Hon. Paul C. Dawley appointed District Court chief justice
Chief Justice of the Trial Court Paula M. Carey recently
announced the appointment of Judge Paul C. Dawley as chief justice
of the District Court for a five-year term effective Sept. 1, 2013,
in accordance with G.L. c.211B, §5. Dawley has served on the
District Court since 2001, and as a regional administrative judge
for that department since 2004. Acting Chief Justice of the
District Court Paul F. LoConto had served on an interim basis since
March.
"Chief Justice of the Trial Court Paula M. Carey made an excellent
decision with her selection of Judge Dawley, who brings years of
hands-on experience and leadership, having served as both a
regional administrative judge and the first justice of one of the
commonwealth's busiest courts," said MBA Chief Operating Officer
and Chief Legal Counsel Martin W. Healy. "Judge Dawley has risen
through the ranks of the judiciary and is well-respected by his
colleagues and the bar for his intellect and temperament."
Probate and Family Court pilots Limited Issues Settlement
Conference program
Probate and Family Court Chief Justice Angela M. Ordoñez
announced the creation of a pilot program designed to settle cases
where the majority of the contested issues have already been
resolved.
The Limited Issues Settlement Conference (LISC) program is
envisioned as a judicial case management tool to bring parties and
counsel together, by agreement, to settle any kind of Probate and
Family Court matter, with the involvement and expertise of an
active or retired judge of the Probate and Family Court. Potential
cases range from divorce settlements, child custody and support
issues, and will contests, to guardianships of children or the
elderly, among others. To be eligible to request a conference, the
parties to the case need to have been before the court on at least
one prior occasion, one side must be represented by counsel, and
the parties must agree to bring a working agreement to the
scheduled hearing.
The LISC program is intended to assist the parties in resolving
outstanding issues. If complete resolution is achieved at the
conference, a decree or judgment necessary to conclude the matter
will enter immediately after the conference thus saving parties,
counsel, and the courts from additional expense of time and money
in preparation for, and presentation of, a trial.
Cases pending in any county may participate in this process. The
conferences will be held on the first Friday of each month at the
Norfolk Probate and Family Court in Canton. The first conference
session will be held on Nov. 1, 2013. Free parking is available at
the conference site.
More details about the program, and the form that needs to be
completed for consideration and scheduling, are available online.
Chief Justice Carey and Court Administrator Spence announce
appointments
Chief Justice of the Trial Court Paula M. Carey and Court
Administrator Harry Spence have announced appointments to several
Trial Court senior management positions in the Office of Court
Management and in the Executive Office of the Trial Court. They
have established an organizational chart in consultation with the
chief justices to explain the functions and structure of the Trial
Court's central administrative offices.
- Jeffrey Morrow, a security professional with more than 30 years
of federal law enforcement and national security experience, has
been named Trial Court director of security, effective Sept. 30,
2013.
- Maria Fournier, now in the Administrative Office of the
Juvenile Court, has been named the director of support services,
effective Sept. 3, 2013.
Carey and Spence jointly lead the Executive Office of the Trial
Court and have modified the staffing of that office to support the
new governance structure in the areas of judicial policy,
administration and communications. They are operating the Executive
Office in an integrated, collaborative way and have designed two
new positions to provide support on strategic planning, policy and
operational issues that replace the chief of staff and executive
director positions.
- Kim Wright was appointed to the position of senior assistant -
judicial policy.
- Mary Rafferty was named the senior assistant - administration
& communications.
Medonis appointed Probate and Family Court deputy
administrator
Probate and Family Court Chief Justice Angela M. Ordoñez and
Court Administrator Harry Spence have announced the appointment of
Linda M. Medonis as the deputy court administrator for the Probate
and Family Court department of the Massachusetts Trial Court,
effective Sept. 23. Medonis succeeds Kim J. Wright, who was
recently named senior assistant for judicial policy of the
Executive Office of the Trial Court.
Medonis is currently a partner in the Domestic Relations
Department of Prince, Lobel Tye LLP in Boston, where she has
practiced since 1995. Her practice has included child custody
disputes, analysis and litigation involving complicated financial
structures, estate administration, will contests, guardianships and
conservatorships. She has served as a guardian ad litem, mediator,
special master and court-appointed counsel for children and has
developed and implemented departmental policies and has
participated in budget development and oversight.
Medonis served as the Massachusetts Bar Association representative
to the First Assistant Registers Committee while practicing at
Louison, Witt & Medonis PC in Brockton. She is an active
community volunteer in her hometown of Marshfield and is a graduate
of Westfield State University and New England School of Law.