SENATE DOCKET, NO. 966        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 892

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Jason M. Lewis, (BY REQUEST)

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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 for providing for the training, continuing training, and education of judges, and other legal hearing officers.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 966        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 892

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

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An Act for providing for the training, continuing training, and education of judges, and other legal hearing officers.

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. The Massachusetts General Laws are hereby amended by inserting the following new chapter:

An Act to provide for the training, continuing training, and education of judges, and other legal hearing officers.

1.) Massachusetts, as a leader in legal reform, and legal systems, has accomplished many important reforms, and contributed to the general structures, and processes of law. This includes, of course, case study law itself, many consumer protections, and many other innovations.

2.) Therefore, this Statute, establishes, and encourages, a robust formal framework, for the training of all judges, and other legal hearing officers. In a rapidly changing society, everyone, including legal officials, are especially challenged by changes in technology, social viewpoints, societal consensus, business operations and circumstances, and legal doctrines and operations.

3.) The Attorney General of Massachusetts, in consultation with the Board of Bar Overseers, and other appropriate individuals, and organizations, is empowered, to establish Judicial Training: defined as suitable judicial training, judicial continuing education, training and education for all legal hearing officers of the Commonwealth, including Magistrates, Hearing Officers, and those individuals who are members of Boards and Commissions, which make regulatory, and legally-binding decisions.

4.) All individuals, meeting the requirements of this Act, shall receive specified initial training, at the beginning of their appointments, and regular update training, on a yearly basis, as specified in such needed regulations, as the Attorney General, shall create, and monitor, in conjunction with the relevant supervising justices.