Dozens of Criminal Cases Dismissed Amid Court System Crisis
BOSTON—On Tuesday, Judge Tracy-Lee Lyons dismissed 39 criminal cases during a "Lavallee hearing" in Boston Municipal Court, including a notable case involving a machete attack in a Dorchester school parking lot. This emergency protocol, in effect for over a month, arises from a work stoppage by private defense attorneys—known as bar advocates—who halted new case acceptance over pay disputes.
The court proceedings saw Lyons hear a total of 45 cases, dismissing those without legal representation for 45 days. Prosecutors are likely to refile charges against the dismissed defendants, as a Supreme Judicial Court ruling allows them to reopen cases via motions rather than new criminal complaints. A request from the Committee for Public Counsel Services to halt case reopenings was denied by Lyons.
During the session, prosecutors were largely silent about individual cases, but concerns were raised about the impact of dismissals, including the machete incident that led to a school lockdown. While legislation proposed a pay raise for bar advocates, many continue to argue that the increase is insufficient, raising questions about the ongoing crisis in Massachusetts’ court system.
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