STATE LAW GROUP HONORS PROBATE & FAMILY
PROBATION OFFICERS

Eight Probate & Family Court Probation Officers and two Assistant Chief Probation Officers were honored for their work with children and families at the recent Massachusetts Association of Women's Laywers (MAWL) annual Holiday Toast event at the College Club in Boston.

Probate & Family Court Probation Officers work directly with judges to service children and families appearing before the court on divorce, paternity, guardianship and 209A (Domestic Violence) cases. Probate & Family P.O's routinely conduct investigations on child custody and visitation matters, involving issues of domestic violence and substance abuse. The P.O.'s also perform dispute interventions and work with non-custodial parents to find employment in the Seek Work Program.

The following were among the honorees: Alice Pusateri of Barnstable County Probate & Family; Patricia Garvey of Berkshire County Probate & Family; Donna Cordeiro-Tobin of Bristol Probate & Family; Kathleen Nelligan of Essex Probate & Family; Pamela Eldridge of Hampshire Probate & Family; Andrew Sullivan of Norfolk Probate & Family; Gail Hudson of Suffolk Probate & Family Court: and Patricia Perry of the Worcester Probate & Family Court.

Two Assistant Chief Probation Officers were also honored: Katherine Spallino of Hampden Probate & Family and Anne Gallagher of Middlesex Probate & Family.

"We are very proud of the work that these fine Probation Officers and Assistant Chief Probation Officers perform in the courts each day," said Richard O'Neil, Regional Administrator for the Probate & Family Court Probation Division. "These P.O.'s make a real difference in the lives of children and their families."

Commenting on the event, Jocelynne Deborah Welsh, MAWL President-Elect and Chair of the Holiday Toast event, said, "Every year, the Massachusetts Association of Women Lawyers recognizes unsung heroes of the Massachusetts Trail Court at our annual Holiday Toast. At this event, we also award the Carol DiMaiti Scholarship to a deserving law student."

Last year, MAWL honored Juvenile Court Probation Officers throughout the state. The nation's oldest women's bar association, MAWL has 246 members and counts all trial justices, 413 in total, as members, according to Welsh.