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21 10, 2020

Statement re. Amy Coney Barrett

By |2025-09-26T03:00:36+00:00October 21, 2020|Constitutional Law, Court System, Discrimination, LGBT Rights, Same Sex Marriage|

I am proud to have drafted this statement for the Mass. LGBTQ Bar Association, and for the editing and votes of support by the Board!

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As members of the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar Association, we write to voice our vehement opposition to the nomination and arbitrary confirmation process of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court of the United States.

Since its founding in 1985, the Massachusetts LGBTQ Bar Association has worked to promote the advancement of the LGBTQ+ legal community throughout the state. Our organization does so in a variety of ways, including promoting the fair and just treatment of the LGBTQ+ community under law, collaborating with other affinity bar associations to advocate for underrepresented communities, [Read More…]

2 4, 2020

COVID-19 Update (4/2/20)

By |2025-09-26T03:00:36+00:00April 2, 2020|Court System, Criminal Justice|

Due to current restrictions, I available for consultations by phone and other virtual means. Please call or text (617) 807-0949 or email matt@barisonlaw.com

I can offer guidance on criminal matters and court procedures during this emergency.

Thank you and stay safe! -Matthew

11 12, 2019

Mechanics of Plea Deals

By |2025-09-26T03:00:37+00:00December 11, 2019|Court System, Criminal Justice, Legal Overviews|

Criminal cases are often resolved through plea deals.  So how exactly do they work?  Well, like most things in the court system, there is a form for it!  Take a look at the attached image, which is the front page of the “Tender of Plea” sheet.  Some lawyers refer to these as “green sheets,” as some courts print these forms on green paper, although many no longer do so. 

The most important part of this form is found in Section I, the “Conditional Tender of Plea or Admission.”  At the top of this section are three options, the first two being the most common, either a “Guilty Plea” or an “Admission to Facts Sufficient for a Finding of Guilty.”  The latter is also known as a “Continuance Without a [Read More…]

25 11, 2019

No Deal!

By |2025-09-26T03:00:38+00:00November 25, 2019|Court System, Criminal Justice|

Clients facing criminal charges are often eager to put things behind them by making a plea deal. That’s because open, or pending, cases can show up when applying for jobs, housing or professional licenses. While it is true that a major part of any criminal defense attorney’s job is structuring favorable plea deals, sometimes it is not in the client’s best interest to do so, at least not prematurely.

Cases in busy District (and Boston Municipal) courts are handled by a group of assistant district attorneys. These ADA’s are given huge caseloads, and must out of necessity prioritize their cases. The result of this is that sometimes things don’t get done by the prosecution, such as contacting and following-up with [Read More…]

13 5, 2019

Tripping Up On Probation

By |2025-09-26T03:00:38+00:00May 13, 2019|Court System, Criminal Justice|

In many instances, those charged with crimes will end up with a sentence of probation as an alternative to doing time. But probation has its pitfalls. If you are on probation and your probation officer believes that you have failed to satisfy a “term or condition” of probation, your probation could be revoked and you could be incarcerated.

Probation violation hearings occur in two parts:

Part 1 is a Probation Detention Hearing, at which the court determines whether there is “probable cause” that a violation has occurred. The probationer and his attorney can be heard. If the judge finds probable cause, he/she must determine whether the probationer should be held in custody pending…

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