A. Commonwealth v. Brangan, SJC-12232 – The issue in the case is whether it violates the Massachusetts and Federal constitutional guarantees to deprive criminal defendants of their liberty pending trial solely because they lack financial resources to post bail. The amicus brief will focus on the application of the constitutional arguments to bails set in less serious cases in the District Court.
B. Doe v. Sex Offender Registry Board, SJC-12822 – The SJC took this case sua sponte from the Appeals Court on March 17, 2017, and set argument for the first week of May, 2017.
The issue in the case was as follows:
Whether the person appointed to conduct a final classificationhearing, pursuant to G.L. c. 6, §178L, must inquire of the sex offender as to whether the sex offender’s purported waiver of the statutory right to counsel is knowing, intelligent and voluntary.