Lawyers e-Journal
Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012
News from the courts
SJC endorses final report by Task Force on Hiring in Judicial Branch
The Supreme Judicial Court has reviewed and endorsed the
recommendations in the Final Report of the Task Force on Hiring in the
Judicial Branch, the sixth report in a series to offer
"recommendations designed to ensure a fair system with transparent
procedures in which the qualifications of an applicant are the sole
criterion in hiring and promotion."
The task force recommends a full commitment from the top down to
merit-based hiring and promotion throughout the court system based
on seven well-known elements that are designed to recruit and
cultivate a talented, high-quality workforce. The elements include
well-defined mission statements, job descriptions and competencies,
enhanced applicant pools, objective candidate interviews and
assessments and comprehensive applicant tracking systems. To
achieve success, the task force emphasizes the need for continuous
training and performance reviews and a supportive culture in which
all employees are united in common goals and understanding of the
system's mission and shared values.
The task force issued five previous reports within the past
year. The first two focused on hiring and promotion in the
Probation Department and the critical situation that led to the
court to create the task force. The subsequent reports dealt with
hiring and promotion of court officers, administrative personnel,
and employees of the offices of the appointed and elected clerks,
registers and land court recorder.
Click here to view the final report and for
more information about the task force.