Amicus Announcement
SJC-10173 & SJC-10194
THE SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT IS SOLICITING AMICUS BRIEFS OR MEMORANDA FROM INTERESTED PARTIES IN THE FOLLOWING MATTER PENDING BEFORE THE COURT
ARGUMENT IS SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 2008.
SJC-10173 - Attorney John Doe v. Commonwealth
SJC-10194 - Commonwealth v. Scott A. Gallant
Whether several arguably threatening telephone messages left by his clients on an attorney's answering machine after a contentious care and protection proceeding fall within the attorney-client privilege, that is whether the alleged threats were made "in the course of seeking legal advice"; a Superior Court judge declined to quash a grand jury subpoena addressed to the attorney, and a District Court judge denied the Commonwealth's motion to compel testimony at a hearing on criminal complaints arising out of the phone calls.
Interested parties may file their briefs in the Office of the Clerk for the Commonwealth, John Adams Courthouse, Suite 1-400, Pemberton Square, Boston MA 02108-1724 (Telephone 617-557-1020). Parties filing amicus briefs are expected to comply with the requirements of Rules 17, 19 and 20 of Mass. Rules of Appellate Procedure. Amicus briefs, to assist the court, should focus on the ramifications of a decision and not solely on the interests of the parties filing such briefs.
| Susan Mellen, Clerk |
July 30, 2008