Introduction
Massachusetts is one of the few states where a dog owner can be held strictly liable for a bite even if the animal has never shown any sign of aggression before. No warning. No prior incident. No “one free bite” rule. Under Massachusetts General Laws, if a dog bites someone, the owner is liable, with narrow exceptions for trespassing, provocation, or a victim who was committing a criminal act. Adela Aprodu knows this law, and it illustrates her broader approach to advocacy: she finds the specific legal mechanism that puts her client in the strongest position, whether that client is a bite victim, an accused person fighting criminal charges, or a worker who has been wrongfully terminated.
The Law Office of Adela Aprodu, based in Danvers at 153 Andover Street, Suite 205, serves Essex and Middlesex counties, with court coverage extending to Lynn, Salem, Cambridge, Lowell, and Woburn. Aprodu describes her orientation as fighting for the underdog. The practice covers criminal defense across a wide range of charge types, OUI matters, employment law, immigration, and personal injury. Free consultations are offered, and the office is reachable by both phone and text at (978) 406-9890.
Practice Areas
Criminal Defense
The criminal defense practice covers the most consequential charge categories that Massachusetts residents face.
OUI/DUI: Operating under the influence charges involve breathalyzer results, field sobriety test performance, and the lawfulness of the initial stop. Aprodu handles breathalyzer challenges, including disputes about the machine’s calibration and the administration of the test, and defends against field sobriety test results that may have been affected by medical conditions, footwear, uneven surfaces, or poor test administration. Massachusetts’s implied consent law means that refusing a chemical test triggers an automatic license suspension, making the decision about whether to submit to testing a consequential one that should involve legal advice as early as possible.
Drug Crimes: The practice handles drug charges across the severity spectrum, from simple possession through trafficking and possession with intent to distribute. Massachusetts drug sentencing can be severe, particularly for trafficking quantities, and the firm’s approach begins with examining the lawfulness of the search that produced the evidence.
Domestic Violence: Domestic violence charges in Massachusetts trigger protective orders and can carry significant collateral consequences affecting housing, employment, and child custody. The firm represents individuals charged with domestic violence offenses, examining the factual record carefully before any strategy is set.
Gun and Weapons Charges: Massachusetts has among the most restrictive firearms laws in the country. License to Carry (LTC) and Firearm Identification Card (FID) revocations and denials are a specific area of the practice. The firm handles LTC and FID appeals for clients whose licenses have been denied or suspended.
Sex Crimes: Sex offense charges carry both serious criminal penalties and lasting collateral consequences, including sex offender registration requirements. These cases require careful factual and evidentiary analysis.
Probation Violations: A probation violation can result in incarceration that a suspended sentence had previously avoided. The firm represents clients at probation violation hearings.
Motor Vehicle Offenses and Restraining Order Violations: The practice includes the full range of traffic and motor vehicle charges, as well as restraining order violation defense.
Bail Hearings: The firm handles bail hearings at the earliest stage of criminal proceedings, when securing release is the immediate priority.
Default Warrant Removals: When a warrant has been issued for a missed court date, addressing it promptly and correctly is critical. The firm handles default warrant removals.
Clerk Magistrate Hearings: Massachusetts’s clerk magistrate hearing process provides an early opportunity, before formal charges are issued, to contest probable cause. These hearings can prevent charges from being filed at all, and the firm represents clients at this stage.
Employment Law
Wrongful termination, workplace discrimination, and related employment disputes form a distinct section of the practice. Massachusetts employees have protections under both state and federal law, and many terminations that appear unremarkable on the surface involve legally actionable conduct.
Immigration
The firm handles visa applications and deportation defense. Immigration matters often involve strict federal deadlines and procedures where errors can have severe consequences. The firm provides representation for clients navigating immigration proceedings.
Personal Injury
Car accidents, workplace injuries, and dog bites fall within the personal injury practice. Massachusetts’s strict liability dog bite statute means that injured bite victims have strong legal footing when the exceptions for trespassing, provocation, or criminal conduct do not apply.
Attorney Profile
Adela Aprodu built her practice around the principle of fighting for people whose cases are difficult or whose opponents are more powerful. “The underdog” is not marketing language. It describes a genuine orientation toward clients who need an attorney who will investigate fully, challenge evidence aggressively, and refuse to accept outcomes that a thorough defense would have improved.
