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.
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Recent Decisions From the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Date: May 15, 2025
Docket Number: SJC-13672
Justia Opinion Summary: A child was temporarily removed from her parents' care shortly after birth and placed in the custody of the Department of Children and Families (DCF) due to concerns about domestic violence. DCF sought to vaccinate her…
Date: May 14, 2025
Docket Number: SJC-12982
Justia Opinion Summary: In the early morning of March 24, 2015, Kenneth Lopez was shot and killed on Dwight Street in Springfield. His body was discovered the next morning. Lee Manuel Rios was arrested nine days later and charged with murder,…
Date: May 8, 2025
Docket Number: SJC-13664
Justia Opinion Summary: The defendant was convicted by a jury of aggravated rape of a child and indecent assault and battery on a child under fourteen years old. The charges stemmed from the defendant's rape and sexual assault of his…
Date: May 5, 2025
Docket Number: SJC-13548
Justia Opinion Summary: In this case, the defendant was convicted of first-degree murder. The incident occurred on February 6, 2006, when the victim was shot multiple times in an apartment building. Several witnesses, including Corrin Cripps,…
Date: May 5, 2025
Docket Number: SJC-13654
Justia Opinion Summary: The defendant crashed his vehicle into a State police cruiser parked in the breakdown lane on Interstate Route 90, resulting in the death of a trooper. The defendant was convicted of involuntary manslaughter, misdemeanor…
Date: May 2, 2025
Docket Number: SJC-13652
Justia Opinion Summary: In August 2021, five defendants responded to online advertisements offering sexual services for a fee. The advertisements, posted by undercover police officers, depicted an adult woman and listed various sexual services.…
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…
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.
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