HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2822        FILED ON: 1/14/2009

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1604

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act relative to employees of the trial court..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Section 1.  Chapter 211B of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2002 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out section 9A and inserting in place thereof the following section:-

Section 9A.  All chief court officers, assistant chief court officers and court officers appointed at any time, including messengers appointed pursuant to section thirty-one of chapter two hundred and seventeen, whether appointed prior to or after January first, nineteen hundred and ninety-three, to any department of the trial court shall be employees of the chief justice for administration and management who shall have the authority to appoint, dismiss, define the duties of, assign, transfer and discipline said chief court officers, assistant chief court officers and court officers within the trial court departments as he deems necessary for the administration of justice and for public safety.  Such court officers shall, when required, attend the sessions of the court, shall preserve order, provide security, and may serve warrants, mittimuses, precepts, and orders and processes of the court and shall perform such other duties as the chief justice for administration and management may assign.

Such court officers shall, while on duty, wear uniforms approved by the chief justice for administration and management, which shall be furnished at the expense of the commonwealth.

Each court officer shall give bond for faithful performance of his duties in the sum of one thousand dollars payable to the General Fund, with sufficient sureties, approved by the chief justice of administration and management.