meritless claim (Massachusetts) · Go Syfert
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meritless claim in Massachusetts

5 Massachusetts opinions name it 2 courts 2005–2026 1 in the last five years

The cases below were cited by Massachusetts courts in a sentence that names this issue. Sides come from how each citing opinion treated the case (Syfertize flag on that citation), so a case can appear on both: that is where the law is contested. A red or yellow chip is the case's own overall treatment.

Followed or applied (7)

CaseFollowedCited
Psy-Ed Corporation v. KLEIN HIRSCHgreen
mass · 2011 · cited in 1 Massachusetts opinions naming this issue, 2026–2026
1 sentence

2026See Psy-Ed Corp. v. Klein, 459 Mass. 697, 713 (2011) ("ulterior purpose element is not satisfied merely by a showing that a person commenced litigation knowing it was groundless").

11
Blanchard v. Steward Carney Hospital, Inc.green
mass · 2017 · cited in 1 Massachusetts opinions naming this issue, 2019–2019
2 sentences

2019See also Blanchard , 477 Mass. at 151 , 75 N.E.3d 21 ("Ulterior motives ... do not bear on the petitioning nature of the statements"). *519 Even if the counterclaim lacks merit, an issue we need not decide, a meritless claim alone is insufficient to warrant relief under the anti-SLAPP statute.

2019See also Blanchard , 477 Mass. at 151 , 75 N.E.3d 21 ("Ulterior motives ... do not bear on the petitioning nature of the statements"). *519 Even if the counterclaim lacks merit, an issue we need not decide, a meritless claim alone is insufficient to warrant relief under the anti-SLAPP statute.

11
Lily Transportation Corp. v. Royal Institutional Services, Inc.green
massappct · 2005 · cited in 1 Massachusetts opinions naming this issue, 2011–2011
1 sentence

2011Corp. v. Royal Institutional Servs., Inc., 64 Mass.App.Ct. 179, 204 (2005) (“[A]s matter of law [sic] even a consumer plaintiffs claim of violation of c. 93A based solely on an underlying but meritless claim for common-law fraud is itself without merit. . .”).

11
Mcconnell v. Critchlowgreen
ca9 · 1981 · cited in 1 Massachusetts opinions naming this issue, 2010–2010
1 sentence

2010See, e.g., McConnell v. Critchlow, 661 F.2d 116, 119 (9th Cir. 1981) (“Pursuit of a meritless claim is not justified by the client’s desire to do so”); Quiroga v. Hasbro, Inc., supra at 347 (counsel, “as a trained lawyer, should have known better” than to pursue a frivolous appeal, wasteful of the resources of the opposing party and the court, and should have “an affirmative obligation” to prevent frivolous appeals [citations omitted]).

11
Fernandes v. Rodriguegreen
massappct · 1995 · cited in 1 Massachusetts opinions naming this issue, 2005–2005
1 sentence

2005Corp., 40 Mass. App. Ct. 755, 760 (1996), because it “is absorbed in and vanishes with the [meritless] misrepresentation claim.” Fernandes v. Rodrigue, 38 Mass. App. Ct. 926, 928 (1995).

11
Macoviak v. Chase Home Mortgage Corp.green
massappct · 1996 · cited in 1 Massachusetts opinions naming this issue, 2005–2005
1 sentence

2005Corp., 40 Mass. App. Ct. 755, 760 (1996), because it “is absorbed in and vanishes with the [meritless] misrepresentation claim.” Fernandes v. Rodrigue, 38 Mass. App. Ct. 926, 928 (1995).

11
Slaney v. Westwood Auto, Inc.green
mass · 1975 · cited in 1 Massachusetts opinions naming this issue, 2005–2005
1 sentence

2005L. c. 93A, § 9, see Slaney v. Westwood Auto, Inc., 366 Mass. 688, 703 [1975]), as matter of law even a consumer plaintiff’s claim of violation of c. 93A based solely on an underlying but meritless claim for common-law fraud is itself without merit, Macoviak v. Chase Home Mort.

11

Distinguished, questioned or overruled (0)

CaseNegativeCited
No negative-treatment citations attached to this issue in Massachusetts. Read the followed side critically anyway.

Where else courts name it

PA 1151 (1979–2026) FL 67 (2000–2024) IA 49 (2004–2025) IL 43 (1991–2025) CA 31 (1985–2025) NJ 22 (2017–2026) MI 18 (2012–2025) NY 15 (1983–2025) MO 14 (1992–2025) OH 13 (1992–2025) GA 12 (1990–2026) TX 11 (1987–2020) IN 11 (1991–2020) AL 11 (1986–2026) NC 7 (2008–2024) UT 6 (1989–2012) NE 6 (2006–2026) WI 6 (2018–2026) MA 5 (2005–2026) MN 5 (1968–2010) VA 5 (2021–2026) NV 4 (2018–2020) AZ 4 (1988–2015) OK 3 (2020–2021) HI 3 (2023–2024) DC 3 (2014–2018) WA 3 (2009–2018) KS 3 (2021–2022) SC 2 (2023–2024) CO 2 (1992–2013) CT 2 (2001–2006) ME 2 (1979–2012) NM 2 (1997–2018) TN 2 (1991–2010)

Opinions by the citing court's state. A doctrine retained in one state and abandoned in another shows up here as a year span that stalls.

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