Gaziano, Frank M.

Opinions Summarized in Lawyers Weekly

• SJC: Due process not violated during ‘B&E’ prosecution
• Criminal – B&E – Misdemeanor
• Criminal – Sentencing – Large-capacity firearm or feeding device
• Indeterminate sentences vacated on appeal
• Criminal – Pretrial detention – Armed robbery
• Criminal – Murder
• Armed robbery not a predicate offense for pretrial detention
• Juvenile – Community caretaking doctrine – Exit order
• Exit order upheld under community caretaking doctrine
• Negligence – Medical malpractice – Impoundment
• Denial of impoundment request upheld by SJC in med-mal case
• SJC vacates tribunal’s dismissal of med-mal claim
• Negligence – Medical malpractice
• SJC finds causation issue in med mal suit vs. nurse practitioner
• Criminal – Transferred intent self-defense
• SJC allows assertion of transferred intent self-defense
• Search and seizure – Social media – Selective enforcement
• ‘Selective enforcement’ issue found in Snapchat monitoring
• SJC affirms disbarment of personal injury lawyer
• Attorneys – Disbarment – IOLTA funds
• Civil practice – Sex offender classification
• Search and seizure – Attenuation doctrine – Traffic stop
• SJC limits reach of attenuation doctrine
• Criminal – Collateral estoppel – Due process
• GPS location data admissible, SJC rules
• Search and seizure – Anticipatory warrant
• Anticipatory warrant invalid absent triggering event
• GPS location data admissible, SJC rules
• Parent and child – Guardianship – Indispensable parties
• Appeal dismissed in guardianship dispute
• Criminal – Murder
• Criminal – Animal cruelty
• Animal cruelty conviction affirmed by SJC
• Criminal – Firearm – Nonresident
• Criminal – Firearm – Nonresident
• Validity of nonresident firearm licensing scheme upheld by SJC
• Criminal – Murder
• Criminal – Murder
• Criminal – Rape – Force clause
• Rape deemed a predicate offense under force clause
• Civil practice – Commitment – Substance use disorder
• Commitment statute not invalid, SJC rules
• Criminal – Discovery – Social media
• Indictments dismissed as discovery sanction
• SJC hones in on questionable eyewitness identifications
• Criminal – Murder – New trial
• Criminal – Animal cruelty – Euthanasia recommendation
• Criminal charge over failure to euthanize pet dismissed
• Criminal – Parole – Indigency
• Search and seizure – Lewd images – Affidavit
• SJC reverses denial of expert funds for indigent prisoner seeking parole
• Warrant for lewd images upheld by SJC
• Juvenile – Competency – Remediation
• SJC rules on juvenile competency
• Freedom of information – Public records law – Investigatory exemption
• Remand ordered in public records dispute
• Criminal – Murder
• Criminal – Stay – Security risk
• Stay request denied over security risk
• Criminal – Prosecutorial misconduct – Homophobic invective
• SJC single justice denies emergency petition in Trump ballot case
• Criminal – Exculpatory conduct – DA’s office
• Criminal – Exculpatory evidence – Pending civil suit
• Pending lawsuit not subject to DA’s duty to disclose
• SJC: Hampden DA’s Office violated duty to disclose evidence
• Prisons – Medical parole – Civilly committed SDP
• Criminal – Double jeopardy
• Double jeopardy doesn’t preclude retrial
• Attorneys – Discipline – Farak drug lab scandal
• SJC rules on discipline for Farak prosecutors
• Criminal – Felony-murder – Merger doctrine
• Criminal – Involuntary manslaughter – Arson
• Criminal – Murder
• Criminal – Murder
• Attorneys weigh usefulness of SJC ruling in clarifying Dover Amendment exemptions
• Zoning – Dover Amendment – Campground
• Religious RV camp protected by Dover Amendment
• Defense lawyers laud new standard for challenging pedestrian stops
• Criminal – Selective prosecution – Discovery
• Search and seizure – Equal protection – Discriminatory policing
• Discovery denied over selective enforcement claim
• Pedestrian search upheld despite discriminatory policing claim
• Defense, DAs eye resolution of OUI cases under ‘Hallinan’
• Motor vehicles – OUI – Alcotest 9510
• SJC opens door to 27,000 OUI challenges
• Criminal – Firearm – Licensure exemption
• Lack of license deemed an element of firearm possession
• Search and seizure – Collective knowledge doctrine
• SJC restricts reach of collective knowledge doctrine
• Criminal – Plea offer – ‘Package deal’
• Criminal – Gatekeeper petition – Delay
