Impact Litigation – Advocacy Highlights
Community Legal Aid represents clients whose legal needs are diverse and require assistance at the agency, trial, and appellate levels. Many of these cases address important issues that not only serve our immediate clients, but affect policies and practices that impact our greater client communities. Representative examples of Community Legal Aid advocacy highlights grouped by subject matter can be found below:
Family Law
- A.R. v. J.E.F.-R., 104 Mass.App.Ct. 1116 (2024) (Ch. 209A Abuse Prevention Order)
- Latoya L. v. Kai K., 104 Mass.App.Ct. 173 (2024) (Ch. 209A Abuse Prevention Order)
- Quilla Q. v. Matt M., 102 Mass.App.Ct. 237 (2023) (Ch. 209A Abuse Prevention Order and Child Support)
- S.G. v. A.K., No. 22-P-553 (Mass. App.Ct. Jan. 18, 2023) (Ch. 209A Abuse Prevention Order)
- De Oliveira v. Melo, 96 Mass.App.Ct. 1113 (2019) (service of process did not conform to due process of law)
- S.G. v. J.L., 96 Mass.App.Ct. 1104 (2019) (Ch. 209A abuse prevention order)
- Martinez v. Martinez-Cintron, 93 Mass.App.Ct. 202 (2018) (motion to dismiss grandparent’s petition for visitation)
- L.B. v. Chief Justice of the Probate and Family Court Dpt., 474 Mass. 231 (2016) (indigent parent has a right to counsel in some guardianship cases)
- Morales v. Morales, 464 Mass. 507 (2013) (Modification of support for children of divorced parents )
- Wolski v. Wolski, 83 Mass.App.Ct. 1102 (2012) (Judge erred in sua sponte entry of reciprocal abuse prevention order under G.L. c. 209A)
- Arnhold v. Mclean, 81 Mass. App. Ct. 1141 (2012) (Modification of child custody order)
- Brantley v. Hampden Div. of Probate and Family Court Dept., 457 Mass. 172 (2010) (litigants lacked standing to bring case against Hampden Division of the Probate and Family Court)
- Maryanne R. v. Mason R., 66 Mass.App.Ct. 1103, cert. denied, 447 Mass. 1105 (2006) (court may consider noncustodial parent's spouse's income in child support)
- Mannor v. Mannor, 46 Mass.App.Ct. 46 (1998) (Probate Court is required to enforce out of state support orders)
- Department of Revenue v. C.M.J., 432 Mass. 69 (2000) (child support)
Housing & Homelessness
- Pennetti v. Beauregard, 105 Mass.App.Ct. 1111 (2025) (summary process)
- Ferreira v. Charland, 103 Mass.App.Ct. 194 (2023) (summary process)
- United States v. Chicopee Housing Authority, 2023 WL 2633737 (D.Mass.2023) (Housing Discrimination)
- Morse v. Ortiz-Vazquez, 99 Mass.App.Ct. 474 (2021) (summary process)
- Lindquist v. Stella, No. 2019-P-1671 (Mass. App.Ct. March 5, 2021) (private housing)
- Federal Square Properties v. MCAD, No. 2019-P-1824 (Mass. App.Ct. March 1, 2021) (housing discrimination)
- The Community Builders v. Cantu, No. 2018-P-1586 (Mass. App. Ct. Sept. 23, 2019) (order dismissing appeal)
- Ellowitz v. Saini, 94 Mass.App.Ct. 1118 (2019) (private housing)
- Clark v. Leisure Woods Estates, 89 Mass.App.Ct. 87 (2016) (Manufactured Housing)
- Kachadorian v. Larson, 87 Mass.App.Ct. 1111 (2015) (Housing Discrimination)
- Deep v. Tremblay, 81 Mass.App.Ct. 1131 (2012) (Manufactured Housing)
