Suffolk Law School in Boston - Suffolk University

Archived Video.

The archive contains case video going back to 2005. Recent arguments are arranged by date below. Use "Search Archive" to find older case video, find a specific case, or to pull up multiple cases matching your search criteria.

The summaries have been prepared by Suffolk University Law School. The summaries are not an official part of the court proceedings, and are presented so that those who access the website will have a general understanding of the legal issues in the cases set for oral argument.

RECENT ARGUMENTS

Mar. 2019

Video for this month has not been posted.

Feb. 2019

Commonwealth v. Carrillo

Docket: SJC-12617
Argued: 2019-02-04
Summary: Criminal-- Whether a person who supplied heroin to a college classmate may be convicted of involuntary manslaughter where the classmate subsequently died of a drug overdose.

Commonwealth v. Bennefield

Docket: SJC-12640
Argued: 2019-02-04
Summary: Criminal; Jury Trial-- Where a criminal case proceeded before a District Court jury of five, the defendant is seeking a new trial on the basis that there was no written waiver of the right to a trial before a six-person jury.

Commonwealth v. German

Docket: SJC-12601
Argued: 2019-02-04
Summary: Criminal; Search and Seizure—Various issues arising out of armed robbery conviction, incluing whether the pretrial showup identification of the defendant should have been suppressed on the basis that it was unduly suggestive.

Sullivan v. Sleepy’s LLC

Docket: SJC-12542
Argued: 2019-02-04
Summary: Employment Law-- In this case certified from the United States District Court, whether a 100% commissioned employee is entitled to additional compensation for overtime hours under regulations of the Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards.

Tavares v. Commonwealth

Docket: SJC-12580
Argued: 2019-02-04
Summary: Superintendence Petition-- In this superintendence petition, the petitioner is seeking relief form a conviction.

Barbosa v. Commonwealth

Docket: SJC-12526
Argued: 2019-02-05
Summary: Superintendence Petition-- In this superintendence petition, the petitioner is seeking relief form a conviction.

Impounded Case

Docket: SJC-12594
Argued: 2019-02-05
Summary: Summary unavailable

Commonwealth v. Newberry

Docket: SJC-12575
Argued: 2019-02-05
Summary: Criminal Procedure; Pretrial Diversion-- Where a defendant is charged with a crime, whether a judge may decline to arraign the defendant and whether a judge may require conditions of release, such as GPS tracking.

Commonwealth v. Hardy

Docket: SJC-12637
Argued: 2019-02-05
Summary: Criminal-- Whether there was sufficient evidence to convict the defendant of involuntary manslaughter where a child was improperly restrained in the automobile and the child died as result of an automobile accident.

Commonwealth v. Jeannis

Docket: SJC-12630
Argued: 2019-02-05
Summary: Search and Seizure-- In a drug prosecution, the defendant is appealing the denial of a motion to suppress where drugs were seized from his body.

Commonwealth v. Rodriguez

Docket: SJC-12638
Argued: 2019-02-07
Summary: Criminal; Sentencing-- This case deals with the proper sentence that may be imposed upon a defendant convicted of possession of a large capacity weapon or feeding device.

Board of Higher Education v. Commonwealth Employment Relations Board

Docket: SJC-12621
Argued: 2019-02-07
Summary: Labor Law-- This case deals with the validity of a collective bargaining agreement involving state college faculty that limits the percentage of courses that may be taught by part-time faculty.

Hedberg v. Wakamatsu

Docket: SJC-12624
Argued: 2019-02-07
Summary: Evidence; Medical Malpractice-- In a medical malpractice action by a patient against a surgeon, whether a statement made to the patient by a medical student who was present during surgery regarding the surgery is admissible.

Aronova v. Mohamed

Docket: SJC-12578
Argued: 2019-02-07
Summary: Summary unavailable

Taylor-Cameron v. Walcott

Docket: SJC-12532
Argued: 2019-02-07
Summary: Summary unavailable

Mullane v. Barclays Bank Delaware

Docket: SJC-12534
Argued: 2019-02-07
Summary: Small Claims-- In a small claims case by a consumer against a credit card issuer, the consumer is seeking a jury trial on the defendant’s counterclaim for money owed.

Commonwealth v. Wardsworth

Docket: SJC-11125
Argued: 2019-02-08
Summary: Criminal-- Various issues arising out of murder conviction.

Commonwealth v. Buttimer

Docket: SJC-12085
Argued: 2019-02-08
Summary: Criminal-- Various issues arising out of murder conviction.

Commonwealth v. Colon

Docket: SJC-11610
Argued: 2019-02-08
Summary: Criminal-- Various issues arising out of murder conviction.

