Skip to content
Bench WatchClosing the gap between the courtroom and everyday life.

Need help now? Free, confidential help lines, 24/7. Get help

Associate Justice, Massachusetts Superior Court, presiding over Commonwealth v. Clancy

Hon. William F. Sullivan

Bench Watch Brief · Profile in brief

William F. Sullivan is a Massachusetts Superior Court judge presiding over Lindsay Clancy's murder case in Plymouth County. Gov. Deval Patrick appointed him in 2014. He is a former prosecutor and longtime defense lawyer. Massachusetts judges must retire at 70.

Before the bench

Norfolk County assistant district attorney (1982–84); criminal defense lawyer with his own Quincy practice, Sullivan & Sweeney; special assistant city solicitor for Quincy (2006–08).

Highlights and issues

  1. Notable ruling

    Denies Clancy's double-jeopardy motion to dismiss, clearing the way for a retrial; also denies the prosecution's gag-order request

  2. Notable ruling

    Denies Clancy's motion for a required finding of not guilty

  3. Notable ruling

    Declares a mistrial in the Clancy case after the jury deadlocks; refuses to remove the holdout juror

  4. Reversed on appeal

    Supreme Judicial Court vacates two murder convictions from his courtroom, finding he wrongly excluded psychiatric records

    Commonwealth v. Sanders. The court found an evidence error, not misconduct.

  5. Election

    Confirmed unanimously by the Governor's Council

Tracker · covers 2021–2026 · updated November 14, 2026

Judge William F. Sullivan's record in serious criminal cases

Bench Watch logs decisions by Judge William F. Sullivan of the Massachusetts Superior Court in serious criminal cases, from court records, the Plymouth County DA's releases and news reports. It isn't a complete record. In the four cases where prosecutors' sentencing requests were reported, he sentenced below them three times and matched the request once.

15 entries · select a column to sort

Bench Watch Data

Get the data

Judge William F. Sullivan's record in serious criminal cases

You'll also get the free Bench Watch newsletter. Unsubscribe anytime. You must be 13 or older. See our privacy policy and terms.

Source
2026Commonwealth v. Lindsay ClancyMotion to dismiss (double jeopardy)Denied, finding the jury's deadlock made the mistrial necessary; also denied the defense's requests to question the holdout juror and obtain the juror's recordsDefense asked to dismiss the murder charges; prosecutors opposedSourceCase file
2026Commonwealth v. Lindsay ClancyGag orderDenied the prosecution's request to limit lawyers' public statementsProsecution asked for the order; the defense opposed itSourceCase file
2026Commonwealth v. Lindsay ClancyRequired findingDenied the defense motion for a required finding of not guiltySourceCase file
2026Commonwealth v. Lindsay ClancyMistrialDeclared a mistrial after the jury deadlocked; refused to remove the holdout jurorDefense asked to remove the holdout jurorSourceCase file
2025Commonwealth v. Lindsay ClancyRuling: psychiatric examinations after an insanity defense was announcedAllowed examinations by experts chosen by the prosecutionSource
2024Commonwealth v. Jack CallahanSentence (involuntary manslaughter, jury)4 to 6 yearsProsecution: 9 to 15 yearsBelow the prosecution's requestSource
2024Commonwealth v. Dvante Bly-MollenthielSentence: voluntary manslaughter and gun charges (guilty plea)12 to 15 yearsProsecution: 12 to 15 yearsMatched the prosecution's recommendationSource
2023Commonwealth v. Shannon SquiresSentence (manslaughter, kidnapping; plea)8 to 10 years, plus 5 years' probationSource
2023Commonwealth v. Kirstin SmithSentence (voluntary manslaughter, jury)5 to 6 yearsProsecution: 13 to 14 yearsBelow the prosecution's requestSource
2023Commonwealth v. Kenston ScottSentence (manslaughter, armed home invasion; plea)18 to 20 yearsSource
2023Commonwealth v. Jonathan and Lucnalie JironvilSentence (attempted murder and related charges, jury)8 to 10 years eachProsecution: 14 to 16 yearsBelow the prosecution's requestSource
2023Commonwealth v. Takari ElliotSentence (manslaughter; plea)3 to 5 years, plus 2 years' probationSource
2023Commonwealth v. Robert SavignanoSentence (manslaughter; plea)7 to 10 yearsSource
2022Commonwealth v. Latarsha SandersSentence (first-degree murder, jury)Two life terms without parole, plus 9 to 10 years concurrent; the SJC vacated the murder convictions and ordered a new trial (2026)Mandatory for first-degree murderSource
2021Commonwealth v. Donta HoodSentence (involuntary manslaughter, gun charges; plea)9 years to 9 years and a daySource

How we built this, and what's missing

Cases we follow in this courtroom

  • Video · WCVB Channel 5 Boston
    Criminal trialMistrial

    Commonwealth v. Lindsay Clancy

    Plymouth Super. Ct. · No. 2383CR0019

    Lindsay Clancy is charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the January 2023 deaths of her three young children in Duxbury, Massachusetts. She pleaded not guilty and argued she lacked criminal responsibility because of postpartum mental illness. Her trial ended in a mistrial on Sept. 4, 2026, after the jury deadlocked. On Nov. 9, Judge William F. Sullivan ruled that she can be tried again. The case returns to court Nov. 16, when he plans to set a trial date.

    Updated November 14, 2026 · 3 min read

Sources