HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3371        FILED ON: 1/16/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1529

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Jerald A. Parisella, (BY REQUEST)

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to judicial accountability.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Edward Hoffman

29 west dane street  Beverly, MA 01915

1/16/2015


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3371        FILED ON: 1/16/2015

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1529

By Mr. Parisella of Beverly (by request), a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1529) of Edward Hoffman relative to judicial accountability.  The Judiciary.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

_______________

 

An Act relative to judicial accountability.

 

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

Paragraph (1) of section (3) of chapter 211C of the General Laws, as appearing in the 1987 Official Edition, is amended by inserting in paragraph 4 after the word “ office “ the following :

If the following occurs against any sitting Judge in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the House of Representative shall bring charges for a hearing by the House of Representative not later than sixty days after receiving:

a.Five signed affidavits containing reason and or reasons  from any citizen that are signed in a sixty day period in the commonwealth concerning a Judge in any court within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and presented to any present house of representation member by delivery through mail or in person  or:

b.Twenty five certified signatures on a petition containing reason and or reasons that are signed in a six month period in the commonwealth concerning a Judge in any court within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts that are signed and presented to any present house of representation member by delivery through mail or in person.

The House of Representatives after receiving the aforesaid above shall schedule a hearing within 30 days to schedule impeachment proceedings of said judge to bring formal charges to be presented to the House.  The said judge shall be immediately notified of the charges and receive a copy of the affidavits, or signatures containing the reason and/or reasons for impeachment. Said judge will have calendar 30 days to respond to charges in writing to the chairs of the Joint committee on the Judiciary.

Shall the House of Representatives impeach, the Senate shall try the accused not later than sixty days after proceedings by House of Representative. Senators are to be sworn in as jurors and rules for the proceedings are established consistent with the Massachusetts Rules of Civil Procedures.

The hearing by the House of Representative and Senate shall at all-time relevant be open to the public.