Meadow Wood LLC v. City of Brockton, 230 N.E.3d 1065 (Mass. App. Ct. 2024) -
The Massachusetts Appeals Court recently interpreted G. L. c. 41, § 81P, which governs “approval not required” endorsements....more
Porter v. Bd. of Appeal of Bos., No. 22-P-974, 2024 WL 187241 (Mass. App. Ct. Jan. 18, 2024).
The case of Porter v. Bd. of Appeal of Boston is the latest case that involves an eternal question posed by developers: how...more
Porter v. Bd. of Appeal of Bos., No. 22-P-974, 2024 WL 187241 (Mass. App. Ct. Jan. 18, 2024).
The case of Porter v. Bd. of Appeal of Boston is the latest case that involves an eternal question posed by developers: how does...more
Griffin v. Melrose MA Plan. Bd., No. 23 MISC 000277 (KTS), 2024 WL 146450 (Mass. Land Ct. Jan. 12, 2024) -
In Griffin v. Melrose MA Plan. Bd., pro se plaintiff David Griffin (“Griffin”) appealed a decision of the Melrose...more
EVALUATING EFFECTIVE NOTICE IN EXERCISE OF OPTIONS -
Sourcing Unlimited, Inc. v. Cummings Properties, LLC, 102 Mass. App. Ct. 653 (2023) -
In Sourcing Unlimited, Inc., plaintiff-tenant Sourcing Unlimited, d/b/a...more
NONCONFORMING USE CLAIMS "ROCKED OUT" BY APPEALS COURT -
Butler v. Zoning Bd. of Appeals of Mattapoisett, 22-P-463 (Mass. App. Ct. Apr. 19, 2023) -
In Butler, Maureen and George Butler (the “Butlers”) asked the...more
FEATURED ARTICLE -
Efforts clauses are common in commercial agreements, including those involving real estate. Where one or both parties cannot guarantee a particular outcome, efforts clauses attempt to qualify obligations....more
4/14/2023
/ Best Efforts Clauses ,
Bylaws ,
Commercial Real Estate Contracts ,
Commercially Reasonable Efforts ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
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Contract Drafting ,
Contract Terms ,
Demolition ,
Real Estate Development ,
Reasonable Efforts Clauses ,
Urban Planning & Development ,
Zoning Board of Appeals
CASES OF NOTE -
CHANGING LANDSCAPE FOR ACCELERATED RENT CLAUSES IN COMMERCIAL LEASES
Cummings Properties, LLC v. Hines, 21-P-1153 (Mass. App. Ct. Sept. 9, 2022)
The Massachusetts Appeals Court recently considered...more
CASES OF NOTE -
LANDLORD UNABLE TO EVICT DESPITE TENANT DEFAULTS -
Varano v. PDJM Land Trust LLC, et al. No. 1884CV02662, (Mass. Super. Ct. June 16, 2022) The Massachusetts Superior Court held that a commercial landlord...more
11/16/2022
/ Breach of Contract ,
Commercial Leases ,
Conservation ,
Eviction ,
Landlords ,
Lease Termination ,
Lis Pendens ,
Preemption ,
Real Estate Development ,
Real Estate Transactions ,
Rental Property ,
Statute of Frauds ,
Tenants
CASES OF NOTE -
GRAVE MATTERS: THE PROTECTION OF PROPERTIES CONTAINING BURIAL SITES -
Church of the Holy Spirit of Wayland v. Heinrich, 2022 WL 1419702, 101 Mass. App. Ct. 32 (2022)....more
8/8/2022
/ Building Permits ,
Bylaws ,
Churches ,
Contract Terms ,
Cremation ,
Decedent Protection ,
Energy Projects ,
Real Estate Development ,
Real Estate Sales Contracts ,
Religious Institutions ,
Site Plans ,
Solar Energy ,
Zoning Board of Appeals
CASES OF NOTE -
FINALIZE BUILDING PLANS EARLY ON TO AVOID DELAYS -
St. Paul's Foundation v. Ives, 29F.4th 32, 33 (1st Cir. 2022) -
A recent decision out of the First Circuit Court of Appeals emphasizes the...more
CASES OF NOTE -
SIMILAR PROJECTS, DIFFERENT DECISIONS -
Brossi, et al. v. Town of Grafton Planning Board, et al., No. 19 MISC 000551 (MDV), 2021 WL 5833935 (Mass. Land Ct. Dec. 9, 2021) -
The Massachusetts Land...more
3/3/2022
/ Article III ,
Building Permits ,
City Planning Departments ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
