SJC Opinions of 2017

Every Supreme Judicial Court decision published on this site from 2017, in chronological order: 189 opinions, each with the full public-domain text and an original editorial summary. Browse other years from the opinion archive.

January 2017

• Commonwealth v. Peterson (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-001-17) Jan 3
• Commonwealth v. Maguire (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-002-17) Jan 4
• Commonwealth v. Resende (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-003-17) Jan 4
• Commonwealth v. Chism, et al. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-004-17) Jan 5
• Commonwealth v. Martinez (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-005-17) Jan 5
• Oggiani v. Chief Justice of the Trial Court, et al. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-007-17) Jan 7
• Commonwealth v. Grassie (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-006-17) Jan 7
• Commonwealth v. Horne (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-008-17) Jan 10
• Commonwealth v. Meneus (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-009-17) Jan 11
• Commonwealth v. Calvaire (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-010-17) Jan 11
• Genentech v. Commissioner of Revenue (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-012-17) Jan 12
• Commonwealth v. Gernrich (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-011-17) Jan 12
• Commonwealth v. Caruso (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-013-17) Jan 13
• Bridgeman, et al. v. District Attorney for the Suffolk District, et al. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-014-17) Jan 18
• Commonwealth v. Edwards (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-015-17) Jan 20
• Commonwealth v. Bryan (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-016-17) Jan 20
• Commonwealth v. Pinto (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-017-17) Jan 23
• Bishay, et al. v. Clerk of the Superior Court on Norfolk County (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-018-17) Jan 23
• Padmanabhan v. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-019-17) Jan 24
• Turra v. Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, trustee, et al. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-020-17) Jan 30

February 2017

• Commonwealth v. Rodriguez (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-021-17) Feb 1
• Anderson, et al. v. National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh PA, et al. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-022-17) Feb 2
• Commonwealth v. Martinez (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-024-17) Feb 7
• Commonwealth v. Molina (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-023-17) Feb 7
• Commonwealth v. Soto (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-026-17) Feb 9
• Commonwealth v. Goddard (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-027-17) Feb 9
• Snow v. Snow (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-025-17) Feb 10
• Commonwealth v. Thomas (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-028-17) Feb 13
• Commonwealth v. Accime (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-029-17) Feb 13
• Cardno ChemRisk, LLC v. Foytlin, et al. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-032-17) Feb 14
• Commonwealth v. French (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-031-17) Feb 14
• Adoption of Yadira (and two companion cases) (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-030-17) Feb 14
• Commonwealth v. Samuel S., a juvenile (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-033-17) Feb 17
• Commonwealth v. Mendez (and 11 companion cases) (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-034-17) Feb 22
• Commonwealth v. Long (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-035-17) Feb 24
• Commonwealth v. Oberle (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-037-17) Feb 28
• Commonwealth v. Blanchard (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-036-17) Feb 28

March 2017

• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local No. 129 Benefit Fund v. Tucci, et al. (and eight companion cases) (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-038-17) Mar 6
• Balles v. Babcock Power Inc. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-039-17) Mar 7
• Commonwealth v. Tuschall (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-040-17) Mar 8
• Commonwealth v. Crowley-Chester (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-041-17) Mar 9
• City of Revere, et al. v. Massachusetts Gaming Commission (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-042-17) Mar 10
• Commonwealth v. DePina; Commonwealth v. Monteiro (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-043-17) Mar 13
• In the Matter of N.L. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-044-17) Mar 14
• Commonwealth v. Rutherford (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-045-17) Mar 16
• Ferri, et al. v. Powell-Ferri, et al. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-047-17) Mar 20
• Chitwood v. Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-046-17) Mar 20
• Commonwealth v. Dragotta (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-048-17) Mar 21
• Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette Inc. v. Board of Assessors of Attleboro (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-049-17) Mar 22
• Commonwealth v. Squires; Commonwealth v. Angier (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-050-17) Mar 27

April 2017

• State Board of Retirement v. Finneran, et al. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-051-17) Apr 5
• Commonwealth v. Sanchez (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-052-17) Apr 5
• Commonwealth v. Gulla (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-053-17) Apr 5
• Commonwealth v. Ackerman (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-054-17) Apr 6
• In the Matter of Zak, David (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-055-17) Apr 10
• Commonwealth v. Felix (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-056-17) Apr 12
• Guardianship of K.N. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-057-17) Apr 13
• Commonwealth v. Morgan (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-058-17) Apr 18
• Gannon v. City of Boston (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-059-17) Apr 18
• Commonwealth v. Holland (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-060-17) Apr 19
• Commonwealth v. Tejeda (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-061-17) Apr 20
• Commonwealth v. Baldwin (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-063-17) Apr 22
• Commonwealth v. Garcia (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-062-17) Apr 22
• Perullo v. Advisory Committee on Personnel Standards (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-064-17) Apr 24

