Articles Posted in Domestic Violence and Restraining Orders

By Attorney Joe Serpa | Georgetown University Law Center | Massachusetts Criminal Defense Since 1995 This post maps which record systems hold a Massachusetts restraining order and who can see each one. Removing an order from the registry is covered on the expungement page. Massachusetts statutes require the court, upon a vacatur (dismissal, termination or…

Since September 18, 2024, Massachusetts defines abuse under G.L. c. 209A, § 1 to include coercive control. What the definition requires, the first appellate decision on it, and how the defense tests these claims.

How Massachusetts 209A extension hearings are decided: the plaintiff’s continuing burden, cross-examination, and the digital record. The Woburn result is the latest of many extension denials for this office.

That recording on your phone may be a felony. How Massachusetts courts treat secret recordings and Ring camera audio in domestic violence and 209A cases.

Updated August 2026 When a Domestic Violence Allegation Arises During a Family-Court Dispute A domestic violence allegation made during a divorce or custody dispute may affect several proceedings at once. It can produce a criminal charge, a 209A abuse prevention order, a Department of Children and Families investigation, and immediate consequences in the Probate and…

When both people use force in a Massachusetts domestic violence case, self-defense turns on first aggression, proportionality, retreat, and admissible proof.

Updated August 2026 A Massachusetts domestic violence case can affect firearms before the criminal charge is resolved. The precise consequence depends on what has occurred: an arrest, a temporary protective order, a continued order after notice, a licensing decision, or a criminal disposition. Those events are governed by different state and federal laws. A domestic…

By Attorney Joe Serpa | Georgetown University Law Center | Massachusetts Criminal Defense Since 1995 Recantation is common in Massachusetts domestic violence cases. Days or weeks after an arrest, a complainant may say that the police report is inaccurate, that the incident was exaggerated in the moment, or that they no longer want to participate.…

By Attorney Joe Serpa | Georgetown University Law Center | Massachusetts Criminal Defense Since 1995 Massachusetts uses the word “harassment” in several distinct laws. Criminal harassment under M.G.L. c. 265, § 43A is a criminal charge. A 258E harassment prevention order is a civil remedy. Under the three-act ground in Chapter 258E, the plaintiff must…

By Attorney Joe Serpa | Georgetown University Law Center | Massachusetts Criminal Defense Since 1995 Updated August 2026 A Massachusetts domestic violence case begins with a criminal allegation, but it may quickly involve bail conditions, a 209A abuse prevention proceeding, firearm restrictions, and employment or immigration concerns. Each part has a different legal standard and…