July 30, 2010

Court Relocation Committee Updates Recommendations for Upcoming Public Meetings

The Trial Court Relocation Committee has issued the following update of its recommendations in advance of next week’s public meeting in Worcester. The recommendations listed below include the sites which the Committee has proposed to receive the court business of the courts proposed for relocation.

The first public meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, August 4th from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Worcester Trial Court and will focus on seeking comment from members of the public on the Committee’s recommendations for Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire and Worcester Counties.

In order to ensure adequate time for members of the public from the impacted communities to be heard, the Committee has established an email address and will encourage attendees at all of the public meetings to submit written comments at: crc@jud.state.ma.us.

The additional meetings currently are scheduled for August 11th in Boston and August 12th in Brockton.

Court Relocation Committee Recommendations

AOTC
· Continue to relocate departments to other facilities, including John Adams Courthouse

Berkshire County
· Berkshire Juvenile Court in North Adams to Northern Berkshire District Court

Bristol County
· Series of changes to accommodate lease cancellation for SE Housing Court in New Bedford
  [New Taunton Courthouse opening in 2011 may allow better configuration of operations for several court departments in Bristol County]

Essex County
· Gloucester District Court to the Salem District Court

Franklin/Hampshire Counties
· Discontinue lease for Northampton Superior Court ceremonial courtroom & storage space; Housing Court ancillary space

Hampden County
· Discontinue lease for Appeals Court administrative office space in Springfield

Middlesex County
· Framingham Juvenile Court to Marlborough District Court

· Marlborough District Court to Concord District Court and/or Ayer District Court

Norfolk County
· Norfolk Superior Court Probation and Norfolk County Law Library to Registry of Deeds building
· Norfolk Juvenile Court in Dedham to Stoughton District Court
  Stoughton District Court business to Dedham District Court & Wrentham District Court

Plymouth County
· Hingham District Court to Brockton District Court
· Wareham District Court to Plymouth District Court

Suffolk County
· Charlestown Division of the Boston Municipal Court to the Brooke Courthouse;
  Use Charlestown courthouse for Superior Court civil cases and other needs

· Land Court Department to Suffolk County Courthouse / 3 Pemberton Square

Worcester County
· Leominster District Court business to Clinton DC and/or Fitchburg DC and/or Worcester DC
· Westborough District Court to the Worcester District Court

The Court Relocation Committee or another Task Force appointed by the Chief Justice for Administration & Management should explore the feasibility of consolidations across county lines.

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