Jan. 2019

Commonwealth v. Rivera

Docket: SJC-12605
Argued: 2019-01-07
Summary: Criminal-- Whether the evidence was sufficient to convict the defendant of being an accessory after the fact of murder.

RCA Development Inc. v. Brockton Zoning Board of Appeals

Docket: SJC-12619
Argued: 2019-01-07
Summary: Zoning-- Whether a landowner who believes that approval of a plan under the subdivision control law is not required must apply to the planning board for an endorsement that approval is not required.

Commonwealth v. Adams

Docket: SJC-12620
Argued: 2019-01-07
Summary: Criminal-- Whether Massachusetts recognizes the common law crime of interfering with a police officer in the lawful performance of duties; whether there was sufficient evidence that the police officers were in lawful performance of their duties when the defendant refused to surrender his firearms.

Boston Housing Authority v. Y.A.

Docket: SJC-12623
Argued: 2019-01-07
Summary: Landlord-Tenant-- Whether the Violence Against Women Act provides a defense to a public housing tenant in an eviction for non-payment of rent where the failure to pay rent was attributable to domestic violence.

D.R. Peck Excavating v. Machado

Docket: SJC-12497
Argued: 2019-01-07
Summary: Superintendence Petition--This superintendence petition seeks review of a decision after a District Court jury trial in a small claims appeal.

Blackwell v. Commonwealth

Docket: SJC-12491
Argued: 2019-01-07
Summary: Superintendence Petition-- This is a superintendence petition by a prisoner who pleaded guilty to assault and battery and firearms violations.

In Matter of Chapman

Docket: SJC-12537
Argued: 2019-01-08
Summary: Sexually Dangerous Persons-- This is a petition by victims claiming they are entitled to notice of the release of a sexually dangerous person and seeking to enjoin his release.

Branch v. Commonwealth Employment Relations Board

Docket: SJC-12603
Argued: 2019-01-08
Summary: Labor Law-- Whether requiring public employees who do not join a union to pay an agency or service fee violates the First Amendment.

Roberio v. Tressler

Docket: SJC-12482
Argued: 2019-01-08
Summary: Juvenile Law-- This case deals with a juvenile offender’s eligibility for parole after a first-degree murder conviction.

Blanchard v. Steward Carbey Hospital

Docket: SJC-12618
Argued: 2019-01-08
Summary: Not available

477 Harrison Ave., LLC v. Jace Boston, LLC

Docket: SJC-12600
Argued: 2019-01-08
Summary: Anti-SLAPP Statute-- This case, arising out of a zoning appeal involving neighboring properties, deals with whether a special motion to dismiss under the anti-SLAPP statute should be allowed.

Brown v. Federal National Mortgage Association

Docket: SJC-12583
Argued: 2019-01-08
Summary: Superintendence Petition-- This superintendence petition seeks to invalidate a Housing Court judgment for possession in a summary process case after a mortgage foreclosure.

Chapman v. Commonwealth

Docket: SJC-12632
Argued: 2019-01-08
Summary: Sexually Dangerous Persons-- Whether the Commonwealth may proceed to trial in a sexually dangerous person proceeding notwithstanding the opinions of the qualified examiners that the individual is not sexually dangerous.

Commonwealth v. Beauchamp

Docket: SJC-12519
Argued: 2019-01-10
Summary: Superintendence Petition-- This superintendence petition by a prisoner seeks to invalidate an Appeals Court decision affirming his conviction for second-degree murder.

Boston Globe Media Partners LLC v. Department of Public Health

Docket: SJC-12622
Argued: 2019-01-10
Summary: Public Records-- The Boston Globe is appealing the denial of its request seeking electronic indices of birth and marriage records from the Department of Public Health.

Commonwealth v. Larose

Docket: SJC-12610
Argued: 2019-01-10
Summary: Criminal; Search and Seizure-- Where a vehicle crossed the edge line separating the travel lane from the shoulder for a few seconds, whether there is a marked-lane violation that would allow the police to stop the vehicle.

Impounded Case

Docket: SJC-12599
Argued: 2019-01-10
Summary: Not available

Myrick v. Massachusetts Appeals Court

Docket: SJC-12402
Argued: 2019-01-10
Summary: Not Available

Meyer v. Veolia Energy North America

Docket: SJC-12606
Argued: 2019-01-10
Summary: Unavailable

Commonwealth v. Simon

Docket: SJC-11666
Argued: 2019-01-11
Summary: Criminal-- Various issues arising out of murder conviction.

Commonwealth v. Mack

Docket: SJC-12319
Argued: 2019-01-11
Summary: Criminal-- Various issues arising out of murder conviction.

