A Q&A with Chief Justice
Rouse
Established in 1859, the
Massachusetts Superior Court is one of the oldest common law trial
courts of general jurisdiction in the country. This year's 150th
anniversary has been an opportunity for the Superior Court to
revisit its rich history and share its importance with the citizens
of the commonwealth.
Although the official date of
the anniversary was July 2, 2009, the celebration for this
milestone has been ongoing throughout the year. Educational
programs and events - such as mock trials, reenactments of famous
trials, open houses and historic tours - have been held for adults,
students and children across the state. The culmination of the
yearlong celebration will come on Sept. 22 when the Superior Court
hosts a statewide symposium and commemorative dinner in
Boston.
As the Massachusetts Superior
Court prepared for these two major events this month, Chief Justice
Barbara J. Rouse took some time out of planning to speak with
Lawyers Journal.
Lawyers Journal:
What does this mean to the Superior
Court?
Chief Justice
Rouse: A few years ago, we gave careful consideration
to how we wanted to commemorate the 150th anniversary.
We wanted to raise public awareness of the work of the judiciary,
and in the process, share a little about our rich history. As a
result, the planning process for this celebration has been a very
organic one, with each county committee taking ownership of the
many celebratory events in its respective area. A host of
educational programs have been met with success over the last year
and we now look forward to the culmination of yearlong celebration
- a symposium and dinner to be held on Sept. 22.
Lawyers
Journal: What does this mean to the
state?
Chief Justice
Rouse: Hopefully, our events have raised the public's
awareness about the third branch of government and the work we do.
The cases handled by the Massachusetts Superior Court have been of
social, political and cultural importance. Since civics is no
longer taught in school, this was a yearlong opportunity for us to
emphasize citizen participation in the justice system. We hope our
outreach, particularly with students, has helped underscore the
important role that citizens play in our work.
Lawyers
Journal: What has been the largest
sweeping change in the Superior Court's
existence?
Chief Justice Rouse:There have been many,
but I'd single out the change in the culture - shifting from an
idiosyncratic personality to one that has more collective goals of
improved case management and enhanced delivery of justice. The
modern state of the court is more focused on management,
accountability and performance measures. Equally important to the
quality of a decision rendered by the court is the timing of that
decision. We've seen success with our Firm, Fair Trial Date
initiative and other measures that have improved our cost
effectiveness and expeditiousness.