Eviction Sealing Information Session at the Pittsfield Athenaeum

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Community Legal Aid will be holding an information session on Eviction Sealing to help eligible residents of Berkshire County learn how to seal their eviction records. 
 
Community Legal Aid is a non-profit organization that provides free legal services annually to over 700 low- income and elderly residents of Berkshire County. 
 
The information session will be led by Community Legal Aid Housing Law Attorney Angelina Morisi and is open to the public. It will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., at the Berkshire Athenaeum, located at 1 Wendell Ave., in the Athenaeum Room.
 
As rental prices soar in Massachusetts, tenants with eviction cases on their records are finding it more difficult to secure affordable housing. A new Massachusetts law, Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 239 s. 16, that took effect on May 5, 2025, allows certain eligible tenants to petition the Court to seal their eviction record. 
 
Tenants may submit a petition to seal their evictions online, in person at the courthouse, or by mail. Not all cases are sealable. Examples of some of the types of cases that may be eligible to be sealed are: when a tenant has won their eviction case (judgment in favor of the tenant); when a tenant was not at fault for the eviction (no-fault eviction); non- payment of rent cases where the tenant has paid the amount owed; and non-payment of rent cases that are at least four years old where the tenant did not pay the amount owed because of a financial hardship. The information session will cover these topics and answer questions about the new law. Tenants can also find out more about eviction sealing at SealMyEviction.org.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Hinsdale OKs Police Department Audit After Fatal Shooting

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

HINSDALE, Mass. — The town has approved $25,000 for an administrative review of the police department, more than two months after police fatally shot 27-year-old Biagio Kauvil during a mental health crisis. 

Town Administrator Robert Graves said the shooting on Jan. 7 is not the only focus of the audit, and it will be several months before the Select Board receives a final report. 

During a special town meeting on March 11, an article appropriating $25,000 from free cash for an independent consultant to conduct a professional evaluation and audit of the Town's Police Department was approved. The audit includes a review of the department's policies, protocols, operations, and procedures, and concludes with a written report. 

"The Berkshire County District Attorney's Office and Massachusetts State Police are investigating the shooting, and we await their conclusions.  As we look to move forward, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, our insurance company (MIIA/Cabot Risk), and our legal counsel have recommended that the town hire an independent law enforcement consultant or firm to conduct a comprehensive administrative review of our police operation," Graves wrote in an email to iBerkshires on Friday. 

"This event is not their focus; they will assess the overall operation. We want a written assessment of our police operation's strengths and weaknesses to help Hinsdale make future changes and improvements." 

He said after completing the procurement process and signing a contract with a reputable consultant or business, it will most likely be several months before the Select Board receives the final report. 

"Still, it will help the town and police department move forward," Graves wrote. 

Last weekend, family and friends of Kauvil stood in Park Square asking for justice. A flier for the standout reads "Biagio was killed by police while experiencing a mental health crisis. Now, over seven weeks later, authorities have not yet provided any updates.

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