Fifth Amendment ,
Fourteenth Amendment ,
Just Compensation ,
Land Courts ,
Real Estate Development ,
Real Estate Market ,
Regulatory Takings ,
Rent ,
Security Deposits ,
Site Plans ,
Standing ,
Statutory Violations ,
Subdivision ,
Unconstitutional Condition
CASES OF NOTE -
LIMITATIONS FACING PLAINTIFFS UNDER CHAPTER 40A -
Doyle v. Zoning Board of Appeals of City of Attleboro, No. 20 MISC 000386 (DRR), 2021 WL 5037871 (Mass. Land Ct. Oct. 29, 2021)...more
12/15/2021
/ Building Permits ,
Construction Project ,
Estoppel ,
Eviction ,
Leases ,
Moratorium ,
Real Estate Development ,
Real Estate Market ,
Rental Property ,
Variances ,
Zoning Board of Appeals ,
Zoning Maps
CASES OF NOTE -
CONVEYANCE OF PROPERTY RESULT OF MUTUAL MISTAKE -
Thomas v. Medeiros, 100 Mass. App. Ct. 1106 (2021) -
The Massachusetts Appeals Court recently affirmed a determination by the Land Court that a...more
11/2/2021
/ Adverse Possession ,
Anti-SLAPP ,
Bylaws ,
Deeds ,
Defamation ,
Dispensaries ,
Extortion ,
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Local Ordinance ,
Marijuana ,
Mutual Mistake ,
Property Ownership ,
Real Estate Development ,
Real Estate Market ,
Real Estate Transfers ,
Retail Market ,
Urban Planning & Development ,
Zoning Maps
CASE HIGHLIGHT -
PLAINTIFFS MAKE WAVES FOR HARBOR PLAN -
Foundation, et al. v. Theoharides, et al., 1884 CV02144-BLS1 (April 1, 2021) -
In a recent decision, the Massachusetts Superior Court granted partial summary...more
6/8/2021
/ Commercial Leases ,
Easements ,
Educational Institutions ,
Environmental Policies ,
Holdover Provisions ,
Land Developers ,
Navigable Waters ,
Real Estate Development ,
Regulatory Standards ,
Ultra Vires ,
Urban Planning & Development
Trending Now:
Massachusetts SJC Ruling: Good News for Owners and Developers -
The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts issued a written decision in Murchison v. Zoning Board of Appeals of Sherborn, et al. (SJC-12867) on...more
In Berger, et al. v. 2 Wyndcliff, LLC, et al., No. 16-P-336 (Mass. Appeals Court, Dec. 5, 2017), a group of homeowners in a subdivision subject to an agreement limiting construction on their lots to one single-family dwelling...more
In Town of Chelmsford, et al. v. Newport Materials, LLC, et al., C.A. No. 1681CV03455 (Mass. Super. Ct. Sept. 6, 2017), the Town of Chelmsford appealed a Westford Planning Board (“Board”) decision granting Newport Materials,...more
In Trustees of Cambridge Point Condominium Trust v. Cambridge Point, LLC, No. MICV-2014-03136, 2016 WL 9753783 (Mass. Super. Nov. 18, 2016), appeal argued, SJC No. 2017-P-0113 (Mass. 2017), the trustees (“Trustees”) of the...more
11/9/2017
/ Amicus Briefs ,
Appeals ,
Bylaws ,
Condominium Act ,
Condominiums ,
Construction Defects ,
Construction Industry ,
Construction Project ,
Housing Developers ,
Pending Litigation ,
Real Estate Development ,
Real Estate Market ,
Trustees
In Gund, et al. v. Planning Board of Cambridge, et al., No. 15-P-1339 (Mass. App. Ct. July 19, 2017), neighbors of the former Sullivan Courthouse in Cambridge challenged special permits granted by the Cambridge Planning Board...more
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Makes it Harder to Dismiss Lawsuits by Utilizing the “Anti-SLAPP” Statute -
In Blanchard v. Steward Carney Hospital, SJC-12141 (May 23, 2017) (Slip Op.) the Massachusetts Supreme...more
The new Land Court Rule 14 went into effect on January 1, 2017. The Rule was proposed by the Justices of the Land Court in connection with their collaborative work with the Supreme Judicial Court’s Alternative Litigation...more