Typically, each party is responsible for paying for their own legal fees in Massachusetts. Indeed, Massachusetts adheres to the “American Rule,” which holds that each party to a lawsuit is responsible for their own lawyer's charges, regardless of the outcome of the case.
The private right of action under Massachusetts Civil Rights Act (MCRA) § 11I explicitly provides for recovery of reasonable attorney fees for “any aggrieved … persons who prevail in an action” under the MCRA.
“The usual rule in Massachusetts is to prohibit successful litigants from recovering their attorney's fees and expenses except in a very limited class of cases. This rule is known as the "American Rule." See Waldman v. American Honda Motor Co., 413 Mass. 320, 321-323, 597 N.E.2d 404 (1992).
In the United States, there are two states and one territory where credit card surcharging is not legally allowed: Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Puerto Rico (as of January 2023). In some states, credit card surcharges are legal but have restrictions.
The private right of action under Massachusetts Civil Rights Act (MCRA) § 11I explicitly provides for recovery of reasonable attorney fees for “any aggrieved … persons who prevail in an action” under the MCRA.
Rule 1.10(b) operates to permit a law firm, under certain circumstances, to represent a person with interests directly adverse to those of a client represented by a lawyer who formerly was associated with the firm. The Rule applies regardless of when the formerly associated lawyer represented the client.
Understanding Massachusetts DUI Laws In Massachusetts, it's illegal to operate a motor vehicle with a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of 0.08% or higher. For drivers under the age of 21, the limit is 0.02%, reflecting the state's zero-tolerance policy towards underage drinking and driving.
For over 100 years, Massachusetts Courts followed the colorfully-named “Common Enemy Rule”, which protected property owners who attempted to remove or divert surface water from their land.