Press Release  Supreme Judicial Court Hears Oral Arguments in Four Cases in Special Sitting in Worcester

WORCESTER, MA — Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Ralph D. Gants and the six Associate Justices today heard oral arguments in four cases in a special sitting at the Worcester Superior Court. The special sitting provided an opportunity for students, residents of the local community and the media to view the work of the highest court of the Commonwealth outside of the John Adams Courthouse in Boston, where cases are normally heard. 

The Justices heard cases from Worcester, Plymouth and Essex Counties. Legal studies and criminal justice students from Clark University, Worcester State University, Becker College, and students from Burncoat High School attended the special sitting. Following oral arguments, Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Gants and the Associate Justices met to discuss the cases, then held a question and answer session with the students. 

"It is great to be back in Worcester, where I first sat as a Superior Court judge," said SJC Chief Justice Ralph Gants. "This is the fourth year since we have resumed the practice of sitting as a court outside of Boston. The Justices and I feel it is important to visit courthouses across the Commonwealth to allow the local community the opportunity to experience our appellate courts first-hand."

The Justices heard oral arguments in the below cases:

• SJC-12517 CAROLINE ROCH vs. DAVID J. MOLLICA & another
• SJC-12529 COMMONWEALTH vs. JONATHAN BROWN
• SJC-12362 COMMONWEALTH vs. JOSE E. COLON
• SJC-12549 COMMONWEALTH vs. QUINTON K. WILLIAMS

The seven Justices hear appeals on a broad range of criminal and civil cases from September through May. The Associate Justices sit as Single Justices each month on a rotation schedule. Single Justices consider certain petitions pertaining to cases on trial or on appeal, bail reviews, bar discipline proceedings, petitions for admission to the bar, and a variety of other statutory proceedings. The full bench renders approximately 200 written decisions each year; the Single Justices decide approximately 600 cases annually.

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