Bill > S973

This bill proposes to establish a Graduate Judicial Training School in Massachusetts. The key provisions are: 1) Massachusetts has been a leader in advancing the law and has a number of high-quality accredited graduate law schools. 2) As society has become more sophisticated, there is a growing concern about the quality of judges and judging, so the bill proposes to create a Graduate Judicial Training School. This school would initially provide continuing education for current judges, and then develop an entry-level, professional training program for aspiring judges, who must be graduates of accredited law schools. 3) The intent is to improve the quality of all judges and legal hearing officers in the Commonwealth, with the goal of having all such appointments drawn from graduates of the Massachusetts Graduate Judicial Training School or a similar qualifying program. 4) The bill establishes an Advisory Board for the Graduate Judicial Training School, consisting of members appointed by the Governor, Attorney General, and the Deans of all accredited law schools in Massachusetts. 5) The Advisory Board will convene over 3 years and make recommendations on how to establish the school, as well as consider a long-term plan to convert the judicial appointment process to require trained judges educated by this program.

Justice

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/S973