CPCS Website

Whose Case is it Anyway? Come Learn about the MCCJA & PKPA
2023-05-25 14:00 - 16:00 UTC
Did your client move to Massachusetts less than six months ago? Is there a pending custody case or outstanding custody order in another state? If so, the courts in Massachusetts may not have jurisdiction to decide the client’s case. Come learn about the Massachusetts Child Custody Jurisdiction Act and federal Parental Kidnapping Prevention Act. We will review these complex laws and walk you through a series of fact patterns to help you learn how to analyze these issues in your own cases. We will also discuss practical issues such as advising your clients about the risks and benefits of having the case heard in the other state; communication between the two courts, motions to dismiss on jurisdictional grounds, and more.2 CAFL CLEs
Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYvce6trzIuE915zTFrK3G0PxOyJ4BmvcT3

MHLD Regional Coordinator Training- Three Prongs of Risk of Harm
2023-05-26 13:00 - 15:00
Barnstable, Plymouth, and Bristol Counties Regional Coordinator Virtual Training Via Zoom May 26, 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
The Three Prongs of Risk of Harm
2 MHLD CLE
Join us for an Expert Panel discussion on the three prongs of risk of harm applied in Section 7&8 Petitions for civil commitment. In addition to Mike O’Brien and Joan LeGraw the panel includes two psychiatrists (Mark Rudolph M.D.) and (Helen Farrell M. D) and one psychologist (Paul Zeizel PhD) all of whom have substantial experience serving as independent medical examiners for Respondents at civil commitment hearings. In advance of the discussion panel members and attendees will receive several hypothetical fact patterns, designed to elicit diverse assessments and opinions. The discussion will focus on the strengths and weaknesses of a hypothetical petition based on each fact pattern.
This training will help you:

Identify how different types of expert clinicians assess serious/substantial risk of harm
Apply the law on risk of harm to hypothetical fact patterns
Incorporate/consider the findings of a clinical assessment of risk of harm based on hypothetical fact patterns
Develop a plan for undermining Petitioner’s expert testimony on risk of harm in their next case.

Registration Link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0kc-GrrT0oH9393ny5sZ70ghOelhUPbn7Q
If you have any questions please contact:
Joan LeGraw: attorneyjlegraw@gmail.com or
Mike O’Brien: obrienmichael80@yahoo.com

Monthly CAFL Race Equity Drop-In
2023-05-30 01:00 - 14:00
Have you ever witnessed or experienced implicit bias or racism in your CAFL casework and didn’t know how to respond in the moment? Do you feel like you could use some ideas on how to respond if this happens to you? Join us for the next CAFL Racial Equity Drop-In on May 30, 2023. Come brainstorm with colleagues in a no-judgment and no-pressure environment on how to respond to these incidents when they occur and beyond! We started this conversation last month and it was so productive we agreed to continue the conversation with the goal of combining our ideas into a “guide” for practitioners. You do not need to have been at an earlier drop-in to come to this one. We look forward to seeing those who can come and to continuing the great, substantive, creative conversations we are having at these drop-ins.
You can register to attend here.
Approved for 1 CAFL CLE.

MHLD RED (Race, Equity & Diversity) Talk
2023-05-31 12:00 - 13:00
THIS PROGRAM QUALIFIES FOR 1 CLE ON THE MHLD TRIAL PANEL and MHLD APPEALS PANEL
Announcing a new drop-in Lunch & Learn to build on other recent race trainings and support you in your MHLD practice!
Bring your lunch and come join your colleagues on MHLD staff and panel to talk informally and brainstorm about raising race in our cases. Do you believe that your client’s mental health treatment, admission to a facility or petition for commitment/guardianship is being impacted by racial bias? Every month we will focus on a different topic arising in our litigation. Come talk about how to tell your client’s story, develop strategy, draft cross and direct examinations, move to admit relevant studies and articles and make effective arguments to the court. This is also a chance to case crunch your cases with your colleagues over lunch!
REGISTER HERE:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMtf-uppj8jGdxypq_aJlkx5_qsOFHHRcKC

Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC)
2023-06-01 14:00 - 16:00
Is your client seeking placement of the child with a parent or relative in another state? Has DCF proposed moving the child to another state over your client’s objection? Come learn about the intricacies of the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children and how it impacts placement of children outside Massachusetts. We will review the ICPC’s purpose, the procedures for seeking a home study in another state, expedited placements, and what to do if the receiving state rejects the proposed custodian. We will also discuss the Appeals Court’s recent decision in Adoption of Knox, which addresses application of the ICPC to parents.2 CAFL CLEs
Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwrc-6vqj8rHNyrCMKAj_7bUILJ_tBkJ1Ew

Part 3 of the Cultural Humility Series: Kinship Workshop
2023-06-07 15:00 - 17:00
Presented by the SJC Court Improvement Program Training Committee.
Join us as we hear from experts in the field about how to realize kinship care for children, including:

The Importance of placement with kin
Making kin a priority
Pathways to placing kids with kin
How to speak to kin about coming forward
The experience of kin placement

2 CLE for CAFL/YAD
More information can be found here.
Register here!

MCLE: Introducing & Excluding Evidence at Trial
2023-06-08 13:00 - 17:00
This program is hosted by MCLE. Any questions or issues regarding this program should be directed there. (customerservice@mcle.org). This event is being listed for informational purposes only. CPCS staff cannot assist with, or solve, registration issues.
4 CLE: CAFL and CAFL Appellate
For more information and registration information click link below:
https://www.mcle.org/product/catalog/code/2230194WBC

Go to the Head of the Class! Education Law Basics for Court-Involved Youth
2023-06-13 09:00 - 16:00
The EdLaw Project is offering a one day in-person training on the basics of education advocacy at the Worcester Law Library on Tuesday, June 13, 2023. Please join us for a day of learning about how best to advocate for your clients in school. Key topics will include special education, school discipline, manifestation determination reviews, and school stability.
Please note, this training is meant for attorneys newer to the practice or with limited experience with education law. (If you are an experienced attorney and feel like you have some training gaps around education law, reach out and let me know – we are happy to offer additional trainings and supports).
This training has been approved for 6.5 YAD / CAFL CLEs. Register here.

Trauma Informed Interviewing Training
2023-06-14 10:00 - 12:00
Presented by the Wildflower Alliance and the CPCS Holistic Defense Working Group
Approved for 2 CLE Credits for all CPCS Panels
Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIqceCprTwtEtCNtnxVcTDuMgeAh1PcFMUG

Equal Protection and Commonwealth v. Long Hearings at the Motion Stage: Strategies for Successful Litigation
2023-06-14 13:00 - 14:30
Please join us for an engaging presentation by a statewide panel of lawyers with experience litigating Long evidentiary motions and a Q+A session. Approximately 30 Long motions have been litigated since the decision was released in 2020, and this knowledgeable panel will present strategies that have worked for defendants as well as how to challenge the roadblocks the Commonwealth and the Court put in place to try to prevent justice for our clients. We will also incorporate the just released decisions in Van Rader and Cuffee. Anticipated topics will include:

Protecting your expert and combatting Daubert challenges
What to do when the Commonwealth hires their own expert
What does a reasonable inference really mean?
How to address attempts to bifurcate equal protection and 4th/14th suppression issues
What to do when the cops say “I didn’t see the driver’s race”
Advanced issues in discovery practice
Building a record for appeal

Presenters to include: Dan Gaudet, Katy Naples-Mitchell, Connor Barusch, Cristina Rodriguez, Michelle Dame, John Warren, Josh Raisler Cohn
This program has been approved for 1.5 CLE on the following CPCS panels: Adult Criminal, Criminal Appeals, YAD, YAD Appeals and Mental Health Trial Panel
Please Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUkdOyupjMtGNTb6YuvevBWj_-BB7xmkfEC

Social Law Library Presents How to Handle an Administrative Agency Hearing Case
2023-06-14 16:00 - 18:00
Wednesday, June 14, 2023, 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. ETOnline Only
Join our experienced panel of attorneys and hearing examiners for this wide-ranging program on administrative hearings. The program will provide guidance and best practices for handling an administrative hearing, from start to finish, and from all perspectives. The diverse panel will draw on their experiences before different agencies. Among the topics to be discussed include:

Pre-hearing practice: discovery, subpoenas, preparing witnesses
Hearings: virtual vs. in-person
Hearings: preserving the record and making objections
Hearings: reliance on expert testimony
Post-hearings: closing briefs, post-hearing motions
Perspectives from hearing examiners and the agencies
Emerging and dominant legal issues.

