» Bill Barabino

Someone called animal control. Or a neighbor called the police. Or a pet died, got hurt, or was taken from your home, and now an officer wants to talk. An animal cruelty charge in Massachusetts is serious. I’ll walk you through what the Massachuset…

What is an inference? A permissible deduction accepted as believable is an inference. In other words, inferences are little steps in reasoning in which a person takes some known information, applies his or her experience in life to it, and then draws…

Disturbing the peace is a crime in Massachusetts under G.L. c. 272, § 53(b). It is one of the most common charges after a loud argument, a late-night party, or a scene outside a bar. A first offense carries only a fine. A second offense can mean…

Disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace are two of the most common charges in Massachusetts District Court, and two of the most misunderstood. They share one sentence of the statute, G.L. c. 272, § 53(b), and one penalty: a fine of up to $15…

Criminal harassment is a Massachusetts crime built around a pattern of conduct aimed at one person — not a single rude message or one heated argument. Under G.L. c. 265, § 43A, the Commonwealth must prove a series of willful and malicious acts tha…

Most crimes require proof of a guilty state of mind, not just a guilty act. In Massachusetts, the jury instructions describe several mental states. Specific intent means acting with a purpose. General intent means acting deliberately, not by accident…