[1] These quasi-judicial officers hear cases in a similar way as a District Court Clerk-Magistrate by weighing evidence, establishing a burden of proof.
[2] As independent magistrates, Justices of the Peace in Massachusetts are judicial officers that are empowered to solemnize marriages, keep the peace, call meetings of towns and other groups, issue subpoenas, summonses, take depositions and perform more tasks as prescribed by law.
Today, however, Justices of the Peace can still hear one type of case: dog imprisonment appeals.
[5] If a person is unsatisfied with the decision of an Animal Control Officer on how much to fine an animal owner, someone may apply to a Justice of the Peace who shall then issue a warrant to two disinterested people to act as a "jury" in a proceeding overseen by a Justice of the Peace.
In addition to appellate functions, the Supreme Judicial Court is responsible for the general superintendence of the judiciary and of the bar, makes or approves rules for the operations of all the courts, and in certain instances, provides advisory opinions, upon request, to the Governor and Legislature on various legal issues.
The Massachusetts Office of Jury Commissioner oversees the selection and management of all jurors in the Commonwealth until they appear at the courthouse.
[14] Every governor since 1975 has issued an executive order that sets forth the list of criteria for judicial nominees and creates a Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC) to screen potential nominees; the members of the JNC are appointed and dismissed by the governor and serve as volunteers for one-year terms.
[12] The establishment of a JNC in Massachusetts was first adopted by Governor Michael Dukakis, as a measure to better insulate the judicial from political or partisan considerations.
[12] The Court Reform Act of 1978 allows judges who reach the mandatory retirement age of 70 to serve part-time on the bench upon being appointed by the chief justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (Massachusetts SJC) for 90-day "recall" assignments.
[19] The state Commission on Judicial Conduct investigates ethics complaints about state judges, and makes recommendations to the Massachusetts SJC, which has the ultimate power to suspend, censure, or remove a judge for misconduct.