As part of the ongoing program to evaluate and enhance judicial performance, the Supreme Judicial Court’s Judicial Performance Evaluation Committee has sent questionnaires to attorneys and court employees in Suffolk County. The success of the evaluation program depends on a high rate of participation and timely responses in order to provide judges with fair and complete evaluations.
The survey, which began in mid-February, will evaluate 49 judges in the Boston Municipal Court, District Court, Juvenile Court, Housing Court and Probate and Family Court. Completed paper questionnaires are due on April 3; the electronic questionnaire must be completed by April 10.
Attorneys who computerized records show have appeared in Suffolk County court multiple times during the past two years will receive questionnaires. Attorneys will either receive a copy of the questionnaire in the mail, or if their e-mail address is on file, an invitation to use the evaluation Web site and a username and password.
Since the inception of the program in 2001, evaluations have been conducted in all the counties in the commonwealth. Judges are now being evaluated for the third time.