The CPCS Committee determines whether the agency should submit amicus briefs in cases in which the Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) has requested input, as well as in other matters in which staff believe that a CPCS amicus brief might benefit our clients. The Committee reviews at their monthly meetings staff recommendations and deliberates about the benefits of the Committee weighing in. In the overwhelming number of cases, the Committee approves our requests. Each year, I send the Committee an overview of the decisions issued during the previous calendar year in which CPCS submitted an amicus brief.
A summary of the appellate decisions issued in cases decided in 2018 in which CPCS filed an amicus brief can be found here. We were successful in just over 50% of the cases (7). In addition, although in one case we lost on the facts, the SJC left open the legal issue argued in the CPCS amicus brief. In a case that we won, the SJC not only found in our favor, it also established a working group to oversee the backlog of SORB reclassification petitions.
These decisions are a prime example of the excellent work of our staff attorneys and private bar colleagues who have a tremendous influence on a systemic level in changing the law for the benefit of our clients.