As federal courts continue to strike down states' bans on same-sex marriage, it is inevitable that Supreme Court will soon weigh in on the issue. Lawyer Paul Smith, who was part of the team that successfully overturned DOMA, predicts that the Court will rule in favor of same sex marriage within one to two years.
In an effort to reduce the Federal prison population, the Department of Justice has begun a clemency initiative. This initiative offers non-violent offenders, who had been sentenced to long prison terms as part of the “war on drugs,” the opportunity to seek early release.
This initiative began late last year, when President Obama granted commutations to prisoners facing life imprisonment for offenses such as “conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine.”
To be considered under the program, inmates must meet […]
In light of the still-ongoing controversy regarding LGBT groups’ efforts to march in Boston’s St. Patrick’s day parade, I’d like to revisit the 1995 Supreme Court case that upheld the parade organizers’ right to exclude such groups.
The St. Patrick’s day parade has a long history in Boston. The City of Boston was the official sponsor of the parade until 1947, at which point Mayor Curley granted authority over the parade to the South Boston Allied Veterans War Council, a […]
The Boston Municipal Court (BMC) has recently established a special veterans treatment court session. The purpose of this new offering is to “incorporate rehabilitative and treatment services for veterans by providing them with the tools and services to help them overcome substance abuse issues, alcoholism, mental health issues and emotional disabilities.” If you have spent time in Boston, you are probably aware that many of our area’s homeless are veterans; sadly, mental health issues often land these individuals in court. […]