• Gatekeeper petition dismissed as untimely
• ‘Package deal’ plea offer deemed valid
• Criminal – Dismissal – Refiling
• Court approval not needed to refile charges
• Criminal – Murder – Reasonable provocation
• SJC rules on infidelity as a basis for reasonable provocation
• Constitutional – Physician-assisted suicide – Manslaughter
• Physician-assisted suicide not a constitutional right
• Criminal – Dismissal – Double jeopardy
• Criminal – Probation – GPS monitoring
• GPS probation condition invalidated by SJC
• Education – Interscholastic athletics – Eligibility
• Criminal – Involuntary manslaughter – Death of accomplice
• Denial of student’s eligibility for high school sports upheld by SJC
• Manslaughter indictment valid over death of accomplice
• Criminal – Bail – Force clause
• Manslaughter defendant can’t be detained without bail
• Criminal – Human trafficking – Victim identity
• Identity of victim not needed for human trafficking conviction
• Criminal – Probation – Hearsay
• SJC decision opens door to surcharge against breaching fiduciary
• Probation revocation based on hearsay reversed
• Corporate – Surcharge – Fees
• SJC rules on surcharge as basis for fee award
• Criminal – Jury waiver – ‘Judge shopping’
• Denial of jury waiver upheld by SJC
• Criminal – Felony-murder
• SJC ‘tower dump’ ruling draws mix of praise, fears from defense bar
• Search and seizure – ‘Tower dumps’ – CSLI
• SJC: ‘tower dump’ equates to a search
• Search and seizure – Traffic stop – Separate encounters
• SJC finds traffic stop unconstitutional
• Criminal – Murder – Accomplice liability
• Search and seizure – Social media – Privacy
• Snapchat post shared with undercover officer admissible
• Criminal – Murder
• Criminal – DNA – Murder
• New trial denied despite DNA evidence
• Employment – Whistleblower – SORB
• Ousted SORB chair can sue as whistleblower
• Criminal – Plea withdrawal – Dookhan misconduct
• Plea valid despite Dookhan involvement
• Civil practice – Limitations – Tolling – Pandemic
• SJC rejects narrow reading of tolling order
• Criminal – Murder – Juvenile
• Criminal – Felony-murder – Aggravated kidnapping
• Conviction reduced in 1994 murder case
• Criminal – Murder
• Criminal – Interrogation – Right to counsel
• Tort – Wiretap – Recording
• Statements made after Miranda waiver following counsel request suppressed
• SJC affirms dismissal of Somerville mayor’s suit against Barstool Sports
• Criminal – Murder – Effectiveness of counsel
• SJC: drug defendant can’t suppress texts
• Search and seizure – Texts – Privacy
• Prisons – Medical parole
• Civil practice – Mistrial – Jury verdict
• Criminal – Armed home invasion – Garage
• Criminal – Murder – Intent
• SJC overturns murder conviction in bystander’s death
• SJC won’t allow medical device claims to proceed
• Products liability – Causality – Plausibility standard
• Criminal – Murder – Joint venture
• Criminal – Double jeopardy – Manifest necessity
• Criminal – Loaded firearm – ACCA
• Criminal – Murder
• Criminal – GPS – Home confinement
• Foreclosure notice that conflicts with loan provision not defective
• Criminal – Murder
• Mortgages – Notice – Foreclosure
• Criminal – Murder – CSLI
• Search and seizure – Staleness – Child pornography
• Retirement – Credit – Contract employee
• Town can’t block power lines under unused rail trail
• Experts: SJC policing decisions portend future changes
• Real property – ‘Prior public use’ doctrine
• Search and seizure – Racial profiling – Traffic stop
• Search and seizure – Reasonable suspicion – Race – Age
• Criminal – Double jeopardy – Joint venture
• SJC modifies test for impermissible peremptory challenges
• Jury and jurors – Peremptory challenges – Race
• Prisons – Pandemic – Deliberate indifference
• DOC’s response to COVID-19 deemed constitutional — for now
• Search and seizure – Automatic license plate readers
• Intensity peaks in race to reduce density in jails
• Criminal – Release – Pandemic
• In light of COVID-19, SJC grants ‘presumption of release’ to pretrial detainees, not those convicted
• Criminal – Firearm – Knowledge
• Criminal – GPS – Pretrial release
• Juvenile – Commitment – Substance use disorder
• Criminal – Firearm – Discharge – Mens rea
• Juvenile – Pretrial probation – Revocation
• Criminal – Plea – Sentencing cap
• Single justice reduces suspension of former Saul Ewing partner to six months
