Trial Court Chief Justice Paula M. Carey this week announced the appointment of Judge John D. Casey as chief justice of the Probate and Family Court for a five-year term commencing July 16, 2018. Casey's time in the Probate and Family Court dates back to 2006, and he now succeeds Chief Justice Angela Ordoñez, who has served in the position since 2013.
“I am confident that Judge John Casey has the skills and leadership qualities to help reimagine the structure of the Probate and Family Court,” said Carey. “It is a time of growth and change in the court, and Judge Casey will work to meet the needs of the people we serve in a way that supports the work of judges and utilizes staff to their greatest potential.”
Casey is currently the first Justice of the Norfolk County Probate and Family Court. For the past year he has co-chaired the 2025 Volunteer Transition Leadership Team that was charged with examining the present and future needs of the Probate and Family Court. He has served as a J2J Mentor and frequently participated on panels for the Massachusetts Bar Association, Boston Bar Association, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education and others. For the last four years he has served on the Commission on Judicial Conduct.
“I am excited and humbled by the opportunity to serve as chief justice of the Probate and Family Court. I will dedicate myself to providing the tremendously dedicated judges, registers and staff with the resources they need to do their jobs,” said Casey. “Our court faces both opportunities and challenges and I look forward to continuing the work of Chief Justice Ordoñez to help us through this period. I appreciate the confidence Chief Justice Carey has shown in me and thank her for this opportunity.”
The Probate and Family Court Department is comprised of 14 divisions with 51 authorized judicial positions across the Commonwealth. The Massachusetts Trial Court includes seven court departments with 379 judges who deliver justice in 100 courthouses across the state.