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Fairness of show cause
hearings
"How can a
lawyer put up a defense if they have no idea what they are
defending against? If justice is truly our goal, why wouldn't we
want to have a level playing field?"
MBA Criminal Justice
Section Vice Chair Peter Elikann, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly,
July 30
Elikann was quoted in a story about the fairness of show cause
hearings at District Courts across the state. Some criminal defense
attorneys have recently been denied access to police reports in
advance of show cause hearings for their clients.
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Of note:
- Kara L. Holmquist, a member of the MBA's Animal Law Practice
Group, was quoted in an Aug. 1 Boston Herald story about creating a registry
for those convicted of animal abuse. A database/registry is not
part of the PAWS Act, a law that strengthens penalties against
animal abusers.
- MBA members Michael S. Gove and Kyle R. Guelcher were featured
in the monthly legal Q&A column in the Republican/MassLive.com on July 29. ("Ask the
Experts: There's no grace period after signing a lease.")