In a recent announcement, Governor Maura Healey has nominated Stuart Hurowitz and Polly Phillips for judgeships on the District Court. The announcement from the Governor's Office indicates that these new nominations are slated for review by the Governor's Council, setting the stage for the potential new additions to the Massachusetts judiciary system.
"Both of these hardworking attorneys will make strong additions to our District Court," Governor Healey stated in the press release, noting their extensive legal experience and strong understanding of the law. This view was reflected by Lieutenant Governor Driscoll, who highlighted the nominees' commitment to justice and the upcoming confirmation proceedings with the Governor’s Council.
With the District Court handling a wide range of cases that include criminal to civil, and even extending to housing, juvenile, and mental health issues, the experience both nominees bring to the table is critical. Hurowitz, with a 31-year legal career highlighted by his role as a Supervising Attorney in the Worcester County Office of the Committee for Public Counsel Services and his academic posts, is a noted public defender. Phillips, on the other hand, offers a balanced perspective from her eight years as a prosecutor and subsequent focus on criminal defense in her private practice.
Further details about Stuart Hurowitz show that he has primarily worked in criminal defense within the District and Superior Courts of Massachusetts for over two decades. Similarly, Mary (Polly) Phillips has extensive experience litigating criminal cases in the state's courts, having started as a prosecutor at the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office and later at the Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General before founding her own defense practice in 2005.
These nominations add to Governor Healey's growing list of judicial appointments which, according to the official press release, now includes ten other attorneys. This nomination is part of the Governor's commitment to establishing a judiciary that reflects the varied legal expertise required for the different cases addressed in the District Court.
