By Lyle Moran | Original Article LOWELL — The court-ordered prohibition on the city promoting a police sergeant who lives in New Hampshire will continue until at least next Tuesday. Police Sgt. Steven O’Neill of Tyngsboro last week obtained a temporary restraining order prohibiting the city and Police Superintendent William Taylor from promoting Sgt. Donald Crawford to lieutenant because he lives in New Hampshire, which
In Massachusetts, if you are the owner of a private pool, either as an individual, corporation or perhaps part of a club or association, or if you manage a semi-public or a public pool, then you are responsible for knowing the regulations and laws regarding pool safety. Finding laws or regulations that govern safety issues for pools in Massachusetts can be a bit difficult. The
By Jim Russell | Original Article SOUTH HADLEY — An employee at the municipally owned South Hadley Electric Light Department, who says there has been an ongoing hostile environment at the agency for years, filed a police report in December alleging he was the victim of an assault perpetrated by a fellow worker. However, the employee did not file an action in court on the
In the state of Massachusetts, domestic violence laws include physical harm or the intent to physically harm, the infliction of fear of physical harm, and involuntary sexual relationship against a family or other household member. This crime is especially serious if the victim was violated by the suspect while a protective order was in place. Definition of a household member: people who are or have
In 2012, a police officer in Springfield was convicted criminally based upon actions taken during the course of an arrest. Following the conviction, the officer retained RJA to pursue an appeal on his behalf. In the brief filed with the Massachusetts Appeals Court, RJA argued that the trial judge did not instruct the jury properly on the applicable law, as she failed to provide guidance
The Massachusetts Accident Data Center website reveals an array of accidents that occur in our State every day: a 8 year old boy was injured while riding his bicycle in Worcester; a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle in Shrewsbury; and a two-car wreck in Paxton left four people seriously hurt. You can’t help but wonder what YOU would do, if you — or your
An attorney often is required to persuade a judge or a jury on a particular issue. More rarely achieved, but no less important, is an attorney’s ability to persuade an opposing counsel to concede. RJA was retained to represent a sergeant with the Lawrence Police Department with regard to claims made by a plaintiff who alleged that she was assaulted and battered, resulting in a
Workplace accidents happen far too often, especially on or near construction sites. The dangerous nature of the profession subjects workers to serious industry specific hazards. In Massachusetts, the construction industry is thriving, and the number of construction accidents is rising. Statistics from the United States Department of Labor tell us that twenty percent of all workplace fatalities nationwide occur in the construction industry. In 2014, that was 899
RJA’s client, a police lieutenant for the Wareham Police Department, was terminated from the employment that he had held for more than twenty years, and almost all of his adult life. Believing that the termination was improperly driven by personal and political reasons, RJA soon set out, with its client, to gather together the strong evidence and arguments to prove that the firing was unjust.
When deciding to pursue a divorce in Massachusetts the parties must be aware of the discovery requirements and obligations imposed by the Rules of Domestic Relations Procedures, Supplemental Probate and Family Court Rule 410 and Supplemental Probate and Family Court Rule 401. These are some of the procedural rules that set forth the requirements imposed upon each party to provide discovery, including some mandatory initial
