lawyers' wiretap claims against hospital
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - A pair of Massachusetts hospitals didn’t violate a wiretapping law by monitoring the browsing habits of website users although they may be liable under other statutes, the state’s highest court ruled. -
Uber users given fair notice of arbitration clause, court rules in case of paralyzed man
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - Uber adequately informed users that any negligence lawsuits against the ride-sharing giant would be sent to arbitration. -
Massachusetts holds brokers to same standards as advisors in Robinhood case
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - Massachusetts can impose tougher securities regulations on Internet broker Robinhood, the state’s highest court ruled, reversing a lower-court decision that held the “fiduciary rule” equating brokers with investment advisors exceeded regulators’ authority. -
Property owner defeats wrongful death lawsuit over murder of musician at open mic night
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - The landlord of a now-closed nightclub in Massachusetts won't be held liable for the execution-style murder of a musician who performed there in 2016. -
Mass. Supreme Court to plaintiff lawyers: Death doesn't bring new life for lawsuits
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - A person's death after a long illness does not create a new chance for their estate to file a lawsuit, the Massachusetts Supreme Court has ruled in a pair of closely watched cases. -
Fiat Chrysler can be sued in Massachusetts over accident in a different state
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - The manufacturer of a 2004 Chrysler Sebring can be sued in Massachusetts by a New Hampshire resident over an accident that occurred in that state because the car was first sold in Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled, reversing a lower court that held the connection between the accident and sale of the car was too remote to assert jurisdiction. -
Mass. Supreme Court upholds $37 million verdict for Marlboro Lights smoker
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - A woman who admitted she knew smoking was dangerous but claimed she was misled into believing Marlboro Lights were safer can collect nearly $37 million after the highest court in Massachusetts rejected arguments by Philip Morris that the jury received incorrect instructions and the statutory post-judgment interest rate was too high. -
Ballot initiative that would have left the fate of Lyft, Uber drivers to Massachusetts voters is withdrawn
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - A ballot measure that was certified by Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey (D) was declared unconstitutional by the Massachusetts Supreme Court. -
Exxon loses one defense as it fights Massachusetts AG's climate lawsuit
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - The Massachusetts Supreme Court allowed the state’s climate lawsuit to proceed, rejecting ExxonMobil’s attempt to dismiss the case under a law written to discourage litigation designed to retaliate against public speech. -
Ruling paves way for class action lawyers to - sometimes - replace clients who die
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) – A plaintiff’s death won’t be a springboard for class action lawyers to solicit new clients – unless a judge decides it is. -
Juries can keep punishing tobacco companies, Massachusetts Supreme Court rules
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) – Tobacco giant Philip Morris hasn’t been punished enough, the Massachusetts Supreme Court has ruled. -
Mayor loses lawsuit over fake Barstool Sports interview
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - The mayor of Somerville, Mass.. lost his bid to sue Barstool Sports after one of its writers hoodwinked him into agreeing to a recorded interview by claiming to work for the Boston Globe. -
Mansion owner isn't liable for murder at Memorial Day party thrown by renters
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) – The owner of a party house is not liable for what happened when an event thrown by renters ended in an unsolved murder. -
Plaintiffs lawyers' take on causation too confusing, Massachusetts Supreme Court rules
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) – Deciding whether something was a “substantial factor” in causing harm, a favorite method of plaintiffs lawyers, is too confusing, the Massachusetts Supreme Court has ruled. -
Blind man can sue Uber for being refused ride because of guide dog
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - An Uber Technologies clause requiring customers to submit disputes to binding arbitration was unenforceable, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled in a case where a driver refused service to a blind man with a guide dog. -
$10M for cancer researcher whose project was abandoned
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - The Massachusetts Supreme Court has affirmed a multimillion-dollar verdict in favor of a cancer researcher who filed a lawsuit after Steward Health Care System cut the cord on her project. -
'A last resort': Massachusetts courts forced to make changes to election laws during COVID-19
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) —The Massachusetts Supreme Court ordered the Secretary of the Commonwealth's Office to make several temporary changes involving candidates who are requesting to be on the state's primary ballot due to COVID-19. -
Worker fighting independent contractor label gets court win; Justices note he wore company hat for three years
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) — The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that a Massachusetts man was possibly wrongfully classified as an independent contractor. -
Student newspaper protected from libel suit after publishing police log
BOSTON, Mass. (Legal Newsline) – On Dec. 31, the Massachusetts Supreme Court determined that a student publication cannot be liable for republishing a police log and photo that asked for the public’s help in identifying a man who was suspected to have taken part in suspicious activity. -
Positive cocaine test not reliable reason for Boston PD to deny applicant
BOSTON (Legal Nesline) – The Massachusetts Supreme Court has upheld the Civil Service Commission's decision that the positive result of an applicant's hair drug test was not justification enough to bypass him for employment with the Boston Police Department.