As a result of the Jared Remy murder in Waltham a few years ago, the Massachusetts Legislature adopted (2014) the bulk of the recommendations of the Attorney General and passed a very strict and comprehensive set of new laws, heightened sentences and a Domestic Violence Registry, for any crime related to domestic violence.
So, below is a brief synopsis of what potentially awaits a person charged with some form of domestic violence;
*No release from jail for 6 hours
*Substantial bail requests by prosecutors (former requests of $250-500 now in the $1500-5000 range)
*Prosecutors are more likely to ask that certain defendants be held for 4 months by means of a “dangerousness hearing”
*The Judge must place your name in a permanent Domestic Violence Registry merely because of the accusation against you
*Even if you are released on bail, several conditions of release that restrict your movements and/or conduct may more likely be imposed(in addition to any restraining order)
*No more so-called “accords and satisfactions” (the pre-2104 often used legal method by which an alleged victim could ask that a case be dismissed)
*Newly created statutes with more severe penalties including assault and battery,strangulation, kidnapping and aggravated versions of same
If you are charged with any of the above crimes and need legal assistance, please don’t hesitate to call me, anytime. I actually challenged this statute before the Appeals Court in 2015 and obtained some loosening of the statute’s language. Doug Stoddart 508-243-4877.