- Gardner v. A-Team Realty & Willams, 2011 WL 3875344 (MCAD 2011) (Housing Discrimination)
- In re Benham, 2008 WL 397668 (Bankr.D.Mass. 2008) (Housing Discrimination)
- Gardner v. Pianka, 2006 WL 2918563 (MCAD 2006) (Housing Discrimination)
- Rodriguez v. Montalvo, 371 F.Supp.2d 3 (D.Mass. 2005) (Housing Discrimination)
- Rodriguez v. Montalvo, 337 F.Supp.2d 212 (D.Mass. 2004) (Housing Discrimination)
- Abdeljaber v. Gaddoura, 60 Mass.App.Ct. 294 (2004) (Private Housing)
- Homesavers Council of Greenfield Gardens, Inc. v. Sanchez, 70 Mass.App.Ct. 453 (2007) (Subsidized Housing)
- Madera v. Commissioner of EOCD, 418 Mass. 452 (1994) (Public Housing)
- Serreze v. YWCA of Western Massachusetts, Inc., 30 Mass.App.Ct. 639 (1991) (Subsidized Housing)
- Bech v. Cuevas, 404 Mass. 249 (1989) (Private Housing)
- Ianello v. Court Management Corp., 400 Mass. 321 (1987) (Private Housing)
Public Benefits
- Hoye v. Sebelius, 778 F.Supp.2d 145 (D.Mass. 2011) (Medicare)
- Provencal v. Commonwealth Health Ins. Connector Auth., 456 Mass. 506 (2010) (Commonwealth Care Health Insurance)
- Colon v. Wagner, 462 F.Supp.2d 162 (D.Mass.2006) (Emergency Shelter Benefits)
- Kubetin v. Astrue, 637 F.Supp.2d 59 (D.Mass. 2009) (Social Security Disability Benefits)
- Mendez v. Brown, 311 F.Supp.2d 134 (D.Mass. 2004) (Medicaid)
- Mansfield v. Commissioner of Dept. of Public Welfare, 40 Mass.App.Ct. 1 (1996) (Medicaid)
- Brown v. Chater, 927 F.Supp. 10 (D.Mass. 1996) (Supplemental Security Income Benefits)
- Febus v. Gallant, 866 F.Supp. 45 (D.Mass. 1994) (Public Assistance)
- Massachusetts Assoc. of Older Americans v. Commissioner of Public Welfare, 803 F.2d 35 (1st Cir. 1986) (Medicaid)
- Atkins v. Parker, 472 U.S. 115 (1985) (Food Stamp Benefits)
Employment
- Marrero et al. v. Jeffers, 2085-CV-00937 (Worcester Superior Court), Memorandum of Decision and Order, dated March 2, 2021 (Allowing, in part, Plaintiffs’ Motion for Preliminary Injunction)
- Knidel v. T.N.Z., 2016 WL 5387625 (D.Mass.2016) (Employment Discrimination)
- Arias-Villano v. Chang & Sons Enterprises, Inc., 481 Mass. 625 (2019)(holding that farm workers are entitled to overtime).
- Wheeler v. Pioneer Developmental Services, Inc., 349 F.Supp.2d 158 (D.Mass. 2004) (Family Medical Leave Act)
- Still v. Commissioner of Employment and Training, 423 Mass. 805 (1996) (Unemployment Benefits)
- Vega v. Nourse Farms, Inc., 62 F.Supp.2d 334 (1999) (Migrant Worker Rights)
- Colon v. Casco, Inc., 716 F.Supp. 688 (D.Mass. 1989) (Seasonal Worker Rights)
Consumer Law
- James B. Nutter & Comp. v. Estate of Murphy, 478 Mass. 664 (2018) (Foreclosure)
- Federal Nat. Mortg. Ass'n v. Quill, 90 Mass.App.Ct. 1105 (2016) (Foreclosure)
- Federal Home Loan Mortg. Corp. v. Litano, 2015 WL 3632334 (D.Mass.2015) (Foreclosure)
- Bulmer v. MidFirst Bank, 2014 WL 6070695 (D.Mass.2014) (Foreclosure)
- Orozco v. GMAC Mortg., LLC, 2012 WL 4581092 (D.Mass.2012) (Foreclosure)
- Marengo v. First Massachusetts Bank, N.A., 152 F.Supp.2d 92 (D.Mass. 2001) (Anti-assignment)
