Massachusetts Legal Resources covers the courts, criminal cases, new laws and ballot questions in Massachusetts, and explains the law behind each story in plain English. When a case is in the news, we report what happened and then answer the questions readers are asking: what the charge means, what the statute actually says, what happens next and when.
What we publish
- News and trial coverage. Reporting on Massachusetts criminal and civil cases from arraignment through verdict and sentencing, including running trackers for major trials.
- Explainers. Pieces that answer a legal question raised by the news, with the statute or court rule quoted from its official source.
- Case briefs. Original summaries of new decisions from the Supreme Judicial Court and the Appeals Court: the facts, the question, the holding and why it matters. Each brief links to the court’s official opinion.
- Legal guides. Plain-English guides to common Massachusetts legal topics, such as jury duty, unemployment benefits and health coverage.
How we report
- We read statutes on the Massachusetts Legislature’s website and court rules and decisions at their official sources, and each story says where we read them.
- Case citations in our reporting are checked against a public case law database before publication, and case briefs are checked against the text of the decision they summarize.
- We report an allegation against a named person only when an official record or at least two news organizations support it. A fact that only one outlet has reported is attributed to that outlet by name.
- People charged with crimes are presumed innocent, and our stories say so.
- We do not name minors, victims’ children or relatives, or private people who are not accused of anything.
- Our news stories end with a list of their sources.
Our full policies are on our editorial standards and corrections page.
Corrections
If we get something wrong, we fix it and say so. When a story changes after publication because of new developments, the update is dated at the top of the change. To report an error, write to contact@masslegalresources.com.
Independence
Massachusetts Legal Resources is an independent publication supported by advertising. It is not affiliated with any court, government agency or political campaign. Read about our editor, or reach us through our contact page.
Not legal advice
Nothing on this site is legal advice. Reading this site, or writing to its editors, does not create an attorney-client relationship. If you need advice about a legal problem, consult a licensed Massachusetts attorney.