It’s been almost five years since the Massachusetts Trial Courts instituted a hiring freeze resulting in staff reductions, processing delays, personnel shortages, and strained clerk and registers offices. It came as no surprise in September 2011 when the Trial Court announced that it was reducing public access to clerks and registers offices in an effort to deal with the impact of the freeze.
With clerks and registers offices closed at certain times, staff had the opportunity to prepare cases for court sessions and to complete case processing — including filing, docketing, and scanning. The changes in public hours helped more than 30 court locations get back on track. In some Probate and Family Courts, registry counter and phone hours were restricted after 3 p.m. In Lawrence Probate and Family Court, the registry closed from 1-2 p.m. and in several district courts, counter and phone coverage was restricted.
This week, the Trial Court announced that all offices will return to a full schedule of public office hours as of September 3rd. That is welcome news and reflects the court’s commitment to rethinking its operations without increasing its budget.
With a capable management team led by Chief Justice of the Trial Court Paula Carey and Court Administrator Harry Spence, the Trial Court is working to implement its recently approved strategic plan. The plan focuses on increasing effectiveness and addresses the current and future needs of our judiciary as it continues to serve the people who use the courts each day. Thanks to these and other steps, productive conversations about efficiency, effectiveness, and the administration of justice with legislators and lawyers are now moving forward.
Perhaps most importantly, these developments have built a bridge between the courthouse and the state house. The judiciary will finally see its first salary increase in the last sixteen years thanks to recently enacted legislation.
– Kathleen Joyce
Director of Government Relations
Boston Bar Association