Faculty:
Eric Tennen, Magistrate, Division of Administrative Law Appeals
Mimi Wong, General Counsel, Sex Offender Registry Board
Rachael A. Michaud, Deputy General Counsel, Sex Offender Registry Board
Nancy Brody, Deputy General Counsel, Department of Children and Families
Rachel Healey, Hearing Officer, State Board of Retirement
Michael Kantrovitz, Partner, Kantrovitz & Kantrovitz, LLC
For more information visit www.socialaw.com
2 CAFL CLEs

Mental Health Law Case Update - With some pivotal cases added for good measure...
2023-06-15 13:00 - 16:00 | Zoom
Join us as we update our knowledge of Commitment and Guardianship Case
Law. This dynamic session will feature forty-six (46) pivotal cases, meticulously
selected from the rich tapestry of recent legal developments and landmark judgments.
Over the course of our seminar, we will tackle cases from the Supreme, Federal
and Appellate Courts as well as matters from the Massachusetts Supreme
Judicial Court emerging over the past three years. More importantly, we will revisit those impactful cases that may have faded from your memory but still possess significant relevance. The Learning Objective is to refresh your legal knowledge, foster a nuanced understanding of basic principles, and rekindle your insights into the complex terrain of Mental Health Law.
Our session will be highly interactive, encouraging dialogues and sharing of perspectives.
Whether you are focused on the Guardianship Panel or the Commitment
side, this seminar promises to provide immense value by offering a comprehensive refresher on influential cases that may have slipped off the radar.
THIS PROGRAM QUALIFIES FOR 3 CLE ON THE MHLD TRIAL PANEL
REGISTER HERE:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0uf–orTkqEtX-2F0qXYsqamqhT7NqNj6r#/registration

Monthly CAFL Race Equity Drop-In
2023-06-20 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom
Have you ever witnessed or experienced implicit bias or racism in your CAFL casework and didn’t know how to respond in the moment? Do you feel like you could use some ideas on how to respond if this happens to you? Join us for the next CAFL Racial Equity Drop-In on May 30, 2023. Come brainstorm with colleagues in a no-judgment and no-pressure environment on how to respond to these incidents when they occur and beyond! We started this conversation last month and it was so productive we agreed to continue the conversation with the goal of combining our ideas into a “guide” for practitioners. You do not need to have been at an earlier drop-in to come to this one. We look forward to seeing those who can come and to continuing the great, substantive, creative conversations we are having at these drop-ins. Approved for 1 CAFL CLE.

Trying Cases Against Pro Se Litigants
2023-06-21 14:00 - 16:00 | Zoom
Embark on an enlightening journey with us as we delve into an engaging exploration of handling Pro-Se litigants in Probate Court proceedings. This is your chance to sharpen your skills and broaden your understanding of the intricate legal landscape. Our seminar will provide valuable insights into effective strategies, ethical considerations, and the impact of recent court decisions in this field. Our primary objective is to equip you with the necessary tools to effectively surmount challenges typically encountered by the Respondent’s Counsel, especially in the context of accelerating case progression.
THIS PROGRAM QUALIFIES FOR 2 CLE ON THE MHLD TRIAL PANEL
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcsd-2trz0iHNGqoU9TJUkIjan7OxaSETP4