Commonwealth v. Silva

Docket: SJC-12336
Argued: 2019-01-11
Summary: Criminal-- Various issues arising out of murder conviction.

Commonwealth v. Rivera

Docket: SJC-12424
Argued: 2019-01-11
Summary: Criminal-- Various issues arising out of murder conviction.

Dec. 2018

Commonwealth v. Putnam

Docket: SJC-12596
Argued: 2018-12-03
Summary: Criminal-- The defendant is seeking post-conviction forensic testing of evidence.

Commonwealth v. Agogo

Docket: SJC-12592
Argued: 2018-12-03
Summary: Search and Seizure-- In a drug prosecution, the Commonwealth is appealing an order allowing suppression of evidence seized pursuant to a strip search of the defendant.

Commonwealth v. Linton

Docket: SJC-12528
Argued: 2018-12-03
Summary: Criminal-- The defendant is seeking post-conviction forensic testing of evidence.

Halstrom v. Dube

Docket: SJC-12598
Argued: 2018-12-03
Summary: Contracts; Statute of Limitations— Whether the statute of limitations on the plaintiff’s civil action to recover fees from a former client who terminated a contingent fee agreement involving a medical malpractice case has expired.

Commonwealth v. Barbosa

Docket: SJC-12162
Argued: 2018-12-03
Summary: Summary unavailable

Barbosa v. Commonwealth

Docket: SJC-12334
Argued: 2018-12-03
Summary: Summary unavailable

Commonwealth v. Williams

Docket: SJC-12560
Argued: 2018-12-03
Summary: Criminal-- The defendant is seeking post-conviction forensic testing of evidence.

Commonwealth v. Fontanez

Docket: SJC-12469
Argued: 2018-12-04
Summary: Criminal; Evidence-- In a prosecution for assault with intent to murder, the Commonwealth is seeking review of an order excluding prior testimony of the victim, who died after having testified at a hearing on a motion to suppress.

Commonwealth v. Tejeda

Docket: SJC-12593
Argued: 2018-12-04
Summary: Criminal-- The Commonwealth is appealing a Superior Court order revising and revoking the defendant’s sentence for armed robbery.

Ferman v. Sturgis Cleaners, Inc.

Docket: SJC-12602
Argued: 2018-12-04
Summary: Employment Law-- This case deals with the appropriate standard for an award of attorney’s fees against an employer in an action under the Massachusetts Wage Act.

Murray v. Advisory Board of Pardons

Docket: SJC-12241
Argued: 2018-12-04
Summary: Summary unavailable

Craft Beer Guild, LLC v. Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission

Docket: SJC-12547
Argued: 2018-12-04
Summary: Administrative Law-- This is an appeal of a suspension of an alcoholic beverages wholesale license.

Rebel Restaurants, Inc. v. Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission

Docket: SJC-12595
Argued: 2018-12-04
Summary: Administrative Law-- This is an appeal of a suspension of an alcoholic beverages license.

Commonwealth v. Cruz

Docket: SJC-12463
Argued: 2018-12-04
Summary: Summary unavailable

Stearns v. Metropolitan Life Insurance Company.

Docket: SJC-12544
Argued: 2018-12-04
Summary: Statute of Repose-- Whether the Massachusetts statute of repose bars personal injury claims arising from asbestos exposure and involving extended latency periods.

Commonwealth v. Vasquez

Docket: SJC-12562
Argued: 2018-12-06
Summary: Search and Seizure-- In a first-degree murder prosecution, whether an identification of the defendant and defendant’s custodial statements should be suppressed.

Gammella v. P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, Inc.

Docket: SJC-12604
Argued: 2018-12-06
Summary: Class Actions-- Whether a suit by an employee claiming violation of reporting pay requirements may proceed as a class action.

Commonwealth v. Espinal

Docket: SJC-12597
Argued: 2018-12-06
Summary: Criminal-- Various issues arising out of conviction for assault and battery on a child, including whether the trial judge erred by not asking a voir dire question of prospective jurors regarding possible bias because of the defendant’s inability to speak English.

Adjartey v. Worcester Housing Court

Docket: SJC-12380
Argued: 2018-12-06
Summary: Superintendence Petition-- Self-represented defendants in summary process cases claim violation of their rights in proceedings before the Worcester Housing Court.

Evans v. Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation

Docket: SJC-12337
Argued: 2018-12-06
Summary: Superintendence Petition-- Self-represented defendants in summary process cases claim violation of their rights in proceedings before the Worcester Housing Court.

