Remember former state senator James Marzilli? He resigned from the senate in the wake of his arrest for allegedly sexually assaulting women he approached walking on the streets in Lowell. Three of those women went to court seeking an injunction to prevent Marzilli from ever getting anywhere near them again.

More notably, the women asked that the court issue the injunction not just on their own behalves, but on behalf of all women in Massachusetts — a request that would effectively mean Marzilli would have to stay away from all members of the opposite sex.

The trial judge denied to issue such an injunction and today the Appeals Court upheld the trial judge’s ruling. It held that these private plaintiffs have no standing under the state’s civil rights law to seek an injunction on behalf of the public at large.

The full opinion is here: Carroll v. Marzilli.

Photo of Bob Ambrogi Bob Ambrogi

Bob is a lawyer, veteran legal journalist, and award-winning blogger and podcaster. In 2011, he was named to the inaugural Fastcase 50, honoring “the law’s smartest, most courageous innovators, techies, visionaries and leaders.” Earlier in his career, he was editor-in-chief of several legal publications, including The National Law Journal, and editorial director of ALM’s Litigation Services Division.