• SJC: Like photo arrays, ‘showup’ IDs require instruction
• Evidence – ‘Show-up’ identification – Protocol
• Criminal – Interpreter – Murder
• Criminal – Murder – Brain damage
• Criminal – Murder
• Criminal – Rule 25 motion – Delay
• Evidence – DNA – Post-conviction testing
• Sentence sends message in college admissions case
• Criminal – Mandated reporter – Indecent assault and battery
• Criminal – Nolle prosequi – Discretion
• Judge oversteps in arrest of defense lawyer
• Single justice: BMC judge erred in trying to ‘deny’ nolle prosequi
• Criminal – Dangerousness – Summons
• Search and seizure – Marijuana – Odor
• SJC upholds warehouse search in which marijuana odor a factor
• Criminal – Interference with the lawful duties of a police officer
• Jury and jurors – Magnifying glass
• Commercial – Mechanic’s lien – Dissolution
• Licenses and permits – Firearms
• Enforcing target lien bond does not require recording, SJC rules
• Criminal – Probation – GPS
• SJC finds ‘blanket imposition’ of GPS monitoring on sex offenders unconstitutional
• Criminal – Murder
• Search and seizure – Emergency aid – Exigent circumstances – 911 call
• Criminal – Murder
• Civil practice – Commitment – Hearing
• Due process not violated at commitment hearing
• Tort – Harassment – Separate acts
• SJC: Lyrics in rap song not separate acts of harassment
• Criminal – Murder – Joint venture
• Criminal – Felony – murder
• Motor vehicles – Marijuana – Probable cause
• Driver’s arrest for marijuana valid
• Criminal – Exculpatory evidence – Misconduct
• Criminal – Sentencing – Habitual offender
• SJC upholds felony murder conviction
• Criminal – Cellphone records – DNA evidence
• Criminal – Incompetency – Dismissal
• Charges vs. incompetent defendant dismissed
• Environmental – Dredging – Jetty
• Beach nourishment order vacated by SJC
• Negligence – Hospital – Discharged psychiatric patient
• Hospital not liable for former patient’s acts
• Criminal – Murder – Hearsay – Victim’s prior acts
• Elections – Ballot question – Income tax
• ‘Millionaire tax’ ballot question invalidated
• Evidence – Victim compensation file – Discovery
• Victim’s compensation claim discoverable
• Search and seizure – Custodial interrogation – Street-level drug transaction
• Parking lot detention not custodial, SJC rules
• Criminal – Loaded firearm – Knowledge requirement
• Knowledge required for loaded firearm conviction
• Criminal – ‘Large capacity’ firearm – Feeding device
• Knowledge required for ‘large capacity’ conviction
• Criminal – Statutory rape
• Statutory rape appeal rejected by SJC
• Parent and child – Impoundment – Care and protection
• SJC rules on release of impounded records
• Drug convictions vacated over Farak certificates
• Criminal – Drug certificates – Misconduct
• Constitutional – Due process – SDP
• SDP confinement a due process violation
• Criminal – Incompetency – Commitment
• Release not required following dismissal
• Criminal – Murder – Manslaughter – Sudden combat
• Life term for developmentally disabled murderer upheld
• Criminal – Murder – Competency – Life sentence
• Jury and jurors – Voir dire – Right not to testify
• Limiting of voir dire upheld by SJC
• Criminal – Mistake of fact – Indecent assault and battery
• SJC rejects mistake of fact defense
• Civil practice – Sex offender – Incompetency
• Criminal – Murder – Medical expert – Hearsay
• Criminal – Murder
• Motor vehicles – Breath test results – Reliability
• ‘Alcotest’ results admissible, SJC rules
• Search and seizure – Cellphone – Affidavit
• Murder verdict vacated over cellphone seizure
• Evidence – DNA match – Hearsay – Confrontation
• SJC rules on DNA admissibility
• Real property – Deed restriction – Office park
• SJC upholds rejection of housing in Newton office park
• Evidence – DNA – Identity of perpetrator
• Evidence – Witness identification – Showup
• SJC upholds denial of DNA testing motion
• In-court identification valid, SJC says
• Insurance – Excess coverage
• Excess policies equally applicable to accident
• Search and seizure – Nexus – Drugs – Scope of warrant
• Criminal – Felony-murder rule
• SJC narrows scope of felony-murder rule
• Motor vehicles – Marijuana – ‘Roadside assessments’
• SJC limits admissibility of sobriety tests in pot cases
• Insurance co.’s duty to defend doesn’t include counterclaim
• Chapter 209A not a basis for traffic stop
• Insurance – Counterclaim – Duty to defend