Aktas v. Aktas

Docket: SJC-12104
Argued: 2018-12-06
Summary: Summary unavailable

Hilton v. Worcester Housing Court

Docket: SJC-12406
Argued: 2018-12-06
Summary: Superintendence Petition-- Self-represented defendants in summary process cases claim violation of their rights in proceedings before the Worcester Housing Court.

Commonwealth v. Hobbs

Docket: SJC-12216
Argued: 2018-12-07
Summary: Criminal-- Various issues arising out of murder conviction.

Commonwealth v. Dowds

Docket: SJC-10340
Argued: 2018-12-07
Summary: Criminal-- Various issues arising out of murder conviction.

Commonwealth v. Collazo

Docket: SJC-11210
Argued: 2018-12-07
Summary: Criminal-- Various issues arising out of murder conviction.

Commonwealth v. Gallett

Docket: SJC-12214
Argued: 2018-12-07
Summary: Criminal-- Various issues arising out of murder conviction.

Nov. 2018

Commonwealth v. Vasquez

Docket: SJC-12556
Argued: 2018-11-05
Summary: Bail-- In a first-degree murder prosecution, the defendant is appealing the denial of bail.

Commonwealth v. Fredericq

Docket: SJC-12572
Argued: 2018-11-05
Summary: Search and Seizure-- In a drug prosecution, the defendant is appealing the denial of a motion to suppress drugs found during a search of his home where the police had unlawfully obtained location data from a cellular telephone.

Commonwealth v. Lugo

Docket: SJC-12546
Argued: 2018-11-05
Summary: Juvenile Law-- Various issues arising out of murder conviction of a juvenile, including whether a mandatory sentence of life in prison with a possibility of parole is unconstitutional.

Arias-Villano v. Chang & Sons

Docket: SJC-12548
Argued: 2018-11-05
Summary: Employment Law— Whether employees at an indoor bean sprout facility are employees engaged in agriculture and farming on a farm and are therefore exempt from payment of overtime wages.

Commonwealth v. Harris

Docket: SJC-12607
Argued: 2018-11-05
Summary: Criminal— Various issues arising out of firearms conviction, including the constitutionality of a presumption that a person found with a firearm is unlicensed a license is produced.

Commonwealth v. Bonnett

Docket: SJC-11496-
Argued: 2018-11-06
Summary: Criminal-- Various issues arising out of murder conviction.

Commonwealth v. Sherman

Docket: SJC-12530
Argued: 2018-11-06
Summary: Criminal-- This case deals with issues involving consent in a rape prosecution.

Connor v. Benedict

Docket: SJC-12551
Argued: 2018-11-06
Summary: Family Law-- Various issues involving alimony and property division in connection with a divorce, including whether the period of time during which the parties cohabited should be considered with regard to alimony.

Cichocki v. Massachusetts Land Court

Docket: SJC-12156
Argued: 2018-11-06
Summary: Tax Foreclosure-- This appeal involves the foreclosure of a real estate tax lien.

Calhoun v. Boyd/Smith, Inc.

Docket: SJC-12123
Argued: 2018-11-06
Summary: no summary available

Commonwealth v. Jones

Docket: SJC-12564
Argued: 2018-11-06
Summary: Search and Seizure-- In a prosecution for human trafficking, the Commonwealth is seeking an order for production of a personal identification number access code to unlock a cell phone.

Commonwealth v. Hernandez

Docket: SJC-12501
Argued: 2018-11-08
Summary: Criminal-- Where a defendant has died after a conviction but before an appeal is completed, should the conviction be vacated and the indictment dismissed?

District Attorney for the Northern District (Middlesex) v. Middlesex Superior Court

Docket: SJC-12508
Argued: 2018-11-08
Summary: Criminal; Clerk’s Office-- After a defendant has been convicted, must the Superior Court clerk’s office maintain possession of physical exhibits such as firearms or may the court order the exhibits to be transferred to the police?

Commonwealth v. Pridgett

Docket: SJC-12574
Argued: 2018-11-08
Summary: Search and Seizure-- In a prosecution for receiving a stolen motor vehicle, the Commonwealth is appealing the allowance of a motion to suppress defendant’s statements.

City Electric Supply Company v. Arch Insurance Company (Reserve Case)

Docket: SJC-12561
Argued: 2018-11-08
Summary: Liens-- In a suit to enforce a lien dissolution bond in connection with a construction project, whether the plaintiff satisfied requirements for lien claimants.

Garcia v. Commonwealth

Docket: SJC-12579
Argued: 2018-11-08
Summary: Bail-- The petitioner, indicated for trafficking of a person for sexual services, is seeking review of a bail determination.

