NCJ Number
58062
Date Published
1979
Length
85 pages
Annotation
THE ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF MASSACHUSETTS' COURT SYSTEM ARE DESCRIBED, AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE SYSTEM CONFORMS TO AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION (ABA) STANDARDS ON COURT ORGANIZATION IS NOTED.
Abstract
ONE OF A SERIES OF STATE PROFILES PREPARED TO FACILITATE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ABA STANDARDS, THE REPORT IS BASED ON A REVIEW OF MASSACHUSETTS' CONSTITUTION, STATUTES, COURT RULES, ANNUAL COURT REPORTS, AND ADMINISTRATIVE AND PERSONNEL MANUALS. AN OVERVIEW SUMMARIZES THE FOLLOWING ASPECTS OF THE COURT SYSTEM: MAJOR PROVISIONS OF 1978 LEGISLATION REORGANIZING THE COMMONWEALTH'S COURTS, COURT STRUCTURE (APPELLATE AND TRIAL COURTS), THE JUDICIARY (QUALIFICATION, SELECTION, TERM, DISCIPLINE, REMOVAL, COMPENSATION, RETIREMENT AGE, CONTINUING EDUCATION, PARAJUDICIAL OFFICERS), ADMINISTRATIONS AND PROCEDURE (ADMINSTRATIVE AUTHORITY, STATE- AND COURT-LEVEL ADMINSTRATION, POLICYMAKING AUTHORITY, RULEMAKING AUTHORITY, NONJUDICIAL PERSONNEL), FINANCE AND BUDGET (FUNDING, FINES, FEES, BUDGET), AND INFORMATION SYSTEM (RECORDKEEPING, STATISTICS, DATA PROCESSING). EACH OF THESE ASPECTS IS TREATED IN DETAIL IN THE MAIN BODY OF THE REPORT, WHICH IS CROSS-REFERENCED TO A CHART INDICATING THE DEGREE OF SIMILARITY BETWEEN THE MASSACHUSETTS COURT SYSTEM AND EACH ABA STANDARD. ALSO INCLUDE ARE CHARTS DEPICTING ROUTES OF APPEAL, ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE, APPELLATE AND TRIAL JURISDICTIONS, AND FUNDING SOURCES. (LKM)