Massachusetts

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is well-known for lobster, the New England Patriots and the Boston Red Sox. The state falls in the First Federal Circuit Court System. More than 80% of the New England residents live in the greater-Boston metro, making it the most populous and a highly influential city in the state’s history, industry, and academia. Both Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are in the Boston area and are ranked as two of the top universities nationally and worldwide.

The government of Massachusetts is laid out in the Constitution of the Commonwealth.  The state government, like the federal government, consists of three branches: executive, legislative and judicial. The executive branch is controlled by the governor and consists of over 150 state agencies. The governor also has a cabinet consisting of ten secretaries.  The legislative branch consists of the General Court, broken into two branches the Massachusetts Senate, which has 40 members, and the Massachusetts House of Representatives with has 160 members, and all members in both houses are up for election every two years.  Although a few remain, most county governments were dissolved in the 1990s and 2000s.

The judiciary of Massachusetts consists of the court of last resort, the Superior Court which is the court of last resort.  The Massachusetts District Court, also known as the District Court Department of the Trial Court hears a wide range of criminal, civil, housing, juvenile, mental health, and other types of cases.  The Land Court has limited subject-matter jurisdiction related to real property. Massachusetts also has a Housing Court, Probate and Family Court, Juvenile Court and Boston’s Municipal Court.

Massachusetts is also known for its liberal legislation. On May 17, 2004 it became the first US state to legalize Same-sex marriage, after a state court determined that exclusion of same-sex couples right to a civil marriage was unconstitutional. On November 8, 2016, the state also legalized marijuana under the Marijuana Legalization Initiative.  Massachusetts has progressive laws related to employment and has passed an Equal Pay Ordinance and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, and legal analysis of both pieces of legislation are available on the National Law Review.

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Jan
14
2021
COVID-19: US State Policy Report – January 13, 2021 Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP
Feb
26
2021
COVID-19: US State Policy Report – February 25, 2021 Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP
Mar
26
2021
COVID-19: US State Policy Report – March 24-26, 2021 Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP
Sep
8
2020
FCRA Allegations Dismissed Due to Plaintiff’s Lack of [Alleged] Confusion Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP
May
29
2018
“High” Stakes for Employers Dealing With Evolving Cannabis Laws Foley & Lardner LLP
Mar
4
2019
The Good and the Bad of the New MassHealth Telemedicine Rule Foley & Lardner LLP
Aug
26
2019
Massachusetts Attorney General Cracks Down on Child Labor Law Violations Foley & Lardner LLP
Apr
16
2020
Massachusetts SMART Program Capacity is Doubled Foley & Lardner LLP
Apr
27
2020
Massachusetts Gig Workers, Independent Contractors, and Self-Employed Individuals Can Now Apply for Unemployment Benefits Foley & Lardner LLP
Jan
2
2019
Strict Updates to Massachusetts’ `Ban the Box’ Law Foley & Lardner LLP
Apr
17
2020
Massachusetts DOER Announces COVID-19 SMART Program Extension; Releases Proposed Emergency Regulations for Public Comment Foley & Lardner LLP
Jan
19
2021
New Massachusetts Telehealth Law Signed: Top 3 Changes Foley & Lardner LLP
Aug
30
2021
The City of Boston Reinstitutes Mandatory Indoor Face Coverings Foley & Lardner LLP
Aug
4
2022
Postponement in the Massachusetts Patients First Act Penalties Foley & Lardner LLP
Nov
6
2023
CMS’ Making Care Primary (MCP) Model: Applications Due November 30, 2023 Foley & Lardner LLP
May
3
2016
Expansion of Clinical Services at Assisted Living Sites – New Paradigm Foley & Lardner LLP
Jun
25
2018
Massachusetts Poised to Become the Latest State Offering a Paid Family Leave Program Foley & Lardner LLP
Oct
4
2018
Defendant Communications with Members of a Class Action Suit: Toeing the Line Foley & Lardner LLP
Jan
13
2020
What Massachusetts Employers Need to Know for a Compliant Start to 2020 Foley & Lardner LLP
Oct
8
2020
Vehicle Inventory Historically Low Foley & Lardner LLP
Jul
19
2021
Landmark Massachusetts Campus Sexual Violence Act Effective August 1, 2021 Foley & Lardner LLP
Jul
17
2023
Remote Workers and the Massachusetts Wage Act — Proceed With Caution Foley & Lardner LLP
Apr
12
2016
Massachusetts Raises Caps on Solar Net Metering Foley & Lardner LLP
Jan
17
2017
Massachusetts Has Legalized Marijuana — Should Your Workplace Policies Go Up in Smoke? Foley & Lardner LLP
Nov
5
2020
Federal Court Denies Class Certification of 7-Eleven Franchisees in Misclassification Suit Foley & Lardner LLP
Nov
7
2023
Massachusetts: Proceed With Caution - New Vaccination Criteria for Hospitals and Other Licensed Health Facilities Foley & Lardner LLP
Jan
22
2020
Behavioral Health & Substance Abuse Services: Massachusetts Proposal Reflects Focus on Expanding Access and Coverage Foley & Lardner LLP
Mar
25
2024
States with Pending Legislation to Ban Employee Noncompetes: Maine Poised to be Next State to Enact a Ban Foley & Lardner LLP
Aug
9
2016
How Massachusetts’ New Equal Pay Law Impacts Employers Foley & Lardner LLP
Jul
31
2017
Massachusetts Court Clouds Marijuana in the Workplace Issues Foley & Lardner LLP
Nov
27
2018
Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) Program Application Opens Foley & Lardner LLP
Dec
12
2019
Massachusetts Governor Proposes Facility Fee Ban Foley & Lardner LLP
Jan
29
2020
Telehealth: Massachusetts’ Proposed Act to Improve Health Care by Investing in Value Foley & Lardner LLP
Jan
5
2022
Massachusetts DPH Delays Enforcement Penalties for State Surprise Billing Law Foley & Lardner LLP
Nov
29
2017
Massachusetts Proposed Legislation to Curb Health Care Costs by Regulating Hospital Reimbursement Rates Foley & Lardner LLP
 

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