Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Decisions
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court is one of the oldest state supreme courts in the U.S. It was known as the Superior Court of Judicature when it was founded in 1692. Three of its chief justices have served on the U.S. Supreme Court. The Court has the authority to review appeals of criminal and civil cases, and it holds the unusual power to provide advisory opinions. The executive branch or the legislative branch may request these opinions. The site of the Court is the John Adams Courthouse in Boston.
There are no specific requirements for becoming a justice on the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. A justice simply must be under 70 years old and maintain good behavior while serving on the Court. The Governor of Massachusetts appoints each of the seven justices on the Court, although they also must be approved by the executive council. In contrast to the supreme courts in many other states, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court does not impose term limits on its justices. Once they are appointed, they may serve until they turn 70, at which age they are required to retire. The same rules apply to the appointment and tenure of the Chief Justice as to the six Associate Justices.
However, a judge may face removal from the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court for reasons related to misconduct or a disability. The Massachusetts Commission on Judicial Conduct will investigate any complaint of misconduct by a justice, and it will hold a formal hearing and provide a recommendation on whether the justice should be removed or face other discipline. A justice who engages in misconduct also may face removal by impeachment in the Massachusetts House of Representatives and conviction in the Massachusetts Senate. In other situations, the Governor may remove a justice with the approval of the Governor’s Council and with the joint address of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
- 2025 (49)
- 2024 (136)
- 2023 (129)
- 2022 (148)
- 2021 (156)
- 2020 (194)
- 2019 (196)
- 2018 (210)
- 2017 (204)
- 2016 (187)
- 2015 (208)
- 2014 (204)
- 2013 (203)
- 2012 (201)
- 2011 (127)
- 2010 (81)
- 2006 (1)
- 2004 (2)
- 2003 (1)
- 2002 (1)
- 2001 (1)
- 1997 (2)
- 1996 (2)
- 1994 (165)
- 1993 (196)
- 1992 (201)
- 1991 (202)
- 1990 (208)
- 1989 (197)
- 1988 (202)
- 1987 (216)
- 1986 (202)
- 1985 (222)
- 1984 (227)
- 1983 (221)
- 1982 (214)
- 1981 (186)
- 1980 (190)
- 1979 (178)
- 1978 (208)
- 1977 (202)
- 1976 (223)
- 1975 (200)
- 1974 (153)
- 1973 (126)
- 1972 (184)
- 1971 (177)
- 1970 (187)
- 1969 (174)
- 1968 (183)
- 1967 (184)
- 1966 (158)
- 1965 (179)
- 1964 (148)
- 1963 (158)
- 1962 (192)
- 1961 (204)
- 1960 (179)
- 1959 (203)
- 1958 (184)
- 1957 (174)
- 1956 (199)
- 1955 (183)
- 1954 (148)
- 1953 (141)
- 1952 (188)
- 1951 (198)
- 1950 (200)
- 1942 (1)
- 1933 (1)
- 1891 (1)
- 1886 (1)
Recent Decisions From the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Date: April 25, 2025
Docket Number: SJC-13667
Justia Opinion Summary: Two detectives from the Lowell police department, while investigating a home invasion in Lowell, Massachusetts, crossed into Nashua, New Hampshire, to speak with the defendant. During the conversation, one detective…
Date: April 24, 2025
Docket Number: SJC-13665
Justia Opinion Summary: A child was born on May 30, 2017, to unmarried parents. The mother, A.D., believed Q.T. was the father, and he signed a Voluntary Acknowledgment of Parentage (VAP) on June 1, 2017. However, a DNA test on July 6, 2017,…
Date: April 23, 2025
Docket Number: SJC-13601
Justia Opinion Summary: A child was removed from her mother's care by the Department of Children and Families (DCF) shortly after birth due to neglect. The child spent most of her life in foster care. In February 2019, a Juvenile Court judge…
Date: April 17, 2025
Docket Number: SJC-13324
Justia Opinion Summary: The defendant was convicted of deliberately premeditated murder in the first degree for the shooting death of Jesus Flores at the entrance of a Springfield nightclub. The primary issue at trial was the identification of…
Date: April 16, 2025
Docket Number: SJC-13685
Justia Opinion Summary: The defendant, Clough, Harbour & Associates LLP (CHA), agreed to design a new athletic field for the plaintiff, Trustees of Boston University (university). The contract included an express indemnification provision,…
Date: April 15, 2025
Docket Number: SJC-13634
Justia Opinion Summary: A juvenile was found delinquent on firearm charges and guilty on a youthful offender indictment for one of the offenses. At the trial, the juvenile was nineteen years old, and the Commonwealth called his mother to…
Date: April 15, 2025
Docket Number: SJC-13712
Justia Opinion Summary: Jeff Stacy, a lineman for Unitil Corporation, continued working during the COVID-19 pandemic as his job was classified as an essential service. Despite the Governor's orders to shut down nonessential businesses, Stacy…
Date: April 9, 2025
Docket Number: SJC-13532
Justia Opinion Summary: The defendant was found guilty of first-degree murder, improper disposal of a body, and willfully misleading a police officer. The case involves the killing of a long-time friend, whose body was discovered by a passerby…
Date: April 8, 2025
Docket Number: SJC-13599
Justia Opinion Summary: The case involves a defendant who was convicted of multiple charges following an altercation involving a woman and three men, including the defendant and the victim. The defendant was found guilty of assault with intent…
Date: April 8, 2025
Docket Number: SJC-13680
Date: April 1, 2025
Docket Number: SJC-13638
Justia Opinion Summary: The defendant was convicted of animal cruelty after witnesses observed him repeatedly punching his dog in a public park. The defendant claimed he was trying to save a groundhog his dog was attacking and that he minimized…
Date: March 28, 2025
Docket Number: SJC-13639
Justia Opinion Summary: The case involves BAK Realty, LLC, and Crossing Over, Inc., which operate a sober house in a three-family dwelling in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. The sober house, located in a residential B (RB) district, houses thirteen…
Date: March 27, 2025
Docket Number: SJC-13643
Justia Opinion Summary: The plaintiff, Lorraine Bellmar, as the personal representative of her deceased husband Harry Bellmar's estate, filed a medical malpractice and wrongful death action against Dr. Robert Moore and his medical practice.…
Date: March 25, 2025
Docket Number: SJC-13592
Justia Opinion Summary: A Cambridge police officer observed a black Mazda sedan with an unilluminated rear license plate and initiated a traffic stop. The driver, Natnael Zemene, and two passengers were removed from the vehicle for an inventory…
Some case metadata and case summaries were written with the help of AI, which can produce inaccuracies. You should read the full case before relying on it for legal research purposes.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
