In certain, limited circumstances, the harm caused by an individual’s criminal conduct could be outweighed by the harm that would come with compliance with the law. In such circumstances, which are rare, the necessity defense might be available to the criminal defendant. Necessity Defense What is the Necessity Defense? In…
Involuntary Manslaughter Returning to the saga of Michelle Carter (an early blog post about her alleged crimes can be found here), the teen who allegedly encouraged her boyfriend, Conrad Roy, who was eighteen at the time, to commit suicide, can stand trial for the death of her friend, according to…
Disorderly Conduct In Massachusetts, disorderly conduct charges are a serious criminal law matter that should never be taken lightly. Many people find themselves facing charges like these when they act out in public, engage in a fight, or annoy or taunt the police. Being convicted of a disorderly conduct charge…
Criminal Accord and Satisfaction There are a handful of minor crimes that can be dismissed at a judge’s discretion when the victim requests that the charges be dropped in Massachusetts. Specifically, certain misdemeanors, such as assault and battery and domestic dispute charges, which the defendant could also be liable for…
Statute of Limitations As a general rule, whenever a criminal charge is brought against a defendant, the charge is subject to a statute of limitations. A statute of limitations is a period of time that is provided by law in which the charge for a particular crime must be brought…