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John H. Cunha Jr
also known as Jack Cunha
About John
Biography
John H. Cunha Jr., a partner at the Boston firm of Cunha & Holcomb, P.C., focuses on litigation, particularly criminal defense, trial and appellate. Jack is a former criminal clinical instructor at Suffolk and Harvard Law Schools. He represents clients charged with a broad variety of offenses, including many homicide trials and appeals.
In one of two federal RICO cases in which he prevailed at trial, U.S. v. Green, his Daubert challenge to so-called ballistics testimony precluded government “experts” from testifying that they had determined crucial evidence from a shooting scene matched a handgun linked to his client. Jack also litigated Com. v. Patterson post-conviction, in both the trial and appellate courts, in which his Daubert/Lanigan challenge succeeded in excluding “simultaneous” fingerprints, the key evidence against his client charged with the murder of a Boston police detective, resulting in the release of his client. He also brought two Daubert/Lanigan challenges in the Superior Court to so-called ballistics evidence.
In 2012, Jack secured not guilty verdicts at trial for his client on all charges in the nationally publicized “Mattapan Massacre” case, in which his client was charged with four murders, home invasion, armed robbery, and other crimes.
He has lectured for the National Institute of Justice, Federal Defender/Criminal Justice Act/state bar association trainings nationwide, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc., the National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys, the Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (MACDL), and other CLE programs. He is a current Board member and past President of MACDL.
Practice Areas
3
Practice Areas
Fees and Rates
Cost
Retainer
Sometimes
Payment Methods
- Cash
- Check
- Credit Card
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Chat withLicenses
Licensed in New York for 39 years
State: New York
Acquired: 1986
No misconduct found
Licensed in Massachusetts for 48 years
State: Massachusetts
Acquired: 1977
No misconduct found
Location
Law Offices of John H. Cunha Jr
One State Street, Suite 500, Boston, MA, 02109-3507
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John Amabile
Criminal defense lawyer
Experience
Honors
2023
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2023
Super Lawyer, SuperLawyers
2022
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2022
Super Lawyer, SuperLawyers
2021
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2021
Super Lawyer, SuperLawyers
2020
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2020
Super Lawyer, SuperLawyers
2019
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2019
Super Lawyer, SuperLawyers
2018
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2018
Super Lawyer, SuperLawyers
2017
Super Lawyer, SuperLawyers
2017
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2016
Super Lawyer, SuperLawyers
2016
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2015
Super Lawyer, SuperLawyers
2015
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2015
Edward Duggan Award, Massachusetts Committee for Public Counsel Services
2014
Super Lawyer, SuperLawyers
2014
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2013
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2013
Super Lawyer, SuperLawyers
2013
Lawyer of the Year, Lawyers Weekly
2012
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2012
Super Lawyer, SuperLawyers
2011
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2011
Super Lawyer, SuperLawyers
2010
AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2010
Super Lawyer, SuperLawyers
2009
Super Lawyer, SuperLawyers
2009
Preeminent 5.0 out of 5, Martindale-Hubbell
2008
Super Lawyer, SuperLawyers
2008
Preeminent 5.0 out of 5, Martindale-Hubbell
2007
Preeminent 5.0 out of 5, Martindale-Hubbell
2007
Super Lawyer, SuperLawyers
2006
Preeminent 5.0 out of 5, Martindale-Hubbell
2005
Preeminent 5.0 out of 5, Martindale-Hubbell
2004
Preeminent 5.0 out of 5, Martindale-Hubbell
2003
Preeminent 5.0 out of 5, Martindale-Hubbell
2002
Preeminent 5.0 out of 5, Martindale-Hubbell
2001
Preeminent 5.0 out of 5, Martindale-Hubbell
2000
Preeminent 5.0 out of 5, Martindale-Hubbell
1999
Preeminent 5.0 out of 5, Martindale-Hubbell
1998
Preeminent 5.0 out of 5, Martindale-Hubbell
1997
Preeminent 5.0 out of 5, Martindale-Hubbell
1996
Preeminent 5.0 out of 5, Martindale-Hubbell
1995
Preeminent 5.0 out of 5, Martindale-Hubbell
1994
Preeminent 5.0 out of 5, Martindale-Hubbell
1993
Preeminent 5.0 out of 5, Martindale-Hubbell
Work Experience
1998 - Present
Partner, Cunha & Holcomb, P.C.
1994 - 1998
Partner, Salsberg, Cunha & Holcomb, P.C.
1985 - 1995
Clinical Instructor, Harvard Law School
1982 - 1985
Clinical Instructor, Suffolk University Law School
1981 - 1994
Partner, Salsberg & Cunha
1979 - 1981
Public Defender, Massachusetts Ethics Commission
1977 - 1979
Attorney, Massachusetts Defenders Committee
Associations
2012 - Present
Boston Bar AssociationMember
1998 - Present
Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense LawyersBoard of Directors
2009 - 2011
Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense LawyersPresident
Education
1977
Boston College Law School
J.D.
1973
Boston College
BA - Bachelor of Arts
Speaking Engagements
2014
When Cell Phones Become Evidence - Boston, MA
Attacking cell phone seizure, search, and use at trial
2013
Multi-Track Federal Criminal Defense Seminar - Buffalo, NY
ATTACKING FINGERPRINTS WITH A VENGEANCE: SHOWING THE COURT AND THE JURY WHY THIS “JUNK SCIENCE” SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED!
2013
Multi-Track Federal Criminal Defense Seminar - Buffalo, NY
ATTACKING THE GOVERNMENT’S FIREARM AND TOOLMARK IDENTIFICATION EVIDENCE
2013
Green Mountain Juvenile and Criminal Defense Institute
Where's Waldo? Government Use of Information from Cellphone Calls
2011
Winning Strategies & Fundamentals Seminar - San Antonio, TX
Challenging Firearms and Toolmark ID Evidence
2007
National Institute of Justice 2007 Conference - Washington, D.C.
Legal Challenges in Fingerprint Evidence and Recent Developments in Forensic Case Law
2006
NIJ Conference on Science and the Law - St. Petersburg, FL
Attacking the Reliability of Fingerprint Evidence
2006
NACDL Fall Meeting & Seminars - Boston, MA
Attacking the Reliability of Ballistics Evidence
Languages
English
French