After a severe storm destroyed numerous homes on Plum Island (Massachusetts), owners sought permits to rebuild. The local authorities approved the permits, but the Massachusetts Department for Environmental Protection (DEP) intervened. DEP imposed two conditions on permits to rebuild: One condition … Continue reading
William and Marlene Pepin are defending their property rights from the Massachusetts’ Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. The agency has regulated the Pepins’ property as habitat – prohibiting development unless approved by Division bureaucrats – even though their land could not be … Continue reading
In 2011, the United States Supreme Court held in AT&T Mobility v. Concepcion that states could not invoke “public policy” or “unconscionability” as a reason to invalidate arbitration agreements that contain a class action waiver. The Federal Arbitration Act demands … Continue reading
As we move slowly towards the over-the-top nanny-state envisioned in Demolition Man, with the state empowered to regulate even the most mundane of human interactions, one might be tempted to drop a few choice words in disbelief. In Massachusetts, that … Continue reading
Author: Brandon Middleton Daniel Holmes is a commercial lobster fisherman who fishes in Cape Cod Bay and other waters off the coast of Massachusetts. Holmes' fishing gear complies with state and federal regulations, and his equipment is known within the … Continue reading