The Dee Kennedy Project: Addressing the Realities of Commercial Sexual Exploitation and Justice Involvement in Suffolk County
2023-06-21 16:00 - 18:00
This program is hosted by Social Law Library. For assistance, questions on group discounts, accommodations requests, special billing, program content, out-of-state CLE credits, and general contact CLE Coordinator, Michael Saporito by email at msaporito@socialaw.com) . This event is being listed for informational purposes only. CPCS staff cannot assist with, or solve, registration issues.
Faculty: Sheila Casey, Esq., Specialty Courts Administrator, Executive Office of the Trial Court, Hon. Lisa Ann Grant, Associate Justice, Dorchester Division of the Boston Municipal Court, Sandra Andrade, Peer Advocate/Recovery Coach, The Dee Kennedy Project & North Suffolk Community Services, Katherine Bryce, Project Coordinator, The Dee Kennedy Project
The Dee Kennedy Project (DKP) helps justice-involved adults find supportive pathways to exit commercial sexual exploitation (CSE). The DKP offers a variety of services – from offering a supportive ear, to speaking with a peer advocate and recovery coach, to helping individuals to achieve short- and long-term goals at their own pace. The DKP offers advocacy, peer support, connection to social and clinical services, and interdisciplinary collaboration to best serve and assist survivors of CSE as they navigate the criminal justice system.
The framework for the DKP is to provide trauma-informed and client-centered interventions provided by a Peer Advocate/Recovery Coach working with North Suffolk and a supporting team.
The DKP team also aims to educate court staff, attorneys, and service providers on best practices in understanding Commercial Sexual Exploitation, and working with and representing this population in Boston Courts and available resources.
4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET
Online Only, Webinar Fee: $65
CAFL CLEs: 2
For more information and to register: https://www.socialaw.com/education/event-detail/2023/06/21/default-calendar/the-dee-kennedy-project—addressing-the-realities-of-commercial-sexual-exploitation-and-justice-involvement-in-suffolk-county

Guardianship Roundtable 1st Meeting: Temporary Guardianships
2023-06-22 12:00 - 13:00, 2023-06-22 14:00 - 15:00
Do you want an opportunity to talk about: guardianship issues? “case crunch” your case? problems in your probate court?
There will be a short presentation on TEMPORARY GUARDIANSHIPS. You will learn what to do when you get a Motion for Temporary Guardian without time to prepare, what to do when the Motion for Temporary Guardian was allowed before you were appointed, what the petitioner must prove to succeed on a Motion for Temporary Guardian.
This program qualifies for 1 CLE on the Mental Health Trial Panel
Please use link below to register.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Winning Before You Start: In Guardianship and Commitment Cases
2023-06-22 13:00 - 15:00 | Zoom
Part 1: Participants will work through scenarios that arise including the following topics:

When to file a motion to dismiss.
Procedural inadequacies.
Defects and/or omissions in the petition.
Inadequate notice to parties.

Part 2: Regional Coordinator Meeting (some information shared will be specific to regions)

Discussion of Guardianship of C.A.
Any new updates
Status of person hearings

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwocOyopzwvG9WaXBcddjGYRpQvjbrExduy
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!!! IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE CONTACT EITHER:
ELAINE POURINSKI, RC for Hampshire/Franklin – epourinski@aol.com
DEBORAH STEVENS, RC for Hampden/Berkshire – dhsesq84@comcast.net

Facilitated Discussion on How to Deal with Challenging Behaviors on the Part of Clients and Petitioner’s Counsel
2023-06-28 10:00 - 12:00 | Zoom
(Limited to 40 participants)
Barnstable, Plymouth and Bristol Counties, Regional Coordinator Virtual Training Sessions
THIS PROGRAM QUALIFIES FOR 2 CLE ON THE MHLD TRIAL PANEL and MHLD APPEALS PANEL
Regional Coordinator’s Michael O’Brien (Bristol County) and Joan Legraw (Barnstable and Plymouth Counties) will facilitate a group discussion of several challenging behaviors on the part of clients and/or opposing counsel often encountered in commitment and guardianship cases. In small breakout groups, participants will discuss several hypothetical fact patterns, including client decisional ambivalence and/or resistance to advice, the role of standby counsel, and the failure of Petitioner to file appropriate pleadings in DNR and Rogers cases. All participants will then rejoin the main session to present the opinions and solutions of their group.
After the session participants will:
Be better able to respond productively to several challenging client behaviors often encountered in commitment and guardianship cases.
Understand how to respond to requests from Petitioner’s counsel’s and pro-se petitioner’s request for assistance in filing required pleadings.
Be familiar as to when they may need to withdraw from a case, and how to do so while respecting the client’s right to confidentiality and the court’s potential expectation that counsel remain as “stand-by counsel.”
Be advantaged by practical advice from session participants on how to deal with specific challenging behaviors on the part of clients and Petitioner’s counsel (and/or pro-se petitioners).
Please note that this session is limited to (40) participants.

