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AMICUS ADVOCACY

Click on the links below to learn more about MMLA's amicus advocacy efforts on behalf of our members and the local governments they represent in Massachusetts. Thank you to the Amicus Committee and all the dedicated MMLA members and other attorneys who have volunteered their time and expertise over the years to author these briefs on behalf of our organization. 

Are you interested in having MMLA submit an amicus brief in a case in which your local government is involved or in which there are significant issues relative to local government? Read our MMLA Policy on Amicus Curiae Briefs to learn more and submit your request here.

Past Amicus Briefs

 Date Case   Subject Matter Briefing Attorney(s)
 12/4/2023 Town of Tyngsborough v. Recco, Mass. Land Court 18-TL001223 Tax Title Redemption Matthew J. Thomas
 10/12/2022 Barron v. Southborough Board of Selectmen, Mass. SJC-13284 Public Meetings & Public Forum Doctrine Rosemary Crowley and Maura O'Keefe
 9/28/2020

 Springfield Rescue Mission v. Board of Assessors of the City of Springfield, Mass. App. Ct. 2019-P-1629 (with the Massachusetts Association of Assessing Officers)

 Property Tax Assessment / Religious Exemption Rosemary Crowley
 4/8/2020 Tinsley v. Town of Framingham, Mass. SJC-12826 Massachusetts Civil Rights Act / Heck v. Humphrey James S. Timmins and Maura O'Keefe
 9/16/2019 Magliacane v. City of Gardner, Mass. SJC-12736 Massachusetts Tort Claims Act / Distribution of Water Cynthia L. Amara
 2/14/2019 Boston Police Department v. Gannon, Mass. SJC-12653 Civil Service Review of Local Hiring Decisions James S. Timmins
8/22/2017Caplan v. Town of Acton, Mass. SJC-12274 (with the Community Preservation Coalition)Community Preservation Act / Anti-Aid Amendment Thomas A. Mullen
 4/11/2016 Chadwick v. Duxbury Public Schools, Mass. SJC-12054 (with the Massachusetts Association of School Committees) Union-Member Privilege Stephen J. Finnegan and Christopher J. Petrini
 3/21/2016 Verizon New England, Inc. v. Board of Assessors of the City of Boston, Mass. SJC-12034 (with the Massachusetts Municipal Association and Massachusetts Association of Assessing Officers) Tax Classification / Split Tax Rates Kenneth W. Gurge
 6/23/2015 Lopez v. City of Lawrence, 1st Cir. 14-1952 (with the International Municipal Lawyers Association, Massachusetts Municipal Association, National Public Employer Labor Relations Association, Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, and Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts)Civil Service Examinations / Disparate Impact Discrimination  Christopher J. Petrini and Christopher L. Brown 
 9/30/2014 DaRosa v. City of New Bedford, Mass. SJC-11759 (joining Massachusetts Municipal Association's brief) Public Records Law / Work Product Privilege

