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Frazier v. Rhodenizer
Held that nearly six-year delay between driver’s license revocation hearing and issuing final revocation order violated respondent’s due process rights
Fire Protection Service v. Survitec Survival Products
Held that applying to a preexisting contract a statute prohibiting suppliers from terminating dealer agreements without good cause is not unconstitutionally retroactive
Holcomb v. Bray
Ruled that a law authorizing the legislature to call an emergency session through a simple resolution violated constitution’s fixed-by-law requirement as well as the distribution of powers mandate
Massachusetts Looks to International Sources to Inform ‘Evolving Standards of Decency’
In declaring life without parole unconstitutional for people under 21, the state’s high court cited sentencing practices in Canada and the United Kingdom.
Palade v. Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas System
Ruled tenured faculty claims that university’s revised policy violated contracts and free communication clauses lacked standing, ripeness, and justiciability
Meyer v. Knudsen
Ruled constitution’s restriction that legislation by initiative may not appropriate funds does not apply to constitutional amendments proposed by initiative
Massachusetts Rejects Harmful Federal Standard for Evaluating Whether Punishment Is Unconstitutional
The state supreme court’s decision outlawing life without parole for people aged 18 to 20 is notable for both its outcome and the test it used to get there.
Ex parte Pinkard
Ruled constitution’s absolute state immunity clause does not bar claims that name and seek relief only from individual state employees in their personal capacity
Shea v. State
Held that the constitution grants the legislature broad authority to determine public education policy, prohibiting judicial review of the adequacy and allocation of education funding
State v. Wellknown
Concurrence would have held that state constitution provides greater protection against discriminatory peremptory challenges than the federal constitution
