Section 300.08 - Representatives and Attendance at Parole Hearings(1) The Parole Board does not permit representation by counsel at initial release hearings or at any review hearing, except for those inmates serving a life sentence with attendant parole eligibility. The Parole Board permits representation by attorneys or law students under an attorney's supervision at parole rescission hearings, preliminary parole revocation hearings, and final parole revocation hearings. Representation by another inmate is not permitted.(2) For inmates who are not serving a life sentence with attendant parole eligibility, only the parole hearing panel, the inmate, parole staff, and a representative of the superintendent of the institution where the inmate is incarcerated will routinely attend initial release and review hearings. (a) Under special circumstances, individuals other than those enumerated in 120 CMR 301.08(2) and 401.00: Victim Access Hearings may attend specified initial and review hearings, but only with the permission of the parole hearing panel.(b) The parole hearing panel may, in its discretion, permit a qualified individual to represent an inmate who, because of a mental, psychiatric, medical, physical condition or language barrier is not competent to offer testimony at or understand the proceedings of an initial release or review hearing.Amended by Mass Register Issue 1330, eff. 1/13/2017.