The Law Office of Matthew W. Peterson

The Massachusetts grand jury process is the legal procedure used to determine whether there is enough evidence to formally charge someone with a serious felony by issuing an indictment. A grand jury does not decide guilt or innocence. Instead, it considers whether the Commonwealth has presented sufficient evidence to establish probable cause that a crime […]

Can you get your license back after a motor vehicle homicide charge in Massachusetts? Yes—but not automatically. A motor vehicle homicide charge triggers two separate legal proceedings: a criminal case that determines guilt or innocence, and an independent administrative process before the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) that determines your driving privileges. Th...

The Law Office of Matthew W. Peterson recently defeated a restraining order extension in Newburyport District Court. Our client had lived under an abuse prevention order for two years — issued for one year, then extended for a second. At the second extension hearing, the court declined to extend it again, and the order expired. […]

Can accidental touching lead to indecent assault and battery charges in Massachusetts? Yes, you can be charged, but accidental touching alone cannot support a conviction. Under Massachusetts law, the Commonwealth must prove that the touching was intentional and legally indecent. If the contact was truly accidental or incidental, the prosecution has not met its burden […]

A limited appearance attorney in Massachusetts represents you for a specific part of a legal case—such as a single hearing, motion, or legal issue—rather than handling the entire matter from start to finish. In Massachusetts, this arrangement is formally known as Limited Assistance Representation (LAR) and is governed by Trial Court Rule XVI. LAR is […]