West v. First Agricultural Bank

For convenience, we discuss in one opinion two cases in which the respective plaintiff wives sought to present constitutional challenges to the Massachusetts form of tenancy by the entirety as it existed before its reformulation by legislation that became effective in 1980 (St. 1979, c. 727, amending G. L. c. 209, § 1, effective February 11, 1980).1 Invoked by the plaintiff Ruby West was the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, and by both plaintiffs, art. 1 of the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights, as amended by art. 106 of the Articles of Amendment, effective November 2,…