Legal Opinion
Dickerson v. Attorney General
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Decided February 12, 1986PublishedCited by 89 opinions
1Opinion of the CourtHennessey, C.J.
The plaintiff, Lewis H. Dickerson, brought a declaratory judgment action in the Supreme Judicial Court for Suffolk County challenging the constitutionality of G. L. c. 278, § 33E (1984 ed.), which requires defendants convicted of murder in the first degree to obtain leave from a single justice of this court in order to appeal postconviction motions. Dickerson claims that the “gatekeeper” provisions of G. L. c. 278, § 33E, deny him equal protection of the laws, in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and arts. 1,6, and 7 of the Massachusetts Declaration of…
2Cases cited22 opinions
- Vance v. BradleySupreme Court of the United States · 1979
- Ross v. MoffittSupreme Court of the United States · 1974
- Clements v. FashingSupreme Court of the United States · 1982
- Rinaldi v. YeagerSupreme Court of the United States · 1966
- Estelle v. DorroughSupreme Court of the United States · 1975
17 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by89 opinions
- Commonwealth v. MirandaMassachusetts Appeals Court · 1986
- Commonwealth v. AngiuloMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1993
- Opinion of the Justices to the SenateMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1996
- Commonwealth v. CookMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 1994
- Massachusetts Federation of Teachers v. Board of EducationMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 2002
84 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.