Federal
USDC allows cameras, Virtual Press Box
access
Effective Oct. 17, 2011, the U.S. District Court for the
District of Massachusetts became one of 14 pilot courts
participating in a three-year study of the use of cameras in
courtrooms for civil cases in which the parties have consented to
recording by the court.
The court is also expanding access to the court's electronic case
filing system (ECF) by approved holders of a media ID issued by the
court. Upon approval of an application for a Virtual Press Box
(VPB), holders will be able to obtain a "read only" ECF account and
receive e-mail notification of all activity in cases they have
chosen to follow.
State
SJC appoints search committee for new court
administrator
Dec. 2 deadline
In the wake of historic court reform legislation, the Supreme
Judicial Court has appointed a search committee for the newly
created court administrator position. The position will oversee the
Trial Court Department's business operations, including budget
preparation and oversight, labor relations, information technology,
capital projects and personnel policy.
The SJC notes the challenges facing the administrator, including
staffing shortages and many inadequate facilities in the midst of
shrinking budgets.
The new, non-judicial position will work alongside the chief
justice of the Trial Court, who will be responsible for all matters
of judicial policy. The two positions will share the duties of
current Chief Justice for Administration and Management Robert A.
Mulligan, who will be appointed the new Trial Court chief justice.
By statute, the two positions will receive identical salaries of
$140,358 plus benefits.
Applications for court administrator must be received by the end
of business on Friday, Dec. 2. The new administrator will be
appointed for a five-year renewable term in early 2012 "to ensure
the effective assumption of responsibilities before the legislation
becomes fully effective on July 1, 2012."
The search committee is chaired by attorney Michael B. Keating, a
partner at Foley Hoag LLP chair of its Litigation Department. He is
a former chair of the Court Management Advisory Board and past
president of the Boston Bar
Association.
The other members are:
- Hon. Margot G. Botsford, SJC associate justice;
- Craig Burlingame, Trial Court chief information officer;
- Hon. Paula M. Carey, Probate and Family Court chief justice and
a leader on several court committees;
- Hon. Lynda M. Connolly, District Court chief justice and former
co-chair of the Trial Court's Budget Advisory Committee and Court
Relocation Committee;
- Hon. Jeffrey A. Locke, Superior Court associate justice and
former commissioner of the Department of Social Services;
- Glenn Mangurian, business leader, Court Management Advisory
Board member, and University of Massachusetts
executive-in-residence;
- Hon. James F. McHugh, Massachusetts Appeals Court associate
justice and former special advisor on technology to the chief
justice for administration and management;
- Anthony S. Owens, Boston Municipal Court clerk magistrate,
Dorchester Division, and former chief probation officer of the West
Roxbury Division of the Boston Municipal Court;
- David B. Perini, Esq., former Division of Capital Asset
Management commissioner and former chairman and CEO of Perini
Corp.; and
- Michael A. Sullivan, Esq., Middlesex Superior Court clerk of
court and Superior Court Clerks Association president.
SJC issues Land Court judicial
evaluations
The Supreme Judicial Court is asking attorneys to respond to
questionnaires evaluating the performance of Land Court
judges.
The SJC says the evaluation program, which began in October, is
the best opportunity for attorneys to voice their opinions of the
members of the judiciary, noting that the full participation of the
bar is crucial to enhancing the performance and quality of the
judicial branch. It asks attorneys to complete the questionnaire,
because more responses will provide a more accurate
representation.
Attorneys will receive a questionnaire via e-mail with a link to
an evaluation website. As required by statute, the evaluations are
confidential and anonymous. The results will be transmitted to the
judge, the chief justice of the Land Court, the chief justice of
the SJC and the chief justice of administration and
management.