When and to what extent police investigation records are public records remain difficult questions to resolve. The Supreme Judicial Court...

Outdoor Dining and Takeout Alcoholic Drinks Ch. 88 of the Acts of 2024, a supplemental appropriations bill, contains two important...

No joke, it is April! We expect that you are all immersed in Town Meetings, as are we. As we turn a page in the monthly calendar, another...

Local boards of health have broad authority under G. L. c. 111, §§ 122-125 to eliminate nuisances within a municipality. In a recent...

As public officials may know, many areas of the Public Records Law are based on “reasonableness.” In a recent Appeals Court case,...

A company proposed to reclaim a former gravel pit by filling it with soil and other materials over a 7 to 9 year period. The Pepperell...

Webinar on Surplus Supply Disposition Practices; Webinar on Community Preservation Act On April 23, 2024, the Office of the Inspector...

In a rare unanimous decision on a matter of substantial public interest, the U.S. Supreme Court pronounced factors to determine when a...

The state Tobacco Act, G.L. c. 270, § 6, sets the minimum age for the sale of tobacco products at 21. It expressly preempts an...

In the course of concluding 4 ½ years of litigation, the Superior Court recently found the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) partially...

While appeals of zoning decisions are classic petitioning activity protected by the state and U.S. constitutions and the Massachusetts...

DLS Issues Informational Guideline Releases

It was great to see so many of you at Massachusetts Municipal Association's Annual Conference in January. We hope that you picked up some...

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, government bodies have seen a rise in virtual meetings through platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams....

The Annual Town Meeting can last for days. Even if the business is accomplished in one day, the long hours can lure attendees into a...

Attorney General Presentation on Bylaw Review; DLS “Meet DLS” The Attorney General’s Municipal Law Unit will offer a review of the...

Welcome to 2024. A new year and new developments in municipal law. We hope all your resolutions are fulfilled. Are you attending the...

The legislature has been busy updating some important municipal finance laws and some of these updates may have fallen under the radar....

The Cannabis Control Commission issued as part of its packet for its January 11, 2024, meeting, a model Host Community Agreement. The...

A recent case discussed what factors may determine when land has been designated for a specific municipal purpose. The determination is...