Boston--Chief Justice for Administration and Management Robert A. Mulligan today announced that MassCourts Project Executive, Honorable Timothy S. Hillman, will return to his duties as Associate Justice of the Superior Court, effective July 1, 2004, and Appeals Court Justice James F. McHugh will join the Project as the Special Assistant to the Chief Justice for Administration and Management for MassCourts on the same day. At present, Justices Hillman and McHugh are jointly engaged in activities designed to insure a smooth transition.

          In addition, both are members of a committee Chief Justice Mulligan has created to assist him in choosing a new Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the Trial Court. The CIO will have responsibility both for the MassCourts Project and for Information Technology operations. Chief Justice Mulligan expects to finish the selection process and to introduce the successful candidate soon.

          In accepting Judge Hillman's request to return to his duties on the Superior Court, Chief Justice Mulligan said: "Judge Hillman has made an extraordinary contribution to MassCourts through his dedicated and enthusiastic leadership over the past two years. I greatly appreciate his willingness to stay with the project long after the term to which he originally committed had expired. I thank and commend him for a job well done indeed."

          In welcoming Justice McHugh as the Special Assistant for MassCourts, the Chief Justice said: "Judge McHugh brings to this project a deep understanding of the benefits of automation, of the operation and culture of the court system, and of the important relationship between the two. Some three years ago, he authored an insightful review of the status of information technology development in the Trial Court. This report served as a blueprint for MassCourts planning. Judge McHugh's leadership and experience will be invaluable as we move forward with the implementation of MassCourts."

          MassCourts is the Trial Court's comprehensive, statewide information technology system, which is currently being implemented in the courts and is expected to be completed in 2006.