I have at least 100 Massachusetts-specific law books at my office (and a few more scattered around my house). Most of them are hardly ever used and some of them have been even been opened. But there are a select few that I use on a regular–sometimes daily–basis.
There are four books in particular that I refer to again and again when representing defendants in criminal court proceedings.
#1: Massachusetts Criminal Law Sourcebook & Citator
My #1 go-to book on criminal law is the Massachusetts Criminal Law Sourcebook & Citator published by New England MCLE. It puts nearly ever criminal statute, procedural rule, and regulation into one volume. Most statutes and procedural rules are accompanied with quotes from related SJC and Appeals Court decisions. It’s by far the most useful law book I own.
#2: Massachusetts District Court Criminal Defense Manual
The second book on my “most used” listed is the Massachusetts District Court Criminal Defense Manual, again published by New England MCLE. I was required to purchase this book when I started taking court-appointed criminal cases. It wasn’t cheap ($200!) but I’ve gotten my money’s worth out it. The book covers all of the typical matters you’ll run into in district court–arraignment, bail, 58A hearings, probation violations, etc. It also includes templates for commonly filed district court motions.
#3: Suppression Matters Under Massachusetts Law
Next, I make good use of Suppression Matters Under Massachusetts Law published by LexisNexis. I reach for this book whenever I suspect that police have conducted an unlawful search or seize. The content of the book is excellent; it almost never lets me down. But the formatting is not as neat as the other books mentioned in this post.
#4: Pocket Guide to Massachusetts Evidence
Lastly, whenever an evidentiary issue crops up, I use the Pocket Guide to Massachusetts Evidence. This is another New England MCLE product. It’s designed for lawyers to use as a quick reference during trial or evidentiary hearings. But, in my opinion, it’s really all you need in most cases. The further you get into the weeds on a legal issue (especially evidentiary issues) the less likely your motion or your argument is to succeed. I wish MCLE would produce more “pocket guides” like this one.