Attorney Matthew Peterson recently won a motion for a new trial in Middlesex Superior Court in Lowell, vacating a client’s guilty plea in a shooting case.
The reason: the client’s previous lawyer never did the work a real defense requires. After a hearing, the judge agreed that the client received ineffective assistance of counsel, threw out the plea, and put the case back on the active trial list.
Here is what happened, and why it matters.
Four Years, and Almost Nothing to Show for It
The client faced serious charges connected to a shooting. His previous attorney stayed on the case for roughly four years. Across that stretch, communication with the client and his family was inconsistent at best — long silences, little explanation, no clear sense of where the case was headed.
Then, as the trial finally approached, the attorney turned his attention to the case and persuaded the client to plead guilty.
What the Prior Lawyer Failed to Do
When Matthew Peterson took over, he went back through everything the previous lawyer had done across those four years. The record was nearly empty. Before steering the client into a guilty plea, the attorney had:
Never reviewed the discovery — the evidence the prosecution planned to use at trial
Filed no motions to challenge that evidence or the charges
Failed to keep up with the case or communicate with the client in any meaningful way
A guilty plea is supposed to be a knowing, voluntary choice made with the advice of a competent lawyer. When the lawyer never investigated the case, the advice behind that plea rests on nothing.
How the Motion for New Trial Succeeded
Matthew filed a motion for a new trial, arguing exactly that. The prior attorney’s performance fell far below what a competent lawyer would have done, and it directly shaped the client’s decision to plead guilty. That is the heart of an ineffective assistance of counsel claim — and here, the failures were not close calls or second-guessed strategy. They were the absence of any defense at all.
After a hearing, the judge agreed. The guilty plea was vacated, and the case was restored to the active trial list.
That does not mean the case is over. The client still faces the charges. What it means is that he finally gets the defense he should have had the first time — discovery reviewed, motions considered, and a lawyer who actually fights the case.
Why This Result Matters
People often assume a case is lost for good once they plead guilty. It is not. Everyone charged with a crime has the right to a competent defense, and when a lawyer ignores the evidence, files nothing, and pushes a client toward a plea without doing the groundwork, a Massachusetts judge has the power to undo it.
Winning that relief takes a careful, honest look at what the prior lawyer actually did and did not do, paired with a clear showing that it made a difference. That is what carried the day in Lowell.
Think Your Lawyer Failed You? Talk to Us
If you pleaded guilty or were convicted and believe your lawyer never gave you a real defense, you may still have options. A guilty plea is not always the end of the road.
The Law Office of Matthew W. Peterson offers consultations on criminal cases. We will review what happened in your case and tell you honestly whether you have a path forward. Call or text us at 617-295-7500, or send us a message below.