Her criminal defense work is technically detailed. Breathalyzer challenges require knowledge of the specific machines used in Massachusetts and the procedural requirements for their use. Field sobriety test defenses require understanding what the standardized tests require and how deviations from those standards affect the evidentiary weight of results. LTC and FID appeals require familiarity with Massachusetts’s firearms licensing law and the grounds on which administrative decisions can be contested.
The practice’s geographic reach within Essex and Middlesex counties reflects Aprodu’s familiarity with the specific courts at Lynn, Salem, Cambridge, Lowell, and Woburn, their procedures, and the judges and prosecutors who practice within them.
The firm is accessible by text as well as phone, a practical detail that matters for clients who may be in situations where a phone call is not feasible but immediate communication is needed.
Location and Service Area
The Law Office of Adela Aprodu is located at:
153 Andover Street, Suite 205
Danvers, MA 01923
Phone and Text: (978) 406-9890
The firm serves clients in Essex and Middlesex counties, with regular coverage of the following district courts:
- Lynn District Court
- Salem District Court
- Cambridge District Court
- Lowell District Court
- Woburn District Court
Client Focus
The firm’s accessibility by text reflects a client-first approach to communication. Criminal cases often develop on short timelines, with bail hearings, arraignments, and clerk magistrate hearings arriving quickly. Clients who are detained or in situations where a phone call is not practical need a way to reach their attorney. Text availability removes that barrier.
The free consultation policy means clients can assess their situation and their options before committing to representation. For criminal matters, where the stakes can include incarceration and permanent record consequences, understanding the full picture before making decisions is essential.
The practice’s orientation toward the underdog has practical content. It means Aprodu does not calibrate her effort to the complexity of the case as a proxy. A dog bite victim, a first-offense OUI client, and someone facing trafficking charges all receive the same standard: full investigation, thorough defense, and a refusal to accept outcomes that better preparation could have improved.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Massachusetts’s strict liability dog bite law, and what does it mean for bite victims?
Under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 140, Section 155, a dog owner is liable for injuries caused by their dog biting or attacking a person, regardless of whether the owner knew the dog had any dangerous tendencies. This eliminates the “one bite rule” that exists in many other states. The exceptions are narrow: if the victim was trespassing, provoked the dog, or was committing a criminal act at the time, the owner may not be liable. In most cases involving lawful visitors or passersby, the victim has a strong claim regardless of the dog’s history.
What happens if I refuse a breathalyzer test in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts’s implied consent law provides that anyone who drives on the state’s roads has implicitly consented to chemical testing when lawfully stopped by law enforcement. Refusing a breathalyzer results in an automatic license suspension, the length of which increases with prior OUI history. The refusal itself is not admissible as evidence of guilt in a criminal trial, but the administrative suspension is immediate. Whether refusing or submitting is the better choice depends on the specific circumstances, and getting legal advice before making that decision, if possible, is strongly advised.
What is a clerk magistrate hearing, and why does it matter?
A clerk magistrate hearing in Massachusetts takes place before formal charges are issued. At the hearing, a clerk magistrate determines whether probable cause exists to issue a criminal complaint. If probable cause is not found, no charges are filed and the case ends. If it is found, the case proceeds to arraignment. Representation at this stage is valuable because it is the earliest opportunity to contest the basis for charges, and a successful outcome here avoids the collateral consequences of having a criminal charge on record at all.
Can firearms license denials or revocations be appealed in Massachusetts?
Yes. LTC and FID denials or revocations by a local licensing authority can be appealed to the district court in the jurisdiction where the denial was issued. The appeals process requires demonstrating that the licensing authority’s decision was wrong under the applicable legal standards. The firm handles these appeals within its criminal and firearms practice.
How does immigration status affect criminal defense strategy?
For non-citizens, criminal convictions can trigger immigration consequences that may be more severe than the criminal penalties themselves, including deportation or bars to future status adjustment. Defense strategy for non-citizen clients requires evaluating the criminal exposure and the immigration consequences of different potential outcomes. Aprodu’s dual practice in criminal defense and immigration allows her to assess both dimensions simultaneously.
Closing
Adela Aprodu’s practice is built on specificity: specific knowledge of Massachusetts criminal procedure, specific familiarity with the courts in Essex and Middlesex counties, and a specific commitment to clients who need an attorney who will do the work required to produce the best available outcome. The combination of criminal defense depth, immigration knowledge, employment law coverage, and personal injury practice means clients facing overlapping or multi-dimensional problems have one place to turn. Reach the office at (978) 406-9890, by phone or text, for a free consultation.
Website: aprodulaw.com