Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 6, § 178M (2026)

Judicial review of final classification

✓ current as of July 2026

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Section 178M. An offender may seek judicial review, in accordance with section 14 of chapter 30A, of the board's final classification, reclassification and registration requirements. The court shall, if requested, appoint counsel to represent the sex offender in the proceedings if such sex offender is deemed indigent in accordance with section 2 of chapter 211D. An attorney employed or retained by the board may make an appearance, subject to section 3 of chapter 12, to defend the board's decision. The court shall reach its final decision within 60 days of such sex offender's petition for review. The court shall keep proceedings conducted pursuant to this paragraph and records from such proceedings confidential and such proceedings and records shall be impounded, but the filing of an action under this section shall not stay the effect of the board's final classification.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 83 cases (19 in the last 5 years), 1996–2026 · leading case: Doe v. Sex Offender Registry Bd., 459 Mass. 603 (Mass. 2011).

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Doe v. Sex Offender Registry Bd., 459 Mass. 603 (Mass. 2011). · cites it 2× “Doe sought judicial review of the decision by filing a six-count complaint in the Superior Court pursuant to G. L. c. 6, § 178M, and G. L. c. 30A, § 14.”

Commonwealth v. Hammond, 78 N.E.3d 1128 (Mass. 2017). · cites it 3× “The defendant would be able to present that favorable finding (or challenge any adverse finding) in an appeal to the Superior Court under G. L. c. 6, § 178M, and G. L. c. 30A, § 14, or in a declaratory judgment action, and argue that the mandatory registration requirement of G.”

L.L., a Juv. v. Commonwealth, 20 N.E.3d 930 (Mass. 2014). “8 The Commonwealth also suggests that the juvenile should be required to exhaust his administrative remedies by proceeding through the sex offender registration process and, if necessary, appealing from the final classification decision of the Sex Offender Registry Board (board)…”

Doe v. Sex Offender Registry Bd., 925 N.E.2d 533 (Mass. 2010). · cites it 2× “Doe sought judicial review of the board’s decision in the Superior Court, see G. L. c. 6, § 178M, arguing, inter alla, that the board lacked jurisdiction over him because the offense to which he pleaded guilty in Maine is not a “like offense” to any of the Massachusetts offenses…”

Doe v. Sex Offender Registry Bd., 897 N.E.2d 992 (Mass. 2008). · cites it 4× “A judge in the Superior Court conducted judicial review, pursuant to G. L. c. 6, § 178M, and G. L. c. 30A, § 14.”

John Doe v. Sex Offender Registry Bd., 126 N.E.3d 939 (Mass. 2019). “See G. L. c. 6, § 178M ; G. L. c. 30A, § 14. 2.”

Doe, SORB No. 523391 v. Sex Offender Registry Bd., 120 N.E.3d 1263 (Mass. App. Ct. 2019). “The examiner concluded that Doe posed a moderate risk to sexually reoffend and a degree of dangerousness such that a public safety interest is served by public access to Doe's registry information, and thus classified him as a level two sex offender.”

Doe v. Sex Offender Registry Bd., 999 N.E.2d 478 (Mass. 2013). · cites it 2× “Doe sought judicial review of SORB’s decision in the Superior Court, pursuant to G. L. c. 6, § 178M, and G. L. c. 30A, § 14.”

Noe, SORB No. 5340 v. Sex Offender Registry Bd., 102 N.E.3d 409 (Mass. 2018). · cites it 2× “30A, § 14, and G. L. c. 6, § 178M. He moved for judgment on the pleadings under Mass.”

Doe v. Sex Offender Registry Bd., 130 N.E.3d 778 (Mass. 2019). “Before a classification is made final, an individual has the opportunity to request an evidentiary hearing before a hearing examiner.”

Doe, Sex Offender Registry Bd. No. 3974 v. Sex Offender Registry Bd., 927 N.E.2d 455 (Mass. 2010). · cites it 2× “1 , 2 On de novo review, a hearing examiner affirmed the plaintiff’s classification, as did the Superior Court judge who heard the plaintiff’s appeal pursuant to G. L. c. 6, § 178M, and G. L. c. 30A, § 14.”

Doe v. Sex Offender Registry Bd., 697 N.E.2d 512 (Mass. 1998). · cites it 2× “” G. L. c. 6, § 178M. II. Procedural and factual background.”

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