Registration Link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUofuyqqjgpGNbDjWYgF-6ARzG2k0RPujf8
for questions:
Joan LeGraw: attorneyjlegraw@gmail.com
Mike O’Brien: obrienmichael80@yahoo.com

Canceled: Working with clients who are Deaf and hard of hearing and their families: a presentation by the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MCDHH)
2023-06-28 14:00 - 16:00 | Zoom
Training canceled for 6/28/2023. Reschdule date: TBD.
Organized by Deborah Cassell, CAFL Resource Attorney (Barnstable County) – deborahcassell_atty@hotmail.com
Presented by Jonathan O’Dell, MCDHH
CLE: 2 CAFL; 2 MHLD Trial Panel and MHLD Appeals Panel
In Massachusetts and elsewhere in the United States, access to the courts and legal services by Deaf and hard of hearing individuals remains problematic. This happens for a variety of reasons – insufficient numbers of legal American Sign Language interpreters, Certified Deaf Interpreters (CDI) and Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) providers.
Additionally, knowledge related to the provision of appropriate communication access services remains elusive, as does the proper implementation of such services across a wide spectrum of legal and social services.
This presentation by MCDHH will help you to understand what appropriate communication access is; what cultural, communicative, procedural and technical considerations to take into account when working with Deaf and hard of hearing individuals and families, and how MCDHH staff can work with you to ensure positive outcomes for our constituency.
Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82756126205?pwd=[REDACTED]

Working with clients who are Deaf and hard of hearing and their families: a presentation by the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MCDHH)
2023-06-28 14:00 - 16:00
Organized by Deborah Cassell, CAFL Resource Attorney (Barnstable County) – deborahcassell_atty@hotmail.comPresented by Jonathan O’Dell, MCDHH
CLE: 2 CAFL; 2 MHLD Trial and MHLD Appeals Panel
In Massachusetts and elsewhere in the United States, access to the courts and legal services by Deaf and hard of hearing individuals remains problematic. This happens for a variety of reasons – insufficient numbers of legal American Sign Language interpreters, Certified Deaf Interpreters (CDI) and Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) providers.
Additionally, knowledge related to the provision of appropriate communication access services remains elusive, as does the proper implementation of such services across a wide spectrum of legal and social services.
This presentation by MCDHH will help you to understand what appropriate communication access is; what cultural, communicative, procedural and technical considerations to take into account when working with Deaf and hard of hearing individuals and families, and how MCDHH staff can work with you to ensure positive outcomes for our constituency.
Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82756126205?pwd=[REDACTED]

MCLE: Dissecting Attorney Client Privilege & the Work Product Doctrine
2023-06-28 14:00 - 16:00
This program is hosted by MCLE. Any questions or issues regarding this program should be directed there. (customerservice@mcle.org). This event is being listed for informational purposes only. CPCS staff cannot assist with, or solve, registration issues.
2 CLE: CAFL and CAFL Appellate
Rebroadcasts July 13, 2023, 12:00 noon-2:00pm, July 21, 10:00am-12:00 noon
For more information and registration information click link below:
https://www.mcle.org/product/catalog/code/2230203WBC

test
2023-06-29 08:00 - 17:00

MHLD RED (Race, Equity and Diversity) Talk
2023-06-30 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Bring your lunch and come join your colleagues on MHLD staff and panel to talk informally and brainstorm about raising race in our cases. Do you believe that your client’s mental health treatment, admission to a facility or petition for commitment/guardianship is being impacted by racial bias? Every month we will focus on a different topic arising in our litigation. Come talk about how to tell your client’s story, develop strategy, draft cross and direct examinations, move to admit relevant studies and articles and make effective arguments to the court. This is also a chance to case crunch your cases with your colleagues over lunch!

