Section 57A Chief justice; administrative head of juvenile court system; executive secretary; powers and duties - Massachusetts Statutes

Section 57A. The justice provided for under section one of chapter two hundred and eleven B as the chief justice for the juvenile court department, in addition to his judicial powers and duties, shall, subject to the superintendence authority of the supreme judicial court as provided in section three of chapter two hundred and eleven and the administrative authority of the chief justice for administration and management, be the administrative head of the juvenile court department, and shall also have the powers and responsibilities set forth in section ten of chapter two hundred and eleven B; provided, however, that the clerk of such court shall have responsibility for the internal administration of his office, including personnel, staff services and record keeping.

Said chief justice may appoint an executive secretary and, for the purpose of coordinating the business of the department, said chief justice shall define his or her duties. Said executive secretary shall be a member of the bar and shall receive from the commonwealth a salary equal to seventy percent of the salary of said chief justice. Said executive secretary shall devote full time during business hours to his or her duties and shall not, directly or indirectly, engage in the practice of law.

Said chief justice may require uniform practices, may prescribe forms of blanks and records. He shall have general superintendence of all the courts of the juvenile court department, and their clerks and other offices, but except as otherwise provided by law, shall have no power to appoint any such officers. A chief justice shall hold said office for a term of five years, and shall be eligible to be reappointed for additional five-year terms. A chief justice, so appointed, may be removed from that office prior to the expiration of his term upon a determination by the chief justice for administration and management that such removal is in the best interests of the administration of justice.

Said chief justice shall also prescribe official forms to be used in all courts of the juvenile court department and in juvenile sessions of the district court department.