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Thomas F. Harrison
Tom Harrison is a legal and political reporter based in Boston. His regular beats include the Massachusetts state courts and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Prior to joining Courthouse News, Tom was editor and publisher of the second-bestselling legal periodical in the U.S. He is the author of The Complete Family Guide to Addiction and The Complete Family Guide to Dementia, published by Guilford Press. A graduate of Amherst College, he enjoys art and nineteenth-century novels and holds an advanced certification in French wine.
Latest Articles by Thomas F. Harrison
Subsidies for low-income healthcare providers hotly disputed at First Circuit
A legal battle between the federal government and nearly half the states could affect healthcare for millions of people.
Religious statues on public building divide Massachusetts high court
The line between church and state gets blurred when the same figures have significance not only to religious groups but also to police and firefighters.
‘Jungle primary’ for Massachusetts? Top state court may OK ballot question
The justices appear poised to approve a ballot measure that could create a "radical" change and threaten the two-party system.
Massachusetts high court puts Kalshi on defense
States want to regulate prediction markets, but the federal government is trying to stop them. Massachusetts is the first to take the fight to a state high court.
Teacher fired over outing kid to parents claims free speech at First Circuit
A school insists it has a right to help children change gender identities while keeping their parents in the dark — but does the practice violate the First Amendment?
Top Massachusetts court suggests towns can be forced to allow high-density housing
The justices tried to mediate a high-profile dispute between affordable housing advocates and rural communities that want to preserve their way of life.
First Circuit sees no remedy for cops’ secret recordings
Massachusetts State Police officers might have broken the law, but the judges didn’t seem to think suspects who were targeted had standing to complain.
Fishermen cast federal limits as untenable before First Circuit
A 50-year-old government authority in charge of fishing policy is unconstitutional, the group told the court.