Blog

Tuesday
10
May
2016

Construction Contract Workshop

I will be speaking at a Construction Contract workshop on the topic of Essential Construction Contract Provisions.  Attendees, who will consist mainly of architects, engineers and contractors, will receive continuing education credit. My topic includes: Examining contract terminology: Parties, consideration, term, performance, substantial performance, breach, remedies, damages Understanding types of construction contracts Studying roles and relationships […]

read more »
Thursday
16
Jul
2015

Pool Owner’s Liability for Injuries

Question: I’m buying a house in Newton with a pool.  What is my liability as a homeowner? Answer:  It depends. While you have a legal duty to make sure you maintain your pool in a safe condition, your liability to someone who is injured in or around your pool depends in part on your relationship with that […]

read more »
Tuesday
9
Sep
2014

TRAPS FOR THE UNWARY LANDLORD: CHARGING TENANTS FOR WATER

Most Massachusetts landlords have at least a vague notion that it’s OK to charge a tenant for his or her water usage.  As is usually the case, the devil is in the details.  Under Massachusetts law, a landlord may charge a tenant for water if, and only if, certain conditions are met, and not all […]

read more »
Wednesday
19
Feb
2014

Do-it-yourself Divorce: Is it right for you? 9 factors and 3 tips for going it alone.

A DIY divorce – the process of obtaining a divorce from your spouse without the assistance of experts or professionals – usually motivated by the desire to save money – is an option in Massachusetts.  While a DIY divorce is cheaper to obtain, it may be costly in the long run.  How do you know […]

read more »
Monday
10
Feb
2014

Do-it-yourself (DIY) Massachusetts Divorce Online: What’s the Real Deal?

Just type “DIY divorce” into your favorite search engine, and you’ll see numerous ads claiming that “Doing Your Own MA Divorce is Easy,” and offering “Free DIY Divorce Forms.”  Some ads even claim to offer a DIY divorce online.   Touted as “Fast” and “Lawyer-Free,” many of these divorces are offered along with some version of […]

read more »
Friday
24
Jan
2014

Contractors: Can your insurer deny coverage on defective work claims because your contract requires you to perform in a good and workmanlike manner?

In a decision on January 17, 2014, the Supreme Court of Texas answered “no.” The facts were as follows: A construction company entered into a standard AIA contract with a school district to serve as general contractor on a renovation and building project job.  The school district then sued the contractor for faulty construction based […]

read more »
Thursday
23
Jan
2014

Five Strategies to Help Contractors be Proactive, Prevent Legal Problems and Minimize Risks

According to Albert Einstein, “[i]ntellectuals solve problems, geniuses prevent them.”  Sure, we all know it’s better not to have a problem in the first place, but the question is, how do we prevent it?  Of course it’s impossible to ensure that disputes will not arise; it’s a given that those in the construction business will […]

read more »
Thursday
16
Jan
2014

Today’s Decision Addresses Standard of Parental Unfitness

Today, the Court vacated a judgment and order entered in a care and protection case where the findings of the Juvenile Court were insufficient to support a conclusion that the parents were unfit.  Care and Protection of Yetta, No. 12-P-1540, Middlesex, January 16, 2014. Background The DCF filed a petition under G.L. c. 119, § […]

read more »
Wednesday
15
Jan
2014

Stalking in violation of a restraining order may be based on numerous telephone calls to victim from abroad

Stalking conviction upheld by Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court today. A defendant convicted of stalking his wife in violation of a G.L. c209A Restraining Order appealed his conviction, arguing that the judge’s instruction to the jury misconstrued the legal definition of “stalking,” and that under the correct definition, there was insufficient evidence of guilt beyond a […]

read more »
Wednesday
15
Jan
2014

When can police enter a residence to execute an arrest warrant?

On January 14, 2014, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court decided a case involving the question of whether officers had satisfied the “reasonable belief” requirement of the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and Article 14 of the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights sufficient to permit the entry into evidence of stolen property found at the defendant’s […]

read more »
Wednesday
15
Jan
2014

Welcome Post

Welcome to our blog!  We look forward to providing you with useful, insightful information about family law; construction contracts, disputes and collections; business formation and litigation; landlord/tenant law; and criminal law.  Feel free to call or send us an email for more information on any topic, or to suggest a topic for our blog.

read more »