THIS PROGRAM QUALIFIES FOR 1 CLE FOR MHLD TRIAL AND MHLD APPEALS PANEL

REGISTER HERE:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMtf-uppj8jGdxypq_aJlkx5_qsOFHHRcKC#/registration

MCLE: Trial Advocacy Workshop 2023
2023-07-10 08:30 - 2023-07-14 17:30
This program is hosted by MCLE. Any questions or issues regarding this program should be directed there. (customerservice@mcle.org). This event is being listed for informational purposes only. CPCS staff cannot assist with, or solve, registration issues.
For more information, including how to register, please click link below: https://www.mcle.org/product/catalog/code/2230193P01
Monday, July 10 – Friday, July 14, 2023, 8:30 am-5:30 pm, MCLE Conference Center, Ten Winter Place, Boston
8 CLE: CAFL

Test Event
2023-07-17 08:00 - 17:00

CPCS Forensic Practice Series - Digital Forensics
2023-07-25 14:00 - 16:00
Join us for a training on digital forensics for defense attorneys. The training will cover an overview of digital evidence, technology, and sources of information, a focused look at cell phones and cell phone extractions, geofence warrants and motion litigation, expert issues (defense and Commonwealth), and an introduction to issues regarding AI and Deepfake technology.
Register by clicking here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_5Vwk-3bKQwOcPllqpzc5-w
Faculty:
Kyle Wibby, Supervising Attorney, CPCS Public Defender Division, Barnstable County
Brooke Gottleib, Consulting Associate – Digital Forensics, Charles River Associates
Ira Gant, Director, CPCS Forensic Services
CLE Credit: The following CPCS Panels are offering 2 hours of CLE for this training: Adult Criminal Trial, Criminal Appeals, YAD Trial, YAD Appeals, CAFL Trial and CAFL Appeals
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out

Monthly CAFL Race Equity Drop-In – Advocating for Our Clients Who Are Limited English Proficient and Their Children
2023-07-26 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom
Next Race Equity Drop in July 26, 1:00-2:00 – Advocating for Our Clients Who Are Limited English Proficient and Their Children
Have your clients had their court cases continued over and over again because no interpreter was available? Has DCF told your parent client to attend a service that is only offered in a language the client does not speak? Do you represent a child who is losing the ability to communicate with their parents because they are placed in an English only speaking home? Are parent-child visits cancelled because there’s no interpreter for the DCF worker observing the visit? Are your clients routinely handed documents written in a language they cannot read? After several colleagues raised issues around language access at our last few drop ins, we decided to devote our next session to the challenges faced by our clients who are limited English proficient. Please join us on July 26, 1:00-2:00 to brainstorm with colleagues on how to protect the civil and due process rights of our clients who are limited English proficient. You can register to attend here.
Approved for 1 CAFL CLE.

Mad in America: Supporting a Child, Teen or Young Adult in Crisis
2023-08-10 12:00 - 13:30
This program is hosted by Mad in America. Any questions or issues regarding this program should be directed there. (cruggiero@madinamerica.com). This event is being listed for informational purposes only. CPCS staff cannot assist with, or solve, registration issues.
This program qualifies for 1.5 CLE on the MHLD Trial Panel and MHLD Appeals Panel

Please join Mad in America as we hear stories of intense trial and transformation from our guest speakers, discuss approaches to supporting children, teens, and young adults in crisis, and end with an open audience Q&A. These incredible panelists will share information, resources, and inspiration for those on the journey as well as practitioners and anyone else interested in the topic.

REGISTER HERE

Free training on Psychopharmacology
2023-08-15 08:00 - 16:00
More information here and to register: Psychopharmacology: Essential Information for Mental Health Professionals (pesi.com)
CLE: 6 CAFL
