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INCORPORATING THE NEW STUDENT DISCIPLINE LAW INTO STUDENT HANDBOOKS AND SCHOOL POLICIES
Chapter 177 of Acts of 2022, “An Act Addressing Barriers to Care for Mental Health,” signed into law on August 10, 2022, made significant changes to student discipline law, Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 71, Section 37H3/4.
According to the revised Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 71, Section 37H3/4, school principals or their designee, before issuing any disciplinary consequences under Section 37H3/4, must consider alternative methods to re-engage the student in the learning process and cannot suspend a student until alternative remedies have been employed and the use and results of such remedies have been documented.
Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP Partner Recognized as a Top Women of Law Honoree for 2022
Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP is proud to announce that Attorney Kathryn Murphy, a Partner at the firm, has been selected as a Top Women of Law 2022 honoree by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. The honorees are selected based upon their “ significant...
Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP Partner Presents for the Association of Legal Administrators
Attorney Kier Wachterhauser, a Partner at Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP presented for the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA), Boston Chapter last month. During his presentation he discussed the challenges of managing employees in a hybrid or...
Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP Attorney Presents Open Meeting and Public Records Law Training
Karis L. North, an attorney with Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP, presented an introduction training on Open Meeting and Public Records Law to clients last month. The training covered the “who, what, where, when and why” of Massachusetts Open Meeting...
Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP Attorneys Nominated by Super Lawyers Magazine
Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP would like to congratulate Katherine Hesse, Regina Williams Tate and Mary Ellen Sowyrda for being recognized as Massachusetts’ 2022 Super Lawyers, and Sarah Spatafore for being selected as a 2022 Rising Star. Attorney...
NEW LEGISLATION ADDRESSING BARRIERS TO CARE FOR MENTAL HEALTH HAS IMPACTS ON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
On August 10, 2022, Chapter 177 of Acts of 2022, “An Act Addressing Barriers to Care for Mental Health” was signed by Governor Baker. For public schools, it has impacts on student discipline, special education services, and emergency response plans. The bill goes into effect on November 8, 2022. Set forth below are summaries of the new law’s impact in the identified areas.
NEW MASSACHUSETTS LAW PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF NATURAL AND PROTECTIVE HAIRSTYLES
Governor Charlie Baker signed into law the “Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair” (CROWN) Act. The law was signed on July 26, 2022, and will take effect on October 24, 2022.
Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP Partner Presents “Recent Developments in ERISA”
Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP, Partner Katherine Hesse gave a plenary presentation on Recent Developments in ERISA on Friday September 16 to members of the Group Legal Services Association ("GLSA") at its annual meeting in New Orleans. Among the...
Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP Partner Presents at the 41st Annual ISCEBS Employee Benefits Symposium
Attorney Katherine Hesse, a Partner at Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP, presented a Legal Update at the International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists (“ISCEBS”) 41st Annual Employee Benefits Symposium this week. The four day symposium...
Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP Attorney Presents Training for Newly Elected Select Board Members
Attorney Karis North from Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP recently presented a training for the Massachusetts Select Board Association (“MSA”). The training, held in Devens, targeted newly elected select board members, although any select board member...
United States Supreme Court Rejects Parent's Appeal to Video Tape Special Education Team Meetings
On June 10, 2024, the United States Supreme Court (USSC) denied Scott Pitta’s petition for writ of certiorari. This means that the lower First Circuit ruling, denying parents any claim of entitlement to video tape team meetings, or to treat team meetings as a “public forum”, stands as the law governing this area. Attorney Peter Mello of Murphy Hesse Toomey & Lehane successfully defended the Bridgewater/Raynham School District throughout the litigation in the federal courts.
United States Supreme Court Rejects Parent's Appeal to Video Tape Special Education Team Meetings
On June 10, 2024, the United States Supreme Court (USSC) denied Scott Pitta’s petition for writ of certiorari. This means that the lower First Circuit ruling, denying parents any claim of entitlement to video tape team meetings, or to treat team meetings as a “public forum”, stands as the law governing this area. Attorney Peter Mello of Murphy Hesse Toomey & Lehane successfully defended the Bridgewater/Raynham School District throughout the litigation in the federal courts.
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