 John J. Davis and John M. Wilusz

5/6/2014Easthampton Savings Bank et al v. City of Springfield, Mass. SJC-11612  Home Rule Amendment / Foreclosed or Abandoned Properties Henry L. Luthin and Brandon H. Moss
 3/29/2013 Attleboro Redevelopment Authority v. Milanoski, Mass. App. Ct. 2012-P-1529 (with the Massachusetts Municipal Association)Civil Service Review of Abolishment of Positions Due to Lack of Funding Christopher J. Petrini and Christopher L. Brown 
 1/26/2012 Marcus v. City of Newton, Mass. SJC-10984 Recreational Use Doctrine John J. Davis, Michael Leedberg and Thomas J. Urbelis
 10/22/2011 Adams v. City of Boston, Mass. SJC-10861 Police Career Incentive Pay (Quinn Bill) Philip G. Boyle, Laurence J. Donoghue, Peter J. Mee, and Colin R. Boyle
 9/16/2011  Regis College v. Town of Weston, Mass. SJC-10919 (with the Massachusetts Municipal Association) Local Zoning / Dover AmendmentChristopher J. Petrini, Barbara J. Saint Andre, Heather W. Kingsbury, and Donald V. Rider, Jr. 
 7/30/2010 Morrissey v. New England Deaconess Association, Mass. SJC-10672 Massachusetts Torts Claim Act / Private Nuisance Thomas J. Urbelis and Juliana deHann Rice
 3/16/2010 Blair v. Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, Mass. SJC-10626 Regulatory Takings Robert S. Mangiaratti and Thomas J. Urbelis
 2/24/2010 Fordyce v. Town of Hanover, Mass. SJC-10643 Public Construction PrequalificationChristopher J. Petrini, Peter L. Mello, and Thomas J. Urbelis 
 12/14/2009 Calvao v. Town of Framingham, 1st Cir. 09-1648 (with the Massachusetts Municipal Association and Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association)Fair Labor Standards Act / Qualifying Work Period / Collective Bargaining  John Foskett
 1/16/2009 Silva v. Attleboro, Mass. SJC-10330 Emerson Doctrine / Burial Permit Charges Juliana deHann Rice and Thomas J. Urbelis
 2008 81 Spooner Road, LLC v. Town of Brookline, 452 Mass. 109 Zoning Restrictions - Residential Maximum Floor-to-Area RatioJames G. Wagner and Thomas J. Urbelis 
 2008 Bell Atlantic Mobile of Massachusetts Corp., Ltd. v. Commissioner of Revenue, 451 Mass. 280 (with the Massachusetts Association of Assessing Officers) Tax Assessment / Valuation of Wireless Communication FacilitiesRosemary Crowley, David J. Martel, and Thomas J. Urbelis 
 2008 Zoning Board of Appeals of Groton v. Housing Appeals Committee, 451 Mass. 35Easements / Affordable Housing  Thomas J. Urbelis
 8/9/2006 Suffolk Construction Co. v. Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Division of Capital Asset Management, Mass. SJC-09733 Applicability of Attorney-Client Privilege to GovernmentChristopher J. Petrini, Glenna J. Sheveland, and Thomas J. Urbelis 
 2006 Carleton v. Commonwealth, 447 Mass. 791 Disability Discrimination / Public Safety Employees Thomas J. Urbelis, Carol Hajjar McGravey, and Margaret J. Hurley
 2005 Town of Franklin v. Wyllie, 443 Mass. 187 Chapter 61A Right of First Refusal Thomas J. Urbelis and Carol Hajjar McGravey
 2004 Zuckerman v. Town of Hadley, 442 Mass. 511 Zoning Restriction on Rate of Development Thomas J. Urbelis
 2003 Durand v. IDC Bellingham, LLC, 440 Mass. 45 Contract Zoning Thomas J. Urbelis
 2002 Sharon v. City of Newton, 437 Mass. 99 Student Extracurricular Activities / Release of Claims / Massachusetts Torts Claim Act Thomas J. Urbelis
 2002 Zoning Board of Appeals of Wellesley v. Ardamore Apartments Limited Partnership, 436 Mass. 811 Affordable Housing / Comprehensive Permit Act Robert D. Smith and Thomas J. Urbelis
 2001 Town of Milford v. Boyd, 434 Mass. 754 (with the City of Boston and the Town of Brookline) Tax Title / Liability for Condominium Common Area Expenses Merita A. Hopkins, Michael A. Wirtz, Jennifer Dopazo, and Thomas J. Urbelis
 2000 Fafard v. Conservation Commission of Barnstable Public Trust Doctrine / Wetlands Protection Act / Preemption of Local RegulationJames A. Toomey, Kristin B. Magendantz, and Thomas J. Urbelis 
 1999 Brum v. Town of Dartmouth, 428 Mass. 684 Massachusetts Torts Claim Act / Public Duty Rule / Discretionary Function / Original CauseThomas J. Urbelis and Robert T. Ford 
 1996 Town of Middleborough v. Middleborough Gas and Electric Department, 422 Mass. 583 Distinction Between Municipalities and Municipal Light Plants Thomas J. Urbelis, Marilyn T. McGoldrick, and James B. Lampke
 1996 Lawrence v. City of Cambridge, 422 Mass. 406 Massachusetts Torts Claim Act / Specific Assurance of Safety Thomas J. Urbelis and Marilyn T. McGoldrick
 1996 Flatley v. City of Malden, 40 Mass. App. Ct. 38 Water Rates Mark G. Cerel
 1994 Ash v. Attorney General, 418 Mass. 344 Rent Control Ban Initiative Petition Thomas J. Urbelis, Deidre D. Donahue, and Michael P. Curran
 1989 Andrade v. City of Gloucester, 406 Mass. 337 Measures Subject to Referendum Petition Gary S. Brackett and Arthur J. Goldberg
 1989 Green v. Board of Appeals of Provincetown, 404 Mass. 571 Zoning Appeal Standing Robert W. Ritchie
 1976 Board of Selectmen of Braintree v. Town Clerk of Braintree, 370 Mass. 114 Home Rule Amendment / Town MeetingDouglas A. Randall 
 1974 Town of Sudbury v. Commissioner of Corporations and Taxation, 366 Mass. 558 Property Tax Assessment Michael B. Elefante

Many of the older matters which our organization submitted amicus briefs in do not have the briefs available publicly from the SJC/Appeals Court websites. If you have a copy of any of the briefs which are not available here and wish to share them with MMLA so we can make them available to the public, please contact us here.

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Massachusetts Municipal Lawyers Association
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