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Common causes of disputes between neighbors are issues relating to structures on or near the boundaries between neighboring properties. Massachusetts laws relating to who is liable for repairs to boundary fences and retaining walls are not very clear, making it...
Many small businesses in Massachusetts are family owned, which can present unique challenges when a consideration of succession planning inevitably comes around. A well structured and thought out succession plan can avoid the sorts of problems that could otherwise...
Every year, the state’s Governor signs into law new legislation. Much of the new laws do not necessarily affect most Massachusetts residents, but whether you are an individual, business owner or government worker, it is important to be aware of what is coming into...
For a Massachusetts property owner today, there has been a great interest in combining living space with running a business. This is because even an artist who just wants a studio at home, a physical therapist who would like to run a private practice, or a business...
Do you have a shared driveway with a neighbor and have been having problems resolving the use of it? Have you recently purchased a home or other building that has a shared driveway with a neighbor, perhaps not realizing that the driveway you need to use was shared?...
When water pipes burst, the damage done can be extensive, especially if the location of the burst pipes are not discovered quickly. Burst pipe damage doesn’t just affect the occupants of the building where the pipes have burst or closest to where the pipes burst. It...
Communities that have genuine concerns about the speed that traffic is moving in their immediate neighborhood have ways in which they can bring their concerns to the relevant municipal authority for attention. There is a variety of tried and tested calming measures...
When a water pipe bursts through corrosion, old age, excess pressure or the accidental misuse of machinery, the results can be devastating and very expensive. It’s not the cost of replacing the plumbing that makes these sorts of dramas so expensive, but the damage...
Whether you have trees growing in your own property, or your neighbors have trees close to your boundary, or there are trees in a public space close to your own home, there is always potential for damage from falling trees or branches. As a property owner it is...
Starting a small business in Massachusetts is a sequential process. The steps involved are well established and can be researched easily on the Internet. Before any of these steps are taken, and permits and licenses sought, the would-be small business owner or owners...
2024 is the second and final year of the current two year legislative session. Several bills that have either gone through their first readings or have yet to be heard are expected to be voted on later next year. Some, if not all of these bills, may eventually become...
Are you considering opening a food serving business such as a café or restaurant in Massachusetts? If you are, you will probably be aware that there are a number of legal requirements to take into account as well as decisions about the type of business, it’s financing...
The short answer is ‘probably yes’ if the content of the email relates to the official business of a government agency or if the email was sent to an employee in any level of state government. It really depends on the email sender and/or recipient and content not its...
Massachusetts was one of the first states in the U.S. to enact climate change regulations. The state government enacted the Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA) in 2008, at a time when a consensus about the urgent need to rapidly reduce global warming causing emissions...
Just about any adult who is on the electoral roll in Massachusetts could be picked at random for jury duty in the state, so if this has happened to you and you are unsure what it means, read on below. Who are jurors? Jurors are people from all walks of life who have...
Two new pieces of legislation have come into effect in Massachusetts since the start of the New Year. They may not be about laws that you have ever heard of, or even realized that you may have already had a vote on, but directly or indirectly they could affect you in...
If you own a property in Massachusetts, you can’t do whatever you want with it. The state’s zoning laws and by-laws outline the basic parameters for buildings within each zone. For example, in one particular area, the zone may be designated as residential, while in...
By declaring your home as a homestead in Massachusetts, you can protect the equity in your home from some creditors if they try to force a sale of your home in an attempt to settle a debt. Filing a declaration of homestead is relatively easy, but you should know what...
Community service programs that have been ordered by courts are one possible form of punishment available when an offender has been convicted of a crime that is not very serious. Such programs are thought to have benefits for both the community and the offender in the...
New homeowners or those individuals and couples who are aspiring homeowners in Massachusetts are often confused about terms used in real estate and the process of purchasing and selling property. Two typically confusing terms are “title” and “deed”. This blog will...