EVENT: Thurs., Feb 5---SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT

SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT: The Supreme Judicial Court meets this week. In one case, Commonwealth v. Mark Means, the issue is whether a Superior Court judge correctly denied a criminal defendant the right of counsel, ruling that the defendant had forfeited his right because of wrongdoing. In another case, MC WorldCom Network Services joins with the cities of Boston and Newton in fighting the state Department of Revenue. That case deals with a number of issues, including: whether the Appellate Tax Board employed an erroneous standard of review of the revenue commissioner's valuation of certain telephone company personal property; whether the telephone company met its burden of proof to show its property was overvalued; whether the board correctly ruled that it could not increase valuation on the taxpayers' appeal unless the municipality had appealed; and whether an entity that was a limited liability company is entitled to the corporate utility exemption from personal property tax.

(Thursday, 9 am, Courtroom One, John Adams Courthouse, One Pemberton Square)