You were arrested. At the station, or in the cruiser, an officer asked for your name, date of birth, or address. Something you said did not match what they expected. Now the paperwork includes a charge for giving a false name upon arrest, and you are…
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You talked to the police about something that happened. Maybe you called them. Maybe they came to you. Later, they decided what you told them wasn’t true. Now you have a court date for “false report of a crime.” Here’s what that charge means.…
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What does the government have to show to prove that the defendant illegally transferred sound recordings? In order to prove a defendant guilty of the offense of unauthorized transfer of sound recordings, the Commonwealth must prove the following four…
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Massachusetts law makes it a serious felony to knowingly live off, derive support from, or share in the earnings of a person engaged in prostitution...
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How does someone willfully interfere with a fire fighting operation? To prove a defendant guilty of willfully interfering with a fire fighting operation, the Commonwealth must prove that: That the defendant obstructed, interfered with, or hindered a…
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A police officer says the plate on a car didn’t belong to that car, or that the plate was covered or missing. Now you have a citation or a court date for a charge under G.L. c. 90, § 23. Here’s what that charge means. I’ll go through it in ord…
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Last reviewed: September 12, 2026 Losing your license after an OUI is not only a court problem. It is also an RMV problem—and the two tracks do not always move together. Many people ask: Can I get a hardship license so I can keep working? Will I ne…
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An “affray” is the fighting of people in a public place to the terror of the persons there. Engaging in an affray with another person is a crime under Commonwealth law. Note that nothing in the definition of affray prevents a defendant charged wi…
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What are prior bad acts? When a defendant is not charged with committing any crime other than the charge or charges in the complaint, oftentimes there is mention of other acts allegedly done by the defendant separate from the crime in question. These…
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G.L. c. 265, § 15D — A Separate Felony with Mandatory Batterer’s Intervention and Aggravating Factors Strangulation is not a new form of violence, but Massachusetts now treats it as a distinct felony under G.L. c. 265, § 15D. Before the statute…
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