Nursing License Defense Lawyer in Springfield, MA
Nursing License Defense Lawyer in Springfield, MA
If you’re facing a criminal case in Hampden County and a complaint to the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing at the same time, the two proceedings don’t wait for each other. The Board can investigate independently under M.G.L. c. 112, §77, regardless of how the criminal matter turns out. A nursing license defense lawyer in Springfield, MA, can help you avoid a statement in one case that damages the other.
Grounds the Board Can Use Against You
Massachusetts doesn’t need a criminal conviction to discipline a nurse. Under M.G.L. c. 112, §61, the Board may suspend, revoke, or cancel a license for incapacity tied to mental illness, deceit, malpractice, gross misconduct, or an offense against a law relating to the nursing profession.
244 CMR 7.03 adds nursing-specific grounds, including practicing beyond your scope, criminal conviction, lack of good moral character, failure to cooperate with an investigation, and record falsification, among others.
Whatever the Order to Show Cause cites, the allegation must be tied to the exact subsection. A broad label like unprofessional conduct doesn’t excuse the Board from proving the underlying conduct.
A Criminal Charge Does Not Decide Your License
A pending charge in Hampden County is not the same as a finding against you. The Board may still investigate the same facts on its own timeline, and it isn’t required to wait for the outcome of your criminal case.
If you’re eventually convicted of a felony, M.G.L. c. 112, §74 lets the Board annul your registration and cancel your certificate after a hearing and a majority vote. Still, a dismissal or acquittal doesn’t automatically close the Board’s file either, since the two proceedings serve different purposes and apply different standards of proof.
A statement that helps your criminal defense can hurt your licensing case, and the reverse is just as true. A nursing license defense lawyer in Springfield, MA, can help you decide what to disclose to the Board, and when, without compromising what’s happening in criminal court.
Keeping the two timelines straight, knowing what’s due where and when, is its own kind of work. A nursing license defense lawyer in Springfield, MA, can track both calendars so a missed Board deadline doesn’t become its own violation while you’re focused on the criminal matter.
Coordinate Your Defense Before You Say Anything Else
A criminal case and a Board complaint can move forward together, and neither one waits politely for the other. At Anthony Riccio Law, our nursing license defense lawyer in Springfield, MA, can review what’s been filed in both proceedings, help you prepare a response that doesn’t undercut either one, and represent you through a hearing if your case gets that far. Contact us before you respond to either side. Call Riccio Law at (617) 404-8878.