The Massachusetts Judiciary includes the Supreme Judicial Court, the Appeals Court, the Trial Court, and the Committee for Public Counsel Services.

The Supreme Judicial Court performs a fundamental role in the formation of legal principles regarding the conduct of all residents of the Commonwealth and the protection of their rights and liberties. It has original jurisdiction over certain cases and hears appeals on decisions of the Trial Court and Appeals Court. In addition to general supervision of the state judicial system and the Massachusetts Bar, the Supreme Judicial Court makes or approves rules for the procedures and administration of the courts and, under certain constitutional conditions, renders advisory opinions on important questions of law to the Governor, the Legislature, and the Executive Council. The Supreme Judicial Court also oversees the operation of the Commission on Judicial Conduct, the Board of Bar Examiners, and the Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee. Although not under the direction of the Supreme Judicial Court, the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation, Correctional Legal Services, the Suffolk County Clerk, and the Social Law Library are also budgeted within the Supreme Judicial Court.

The Appeals Court, an intermediate appellate court, handles most of the cases appealed from the departments of the Trial Court.

The Trial Court, the largest component of the Judiciary, is divided into seven departments: Superior Court, District Court, Probate and Family Court, Land Court, Boston Municipal Court, Housing Court, and Juvenile Court. It currently consists of 344 judges, including a Chief Justice within each department. The Chief Administrative Justice of the Trial Court manages over 100 individual courts, as well as the operations of the Jury Commissioner and the Commissioner of Probation.

The Committee for Public Counsel Services provides court-appointed attorneys to represent indigent defendants in court proceedings.

Objectives

In Fiscal Year 1999, the Trial Court will assume responsibility for court facilities located in the former Worcester and Hampden counties and will open two new court facilities in Boston and Lawrence. In addition, the Trial Court will complete its statewide expansion of the juvenile courts. The Cellucci Administration also supports consolidating funding for court officers in the administrative account of the Trial Court (0330-0001).

Budget Recommendations

• The Fiscal Year 1999 budget recommendation for the Judiciary is $499.8 million; this represents an increase of $15.63 million above Fiscal Year 1998 projected spending. The Fiscal Year 1999 proposal for the Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) incorporates expansion of $802,692, including $315,000 for battered women's legal assistance services at the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation, $290,141 for the administration of the SJC, $117,551 for the Commission on Judicial Conduct, and $80,000 for the Board of Bar Examiners.

The Fiscal Year 1999 proposal for the Appeals Court includes an additional $262,308 for automation expenses and personnel.

The Fiscal Year 1999 budget recommendation for the Trial Court is $392.54 million. This includes $13.32 million for the final phase of Juvenile Court expansion, $4.81 million for the maintenance of court facilities in the former Worcester and Hampden counties, and $1.3 million for the operational expenses of the new court facilities in Lawrence and Boston.

The Fiscal Year 1999 budget recommendation also provides full funding for the Committee for Public Counsel Services.