• Counterclaim not subject to duty to defend
• Tort – Defamation – Immunity
• Defamation complaint over firing dismissed
• Search and seizure – Traffic stop – Duration
• SJC disallows extension of traffic stop
• Criminal – Probation – Double jeopardy
• Criminal – Murder – Arson
• Evidence – Murder – Closing argument
• Wills and trusts – Decanting – Divorce
• Decanting of trust assets during divorce allowed
• Criminal – CSLI – Wiretap
• Insurance – G.L.c. 93A – Multiple damages – Postjudgment interest
• Post-judgment interest not trebled under Chapter 93A
• Criminal – Mistrial – Manifest necessity
• Criminal charges allowed following mistrial
• Criminal – Murder – News broadcast
• Admission of news broadcast in murder trial upheld
• Criminal – Double jeopardy – Felony-murder
• Criminal – ‘School zone’ – Passing vehicle
• ‘School zone’ statute not violated by auto passenger
• Negligence – Medical practice – Tribunal
• Employment – SLAPP – Counterclaims
• Criminal – Firearm – Ineffective assistance
• Environmental – Wind turbines – Wetlands Protection Act

Decisions Reviewed on Appeal

• Criminal – Murder
• Criminal – Murder – Criminal responsibility
• Alemany murder conviction upheld by SJC
• Attorneys – Suspension – Overbilling
• SJC reverts suspension to two years for lawyer who padded bills
• Criminal – Murder
• Mortgages – Collateral estoppel – Title
• Criminal – Murder
• SJC faults ‘gang expert’ testimony in murder case
• Criminal – Bail – Murder
• Criminal – High-speed chase – Malice
• Criminal – Murder – Reduced charge
• Evidence – Drug certificates – Conviction
• Arbitration – Professional teacher status – FMLA
• Criminal – Hinton laboratory – Guilty pleas
• Search and seizure – Strip search – Traffic stop
• Criminal – Murder – Prosecutorial misconduct
• Criminal – Drive-by shooting – Grand jury testimony
• Criminal – Counsel’s concession – Colloquy
• Criminal – Double jeopardy – Murder
• Real property – Condominium – MCRA – G.L.c. 93A
• Search and seizure – Probable cause – Exchange
• Criminal – Closing argument – Prosecutor
• Criminal – Murder – Self-defense – Joint venture
• Criminal – Murder – Identification evidence
• Civil service – Police – Expert testimony
• Criminal – Parental kidnapping
• Evidence – Privilege – Psychotherapist
• Criminal – Murder – Armed assault with intent to murder
• Criminal – Probation – Revocation – Counsel
• Criminal – Murder – Peremptory challenge – Third-party culprit evidence
• Criminal – Murder – Brother’s Pretrial statements
• Search and seizure – Initial search – Probable cause
• Civil practice – Sex offender – Due process
• Attorneys – Work product – Corporate counsel – Outside tax accountants

Articles about the judge, quoting the judge, etc.

• CSB recognizes attorney for undoing disbarred lawyer’s theft
• Recent case latest instance of judge pushing court to root out misogyny
• SJC asked if lawyer’s racist Facebook posts constitute structural error
• Divided SJC upholds controversial patfrisk of car passenger
• Search and seizure – Frisk – Traffic stop
• Interlocutory appeal of disputed settlement sought
• Correction commissioner loses veto power on involuntary commitments
• Civil practice – Commitment – ‘Commissioner’s certification’
• Commitment order deemed unconstitutional
• Prisons – Medical parole
• In bar discipline case, SJC urged to take strong stand against ‘deliberate overbilling’
• SJC hears arguments on challenge to Baker’s pandemic orders
• Right to counsel urged in support contempt cases
• CJC investigating Sinnott’s handling of parade arraignments
• Indicted District Court judge’s pay reinstated
• Search and seizure – Cellphone – GPS coordinates
• Pinging of cellphone is a constitutional search, SJC rules
• Jury and jurors – Race – Beliefs and experiences
• Massachusetts becoming unlikely post-‘Janus’ battleground
• Defense bar lauds Rule 14 review in wake of ‘Farak’
• ‘Under the hood’ evidence inadmissible
• Relocation allowed in divorce case
• Prosecutors: at least 6,000 cases affected by drug lab chemist
• SJC rules on OUI jury instruction
• Criminal – Burglarious instruments
• ‘Burglarious tools’ convictions vacated by SJC
• DNA can be taken in Craigslist killing
• Roofer injured in fall from faulty ladder staging – Claims nearby hose made ladder sink into moist soil
• Buyer Claims Contract Breach In Sale Of Cookie Co.