The Supreme Judicial Court is the state’s top court, issuing binding rulings on criminal and civil matters and shaping legal precedent.
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has reprimanded Judge Shelley Joseph after a 2018 incident in which she allegedly helped an immigrant escape. The ruling follows a finding of improper conduct and an appearance of impropriety. The decision has echoes of related immigration enforcement clashes nationwide.
After seven days of deliberations, a Massachusetts jury has failed to reach a verdict in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial. The judge declared a mistrial as prosecutors prepare for a possible retrial; Clancy had argued postpartum psychosis mitigated responsibility. The case has reignited debate over maternal mental health.