Lawyers e-Journal
Thursday, Feb. 7, 2008
MBA members: SJC calls for evalutations of members of the judiciary
Respond to the SJC's Judicial Performance Evaluation questionnaire
Judges of the Superior, District, Probate and Family, Housing and Juvenile Courts in Berkshire, Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin Counties will be evaluated starting in mid-February by attorneys, court employees and jurors.
From 2001 to 2005, all judges were evaluated for the first time and the second phase of the evaluation will be concluded by the summer of 2008. The purpose of the SJC's Judicial Performance Evaluation program is to enhance judicial performance and the quality of the judicial branch. Crucial to this effort is the full participation of the MBA members.
Attorneys who have appeared repeatedly in these courts in the last two years, according to computerized court records, will receive questionnaires. Any attorney who receives a questionnaire should take the time to complete it, as the more responses received, the more accurate the judicial evaluations will be.
Attorneys will either receive a copy of the questionnaire in the mail, or via e-mail, including Web site log-in instructions to complete the evaluation online. As required by statute, the evaluations are
confidential and anonymous. The results will be transmitted to the judge, the chief justice of his/her court department, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court, and the Chief Justice of Administration and Management.