On average, 45,000 people enter the Massachusetts courts each
day, starting and ending their court visits in the office of the
clerk-magistrate.
For members of the public visiting the Boston Municipal Court,
that usually means they will run into Daniel J. Hogan, who has
served as the court's clerk-magistrate for 11 years and manages the
largest clerks' office in the commonwealth.
"The clerk-magistrate is an integral cog in the wheels of
justice," said Hogan. "Every piece of paper in the courthouse
begins with a clerk -- small claims, search warrants, making
determinations of probable cause -- we perform every function that
a judge does with the exception of saying 'Guilty.'"
In Massachusetts, clerk-magistrates are judicial officers
primarily responsible for the management and administration of the
court's business. Clerk-magistrates also serve as judicial hearing
officers on procedural criminal matters, such as show-cause
hearings and civil small claims sessions.
Clerk-magistrates in the commonwealth are also gubernatorial
appointments and do not need a law degree to be eligible for the
position. Hogan, however, graduated from Suffolk Law School in 1994
and has found his degree has been helpful in "understanding
arguments and the lawyer's role in the system."
"A law degree has helped me think analytically and like a lawyer,"
he said, who believes that the best trait a clerk can have is the
ability to work well with people.
Hogan, who has worked in the courts for more than 20 years, was
appointed BMC clerk-magistrate by Gov. Paul Cellucci in 2000. He
previously served as acting clerk-magistrate, first assistant clerk
and assistant clerk for the court. Hogan's clerk-magistrate
position at the BMC is unique because he oversees both civil and
criminal business, whereas most courts have a clerk-magistrate for
each, effectively doubling his workload. "He is a working clerk, he
will not ask anyone to do something he will not do himself," said
BMC's First Assistant Clerk-Magistrate Rosemary T. Carr, who has
worked under four clerk-magistrates, and with Hogan since 1988. "He
took the clerk's office to another level and made it a better place
to work … he helped bring the clerk's office into the 21st
century."
Family Ties
The son of retired Dedham District Court Judge William Hogan, he
grew up in Needham, the second youngest of 10 children. Of his
seven sisters and two brothers, five went on to become lawyers.
Hogan's older sister, Mary, now occupies what was once his father's
Dedham District Court seat.
A Boston College High School graduate, Hogan received his
bachelor's degree in economics from Stonehill College before
attending Suffolk Law at night.
"When I started entry-level in the courts, I observed a lot of
lawyers who did a wonderful job for clients, and some that were not
so prepared," Hogan said of his initial interest in attending law
school. "I thought, I can do this."
During his four years at law school, Hogan began each day at 7
a.m. as a BMC - procedures clerk making $15,000 while paying
$18,000 to go to law school. After leaving work at 4:30 p.m., Hogan
would head to class from 5 to 10 p.m., and then bartend from 10
p.m. to 2:30 a.m.
"My father always said you get a degree - no one can take that
away from you," said Hogan, who also has a Masters of Science
degree from the John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy Studies
at the University of Massachusetts Boston.
He admits though that his path through the educational system was
not always easy.
"People helped me get here," he said. "People have helped me along
the way at every step in my life, and I now try to give it back.
That is my philosophy."
Inside the courthouse
As the BMC's clerk-magistrate for the better part of the last
decade, Hogan knows the inner workings of the court system, and the
vital role that clerks play in the administration of justice.
For courthouses to run smoothly -- although "there is always the
inherent conflict between judge and clerk" -- Hogan believes judges
and clerks should understand their roles and not try to
over-exercise authority.
"From a judge's perspective, the lines of authority are not
clear," he said. "From my perspective, the lines of authority could
not be clearer. What judges should do is get on the bench at 9 a.m.
and hear cases. If they would do that, then the system would be
better off and clerks would be responsible for internal
administration. As much as a courthouse is the lifeblood of the
community, the clerk is the lifeblood of the courthouse. Nothing
moves forward or backward without the clerk's office."
"There is not a single so-called expert in the courts that knows
half as much as Dan Hogan about the system and the intricate
nuances of procedural law," said MBA Chief Operating Officer and
Chief Legal Counsel Martin W. Healy. "He is well-respected and a
go-to person for legislators and court leaders, having quietly
played a tremendous role in numerous policy and legislative
matters."
