Black and White: Can You be Forced to Testify Against Your Spouse?

We’ve all seen the TV crime shows where a murderer goes free because only his wife has the evidence that will convict him and the prosecution cannot put her on the stand because, as some would have it, “in America one spouse can’t be forced to testify against another.” But, if a recent case is any indication, that prohibition may not... More

You don’t deserve a break in your tooth today

Injuries suffered after biting into fast food may leave you in pain — and without any way of recovering damages. Or so a Worcester man discovered recently. He drove his truck up to the take-out window of a McDonald’s restaurant and ordered an extra-value meal. Back on the road, he bit into a quarter- pounder burger and crunched down on... More

Social Sites Can Pose New Challenges for Employers

Over the last few years, employers have had to deal with the implications of the expanding digital age and its encroachment into the workplace. Employers have revised policies and procedures to encompass BlackBerrys, cell phones and the Internet, as used during work hours and to conduct work during off hours. Now, as these technologies have become commonplace, along comes the explosion of “social network” and a new set of legal challenges. Social networking sites, such as Facebook, MySpace,... More

No cash windfall after tumble from window

If your child falls out of a window and sustains injuries while playing at a neighbor’s house, you may recover nothing, according to one recent case. A Worcester mother contacted the woman next door and arranged to go shopping with her. During the shopping expedition, the mother left her daughter at the neighbor’s home in a three-decker.... More

Not everything comes up roses for landscaper seeking payment in court

If you join in your boyfriend’s or girlfriend’s contract with a third person, you could find that all is not lovey-dovey. That’s the lesson a Tyngsborough couple learned recently after a Massachusetts judge issued a ruling in their case. The man and woman decided to move in together in when their romance became serious. They soon found that their yard needed work, so they hired a landscaper. After the landscaper beautified the yard, the couple became dissatisfied with his gardening... More

Black and White: Snowboarding - even riskier than you think!

Snowboarders, like skiers, won’t have any luck recovering money from ski area operators if they’re injured in collisions on the slopes, according to one recent case. A woman went to a ski center to take part in a snowboarding class. After she and her classmates rode the ski lift to the top of the trail, an instructor... More

Would-be juror’s B.O. smells like a problem

A trial court judge acted within her discretion in dismissing a potential juror in a murder trial because of her strong body odor. So the Appeals Court has ruled in the case of Commonwealth v. Young. The judge first noticed the would-be juror when she appeared before the judge to explain that she had been late for jury selection... More

Black and White: Bull-riding fan’s case against club gets tossed

If you get injured as an innocent non-participant in a bar scuffle, you may have no recourse against the bar’s owners. So says one recent Superior Court decision, Turner v. 215 Main Street, Inc. A woman, who is a big fan of professional bull-riding, decided to go to Sh-Booms, a now-defunct Worcester dance club and bar, when she heard that participants... More