Judge Allan van Gestel, one of the commonwealth's most respected jurists, was sworn in as a Superior Court judge in 1996. Since Oct. 2, 2000, van Gestel has been the presiding judge in the Suffolk Business Litigation Session. However, according to the Massachusetts constitution, "upon achieving 70 years of age, a judge shall be retired." Unfortunately for business litigators, van Gestel turns 70 this December.