Calixto v. Coughlin

Docket: SJC-12515
Argued: 2018-11-08
Summary: Employment Law-- Whether back pay awarded to former employees under the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act constitutes wages under the Massachusetts Wage Act such that corporate officers of the employer may be individually liable.

Commonwealth v. Copeland

Docket: SJC-10992
Argued: 2018-11-09
Summary: Criminal-- Various issues arising out of murder conviction.

Commonwealth v. Chicas

Docket: SJC-10986
Argued: 2018-11-09
Summary: Criminal-- Various issues arising out of murder conviction.

Commonwealth v. Ferreira

Docket: SJC-11479
Argued: 2018-11-09
Summary: Criminal-- Various issues arising out of murder conviction.

Commonwealth v. Hernandez

Docket: SJC-11467
Argued: 2018-11-09
Summary: Criminal-- Various issues arising out of murder conviction.

Oct. 2018

Essex Regional Retirement Board v. Justices of Salem Division District Court Department of Trial Court

Docket: SJC-12458
Argued: 2018-10-01
Summary: Administrative Law-- A retirement board is appealing a Superior Court decision that a police officer’s criminal conviction did not require forfeiture of his retirement pension.

State Board of Retirement v. O’Hare

Docket: SJC-12511
Argued: 2018-10-01
Summary: Administrative Law— A retirement board is appealing a Superior Court decision that a police officer’s criminal conviction did not require forfeiture of his retirement pension.

Yee v. Massachusetts State Police

Docket: SJC-12485
Argued: 2018-10-01
Summary: Employment Law— Whether refusal of a lateral transfer requested by a state police officer constitutes an adverse employment action that gives rise to a claim for racial and age discrimination.

Bellalta v. Brookline Zoning Board of Appeals

Docket: SJC-12516
Argued: 2018-10-01
Summary: Zoning-- Whether a zoning decision allowing an increase regarding a preexisting nonconforming nature of a building was correct.

Solomon Carter Fuller Mental Health Center v. M.C.

Docket: SJC-12481
Argued: 2018-10-01
Summary: Civil Commitment Proceedings-- The defendant claims that his constitutional rights were violated when a civil commitment hearing was held at a mental health facility, where portions of the proceeding were not recorded, rather than at a courthouse,

Roch v. Mollica

Docket: SJC-12517
Argued: 2018-10-02
Summary: Civil Practice; Personal Jurisdiction-- In a tort action against non-resident defendants, whether personal service of process on the defendants while temporarily present in Massachusetts establishes personal jurisdiction consistent with due process provisions of the Massachusetts Constitution.

Commonwealth v. Brown

Docket: SJC-12529
Argued: 2018-10-02
Summary: Criminal Law-- Various issues arising out of conviction for deriving support from prostitution.

Commonwealth v. Colon

Docket: SJC-12362
Argued: 2018-10-02
Summary: Criminal-- Various issues arising out of murder conviction.

Commonwealth v. Williams

Docket: SJC-12549
Argued: 2018-10-02
Summary: Criminal Procedure; Jurors-- In a drug prosecution, whether the trial judge erred by allowing the Commonwealth’s challenge for cause of a prospective juror who expressed the view that the criminal justice system was unfair to young African-American males.

Commonwealth v. Braune

Docket: SJC-12514
Argued: 2018-10-04
Summary: Criminal-- Whether depositing into one’s bank account funds stolen by another constitutes money laundering under Massachusetts law.

Commonwealth v. Carter

Docket: SJC-12502
Argued: 2018-10-04
Summary: Criminal-- Whether the defendant was properly convicted of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the suicide of another person.

Impounded Case

Docket: SJC-12452
Argued: 2018-10-04
Summary: unavailable

Commonwealth v. Brennan

Docket: SJC-12518
Argued: 2018-10-04
Summary: Criminal Harassment-- Whether an application for a complaint alleged sufficient facts to support a charge of criminal harassment.

Buffalo-Water 1 LLC v. Fidelity Real Estate Company LLC

Docket: SJC-12487
Argued: 2018-10-04
Summary: Contracts-- A landlord is seeking to invalidate an appraisal of real estate commissioned by a tenant and done in connection with an option agreement to purchase the property.

Commonwealth v. Barry

Docket: SJC-08635
Argued: 2018-10-05
Summary: Criminal-- Various issues arising out of the denial of a motion for new trial after a murder conviction.

Commonwealth v. Pina

Docket: SJC-11507
Argued: 2018-10-05
Summary: Criminal-- Various issues arising out of murder conviction.

Commonwealth v. Andrade

Docket: SJC-12088
Argued: 2018-10-05
Summary: Criminal-- Various issues arising out of murder conviction.

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