» Defenses

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. At a Glance: Wrong Plates /…

Massachusetts criminal law recognizes that free will is essential to the commission of a criminal act

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…

It is a felony in Massachusetts to intimidate, harass, threaten, mislead, or try to influence a witness, potential witness, juror, court employee, police officer, or their family members...

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…

Entrapment is a defense, not a charge. It applies when the police, or someone working for them, pushed a person into a crime that person would not otherwise have committed. Police are allowed to set traps and run undercover operations. They are not a…

While intoxication is never by itself an excuse or justification for a crime, it may be a relevant consideration in a case involving criminal charges. It is normally not a defense for intent, but according to Commonwealth v. Sama, 411 Mass. 293, may…