Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court

Morales v. Commonwealth

April 24, 2026

Summary

The court affirmed the denial of the defendant's petition for extraordinary relief seeking immediate dismissal of criminal charges based on incompetency. It held that the record did not establish that the defendant would never regain competency, so immediate dismissal was not required by due process or the statutory interest-of-justice provision. The single justice therefore did not abuse her discretion in declining to grant relief under the court's superintendence power.