Unlike the Federal Courts, Massachusetts does not have “Rules of Evidence” – there is no set of codified rules that have been adopted by the legislature and the courts. Instead, the admission of facts is governed by the common law. Luckily for practitioners, there are a number of resources in our collection that provide solid overviews of Massachusetts evidentiary law. If you’d like to learn more, don’t forget to sign up for our February 5, 2015 CLE Evidence: Learn what the Judges Learn!
Massachusetts Guide to Evidence by the Supreme Judicial Court Advisory Committee
Available Online: http://www.mass.gov/courts/sjc/guide-to-evidence/
Official Edition: 5th Floor KFM2940 .M372 2013
MCLE Edition: 5th Floor MCLE KFM2940 .M3722 2013
In 2006, the Supreme Judicial Court formed an Advisory Committee on Massachusetts Evidence Law to create a guide, modeled on the Federal Rules, that would summarize and organize Massachusetts case law and court rules on the law of evidence, making it more accessible to the bar and bench. This guide is a result of that process, and is updated yearly. Each section provides a statement of the law with supporting authority.
Handbook of Massachusetts Evidence by Mark S. Brodin and Michael Avery
5th Floor KFM2940.Z9 B76 2007
The 8th Edition of the popular handbook started by the late SJC Chief Justice Paul Liacos. This edition has been reorganized so that many sections track the Federal Rules and includes a 2014 cumulative supplement.
Suppression Matters Under Massachusetts Law by Joseph A. Grasso, Jr and Christine M. McEvoy
5th floor States KFM2980.5.S8 S87
A guide aimed at helping practitioners understand the intricacies of Massachusetts constitutional and common law protections for defendants with regard to the suppression of evidence. Provides guidance on analyzing, preparing, and judging motions to suppress evidence, statements, and identifications.
Massachusetts Proof of Cases by Marc Perlin and Davalene Cooper
5th Floor KFM2940 .M6772
A two-volume encyclopedic treatment of the elements of substantive law that must be proved in order to prevail in civil or criminal cases in Massachusetts. Volume one covers a wide variety of civil law and procedure topics. Volume two covers criminal law, as well as some aspects of the law of evidence and the major issues that may arise in proving civil and criminal causes of action. Includes fact patterns from Massachusetts cases, as well as cross-references to the Massachusetts Guide to Evidence.
Massachusetts Evidence: A Courtroom Reference edited by J. W. Carney, Jr.
5th Floor MCLE KFM2940 .M36 2011
An MCLE guide to evidence, including analysis and commentary from trial court judges on a number of evidentiary issues, from exclusion to impeachment.
Evidence by Judge William G. Young, John R. Pollets, and Christopher Poreda
Massachusetts Practice KFM2480 .M3 [v.19-20] 1998
This two volume treatise is part of the Massachusetts Practice Series, Volumes 19-20. Includes a list of commonly raised objections in the appendix. Please note: these volumes have not been updated by the publisher since 2008.
2012-2013 Annotated Guide to Massachusetts Evidence by Judge William G. Young, John R. Pollets, and Christopher Poreda
Massachusetts Practice KFM2480 .M3 [v.20A]
A quick reference guide designed for use in court, this paperback volume is companion guide to Volumes 19-20 on Evidence in the Massachusetts Practice Series. It includes a brief Evidentiary Finder, which is a digest providing an outline of basic principles, as well as the complete text of the Massachusetts Guide to Evidence with further annotations.
Massachusetts Trial Objections by Judge William G. Young, John R. Pollets, and Christopher Poreda
5th Floor KFM2940 .M374
A pocket-sized compilation of trial objections, supported by relevant case law and statutes.