Ellis v. Department of Industrial Accidents

The petitioners, attorneys who are licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth, challenge the validity of two aspects of the Commonwealth’s workers’ compensation *542system. They claim first that G. L. c. 152, § 7C, which authorizes the senior judge (senior judge) of the Department of Industrial Accidents (department) to suspend the right of an attorney to “practice or appear before the department,” violates the separation of powers explicitly provided for under art. 30 of the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights. They claim also that 452 Code Mass. Regs. § 1.19 (3) (2008), which precludes…