May 2017

• Cucinelli v. Commonwealth (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-069-17) May 3
• Howell v. Brockton Division of the District Court Department (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-068-17) May 3
• Afrasiabi v. Commonwealth (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-067-17) May 3
• Pare v. Harmony House, Inc. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-066-17) May 4
• Schumacher v. Commonwealth (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-065-17) May 4
• Commonwealth v. Colton (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-070-17) May 4
• Commonwealth v. Fulgiam (and 13 companion cases) (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-071-17) May 5
• Commonwealth v. Leslie (and five companion cases) (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-072-17) May 9
• Commonwealth v. Garvey (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-073-17) May 10
• Commonwealth v. Rosario (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-075-17) May 11
• Federal National Mortgage Association v. Marroquin, et al. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-074-17) May 12
• Washington v. Gagliani (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-077-17) May 13
• Commissioner of Administration and Finance v. Commonwealth Employment Relations Board, et al. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-076-17) May 13
• Modica v. Sheriff of Suffolk County, et al. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-079-17) May 15
• Crowell v. Massachusetts Parole Board (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-078-17) May 15
• Benoit v. City of Boston (and a consolidated case) (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-080-17) May 16
• Commonwealth v. Montrond (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-081-17) May 17
• 477 Harrison Ave., LLC v. JACE Boston, LLC, et al. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-083-17) May 23
• Blanchard, et al. v. Steward Carney Hospital, Inc., et al. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-082-17) May 24
• Deputy Chief Counsel for the Public Defender Division of the Committee for Public Counsel Services, et al. v. Acting First Justice of the Lowell Division of the District Court Department (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-084-17) May 24
• Commonwealth v. Robinson (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-087-17) May 25
• In the Matter of an Application for a Criminal Complaint (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-088-17) May 25
• In the Matter of a Grand Jury Investigation (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-086-17) May 26
• Commonwealth v. McGrath (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-085-17) May 26
• Padmanabhan v. Yout (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-090-17) May 26
• Commonwealth v. Lydon (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-089-17) May 26
• Daley v. Secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, et al.; Nadeau v. Director of the Office of Medicaid (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-092-17) May 30
• Commonwealth v. Pacheco (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-091-17) May 30

June 2017

• Commonwealth v. Dayton (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-100-17) Jun 2
• Commonwealth v. Denton (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-099-17) Jun 2
• Rockland Trust Company v. Langone (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-098-17) Jun 2
• Commonwealth v. Cordero (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-097-17) Jun 2
• Edwards v. Commonwealth, et al. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-101-17) Jun 8
• Guardianship of Yosselin Guadalupe Penate; Department of Revenue v. Lopez, et al. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-102-17) Jun 9
• Langan v. Board of Registration in Medicine (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-103-17) Jun 13
• People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Inc. v. Department of Agricultural Resources, et al. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-105-17) Jun 14
• AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod, Inc. v. Town of Barnstable, et al. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-104-17) Jun 15
• Commonwealth v. Jones (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-106-17) Jun 20
• Commonwealth v. George (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-107-17) Jun 21
• Mount Vernon Fire Insurance Company v. Visionaid, Inc. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-108-17) Jun 22
• Doe, Sex Offender Registry Board No. 326573 v. Sex Offender Registry Board (and a consolidated case) (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-109-17) Jun 23
• George, et al. v. National Water Main Cleaning Company, et al. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-110-17) Jun 26
• Padmanabhan v. Board of Registration in Medicine, et al. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-111-17) Jun 27
• Commonwealth v. Littles (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-113-17) Jun 29
• Zagranski v. Commonwealth (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-112-17) Jun 29
• Commonwealth v. Sanborn (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-114-17) Jun 29
• Commonwealth v. Mora (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-115-17) Jun 29
• Commonwealth v. Hebb (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-116-17) Jun 30

July 2017

• Commonwealth v. Muller (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-117-17) Jul 11
• City of Boston v. Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-118-17) Jul 13
• Commonwealth v. Cooley (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-119-17) Jul 13
• Barbuto v. Advantage Sales and Marketing, LLC, et al. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-120-17) Jul 17
• Commonwealth v. Veiovis (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-121-17) Jul 20
• Commonwealth v. Hammond (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-122-17) Jul 21
• Lunn v. Commonwealth, et al. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-123-17) Jul 24

