eJournal

SJC begins search for next Trial Court
chief justice

With Chief Justice Jeffrey Locke retiring in December 2023, the Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) has commenced the process to select his successor by issuing a notice inviting applications and nominations for the position of chief justice of the Trial Court.

The chief justice is a key leadership position in the Massachusetts judiciary, with responsibility for the general superintendence of the judicial policy of the Trial Court. The chief justice works in close collaboration with the court administrator to advance the mission of the Trial Court — “justice with dignity and speed.”

By statute, the position must be filled from among the judges of the Trial Court departments, by a majority vote of the justices of the SJC. The chief justice, like the court administrator, reports to the justices through the chief justice of the SJC.

The application and nomination period will remain open until the close of business on Sept. 15, 2023. Trial Court judges interested in the position, and others interested in nominating a Trial Court judge for consideration, should submit the required materials as set forth in the notice by that deadline.

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Trial Court issues amended child support guidelines

Trial Court Chief Justice Jeffrey A. Locke this week announced the promulgation of amended child support guidelines to be effective on July 31. The amended child support guidelines shall be applied to all child support orders and judgments entered as of July 31.

The child support guidelines are used by Trial Court judges in setting orders for child support, in deciding whether to approve agreements for child support, and in deciding cases that are before the court to modify existing orders.

The child support guidelines have been clarified to specifically “[p]rovide that incarceration may not be treated as voluntary unemployment in establishing or modifying child support orders.” 45 C.F.R. § 302.56 (c) (3). These amendments appear in the Preamble and in Section 1. E. 1.

Section 1. E. 1 now provides:

E. Attribution of Income  
1. Income may be attributed where a finding has been made that either parent is capable of working and is unemployed or underemployed. Incarceration may not be treated as voluntary unemployment in establishing or modifying child support orders.

These amendments to the guidelines do not affect the Worksheet or the Findings and Determinations for Child Support and Post-Secondary Education form.  

The child support guidelines can be found here.

Probate and Family Court updates

The Probate and Family Court has announced the following updates:

Category AA application

The application for Category AA Professional Parenting Time Supervisor is now available. 

The application and other Probate and Family Court fee-generating information can be found at Fee Generating appointments in the Probate and Family Court.

eFiling update

Private adoptions are now available to eFile. This includes adoption with change of name and adoption without change of name case types.

For more information on eFiling in the Probate and Family Court, including FAQs and available eFiling codes, visit eFiling in the Probate and Family Court.

Note that all eFiled pleadings do not become part of the official record until they are reviewed and accepted by court staff. 

Job Opening

The Office of the Commissioner of Probation (OCP) is seeking an administrative attorney to provide specialized administrative and legal assistance within the OCP Legal Unit under the direction of the deputy commissioner/legal counsel for the Massachusetts Probation Services. An administrative attorney's primary tasks include:

• Researching legal issues;
• Making recommendations to the deputy commissioner/legal counsel, OCP executive and senior staff, or Probation field staff;
• Assisting the Records Unit with legal issues;
• Assisting with OCP human resources issues;
• Supporting the Office of the Attorney General and the Office of Court Management with legal assistance involving Probation matters;

Click here for more information and to apply.