Although a large portion of a clerk's job is focused on
administrative tasks, as public servants, elected and appointed
clerks are also accountable to the public. At the BMC, there is no
voicemail or automated phone system, giving the public direct
access to office staff and clerks when they call with
questions.
"I think from the moment he has been there [at the BMC], he has
worked very hard." Judge Hogan said of his son. "He has made
significant improvements … He has done a good job in training
employees when they merged the criminal and civil sides. I believe
it is quite well known that the BMC is working much better since he
took over."
An Economic Impact
Hogan believes the recent economic climate has had a major
impact on the court system. With an explosion of pro se
litigants in the courts, his BMC office has become creative,
educating its workforce to explain the court processes to the
public in layman's terms. On Wednesdays, the court offers a program
where volunteer attorneys come in to work with pro se
litigants.
"We don't build cars and widgets here," Hogan said. "We deal with
people. The courts are the last bastion, and personnel have to take
extraordinary measures -- we have become social workers, mental
health workers -- we have been asked to wear so many hats."
Hogan has also found that the economy has created a surge in
"crimes of necessity," where citizens are forced to do things they
wouldn't normally do in order to feed their families or pay certain
bills. Hogan refers to these incidents as "state-of-life filings,"
that ultimately create a vicious cycle. When individuals are faced
with unemployment, and might lose everything, that can lead to
depression, abuse and then legal problems.
With lawyers, Hogan sees the downturn in the economy making the
practice of law more adversarial.
"From my perspective, the practice of law has become more
robotic," he said. "No one goes outside to come up with a
reasonable solution -- no one takes time to talk."
One positive from the economic downturn is that Hogan sees the
courts becoming more cognizant of the issues single and small-firm
practitioners face. At the BMC, his office has started to consider
scheduling adjustments to limit practitioners numerous appearances
in court, aiding solo and small-firm lawyers whose extra time in
the office can positively impact revenue.
While Hogan acknowledges that the court has to adapt to changes in
technology and become more user-friendly by allowing people better
access to the court, the economy has hampered the process.
"We have made some pretty good strides, but without funding, there
is only so much you can do," said Hogan, who believes that members
of the courts have an obligation to effectively advocate for
adequate funding to perform constitutional mandates.
"We do a tremendous job," he said. "But we can't do it without
resources. Our most effective resource is our people and we have
lost over 1,000 in the last few years. We can't keep losing people
at that rate."
A Leader of Clerks
Hogan has been involved in the Association for Magistrates and
Assistant Clerks since graduating from law school in 1994, and has
been elected each of the last four years as president of the
400-member association.
"Our number one goal is to educate the public and elected
officials on what we do, which is sometimes overshadowed," he said.
"These are difficult times and we need to focus on helping keep the
benefits of this job in place, so it doesn't continue to get
eroded."
Keith E. McDonough, who has known Hogan for 10 years through the
association and is its current vice president, credits him with
"professionalizing the association" and increasing its
stature.
"I can say that in the past - prior to his becoming president --
the clerks' association may not have been routinely consulted by
the (chief justices) with issues involving clerks," said McDonough.
"That has changed."
Hogan and McDonough are both members of the Trial Court's Fiscal
Task Force and, as a result, are able to speak on behalf of clerks
across the commonwealth. With the likelihood of further fiscal cuts
- both men are working to make sure the hard work of clerks is well
known.
"We have a goal to try to maintain the present staffing levels in
our offices," said McDonough.
"There are different needs for different courts," said Hogan, who
believes the system that clerk-magistrates operate under -- a
site-based management approach -- with each court-magistrate making
decisions about what is best for each office, could possibly be a
good model for the judiciary as it deals with the aftermath of the
Probation Department scandal. "I believe our approach is the best
in the judiciary. It is a model that maybe should be looked
at."
In the end, Hogan's main focus is on helping members of the public
and legal community, by managing an efficient facility that meets
their needs.
"When they are coming up to my casket, if they tell my kids, 'Your
dad was a good man and he helped me …' -- if I can be half the man
my father is, I will have been a success" he said. "In the
end, that will be good enough for me."