August 2017

• D & H Distributing Company v. Commissioner of Revenue (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-124-17) Aug 1
• Commonwealth v. Field (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-126-17) Aug 1
• Commonwealth v. James (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-125-17) Aug 1
• Fergus v. Ross (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-127-17) Aug 2
• Commonwealth v. Francis (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-129-17) Aug 11
• Commonwealth v. Mauricio (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-130-17) Aug 14
• Commonwealth v. Asenjo (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-131-17) Aug 15
• Commonwealth v. Santana (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-133-17) Aug 18
• Commonwealth v. Duart (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-132-17) Aug 18
• Wassilie v. Commonwealth (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-135-17) Aug 18
• Martin v. Superior Court Department of the Trial Court (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-137-17) Aug 18
• Riva v. Massachusetts Parole Board (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-136-17) Aug 18
• Commonwealth v. Wampler (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-134-17) Aug 19
• Commonwealth v. Shelley (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-141-17) Aug 24
• Commonwealth v. Barbosa (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-144-17) Aug 25
• Brangan v. Commonwealth (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-143-17) Aug 25
• Commonwealth v. Perez (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-142-17) Aug 26
• Commonwealth v. Villagran (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-145-17) Aug 29

September 2017

• Commonwealth v. Wiggins (and 28 companion cases) (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-146-17) Sep 6
• Koshy v. Sachdev (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-147-17) Sep 14
• Beacon Residential Management, LP v. R.P. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-148-17) Sep 14
• Commonwealth v. Aldana (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-149-17) Sep 19
• Commonwealth v. Gerhardt (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-150-17) Sep 20
• Commonwealth v. Brown (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-151-17) Sep 20
• Young v. Young (and a consolidated case) (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-152-17) Sep 25
• Koe v. Commissioner of Probation, et al. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-153-17) Sep 27
• Commonwealth v. Rakes (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-154-17) Sep 30

October 2017

• Smith, et al. v. City of Westfield, et al. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-155-17) Oct 2
• Commonwealth v. Jones (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-156-17) Oct 5
• Commonwealth v. Castano (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-158-17) Oct 6
• Commonwealth v. Muckle (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-157-17) Oct 6
• Commonwealth v. Perkins (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-160-17) Oct 10
• N.M., a juvenile v. Commonwealth (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-159-17) Oct 10
• Kiribati Seafood Company, LLC, et al. v. Dechert LLP (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-161-17) Oct 11
• Commonwealth v. Dunn (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-162-17) Oct 12
• Commonwealth v. Ehiabhi (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-164-17) Oct 13
• Commonwealth v. Wolfe (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-163-17) Oct 13
• Ajemian, et al. v. Yahoo!, Inc. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-165-17) Oct 16
• Commonwealth v. Kolenovic (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-166-17) Oct 19
• Care and Protection of Walt (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-167-17) Oct 20
• Commonwealth v. Keown (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-168-17) Oct 23
• In the Matter of Corbett (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-170-17) Oct 25
• Phillips v. Equity Residential Management, L.L.C. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-169-17) Oct 25
• Commonwealth v. Villalobos (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-171-17) Oct 26

November 2017

• Great Divide Insurance Company v. Lexington Insurance Company (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-172-17) Nov 1
• Leavitt v. Phillips, et al. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-177-17) Nov 6
• Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice v. Court Administrator of the Trial Court, et al. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-176-17) Nov 6
• Commonwealth v. Moffat (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-175-17) Nov 7
• Commonwealth v. Dew (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-174-17) Nov 7
• Guardianship of Duku Lado (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-178-17) Nov 7
• SCVNGR, Inc. v. Punchh, Inc. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-179-17) Nov 8
• Benjamin B., a juvenile v. Commonwealth (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-181-17) Nov 10
• Deal, et al. v. Commissioner of Correction (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-180-17) Nov 10
• Commonwealth v. Shipps (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-183-17) Nov 10
• Care and Protection of a Minor (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-182-17) Nov 10
• 135 Wells Avenue, LLC v. Housing Appeals Committee, et al. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-184-17) Nov 14
• Brangan v. Commonwealth (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-185-17) Nov 14
• Commonwealth v. Sullivan (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-186-17) Nov 16
• Commonwealth v. J.A., a juvenile (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-187-17) Nov 20
• Commonwealth v. Facella (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-189-17) Nov 21
• Commonwealth v. Morin (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-188-17) Nov 21
• Ewing v. Davenport-Mello, et al. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-190-17) Nov 22
• Commonwealth v. Vazquez (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-192-17) Nov 29
• Peterson v. Commonwealth (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-191-17) Nov 29

December 2017

• Commonwealth v. Camblin (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-194-17) Dec 8
• Commonwealth v. Diaz (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-195-17) Dec 8
• Commonwealth v. Woollam (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-196-17) Dec 13
• Commonwealth v. Holley (and five companion cases) (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-197-17) Dec 14
• Commonwealth v. Piantedosi (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-198-17) Dec 18
• Segal v. Genitrix, LLC, et al. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-199-17) Dec 28