Four new faces may soon be presiding over Massachusetts' family disputes and probate matters as Governor Maura Healey tapped a quartet of attorneys for slots on the Probate and Family Court bench. Laurel Barraco, Bethany Brown, Evelyn Patsos, and Brian Salisbury have been officially nominated, their confirmation pending review by the Governor’s Council, which will assess their qualifications for the positions that significantly impact family legal issues statewide.
Speaking to the weight of these roles, Governor Healey expressed to mass.gov, "The Probate and Family Court plays a critical role in helping resolve cases that involve some of the most personal and sensitive matters," adding, "It’s important to appoint thoughtful and compassionate judges, as their decisions help shape the lives of families across the state,” it is worth noting, the responsibilities bearing upon these judges; longitudinally spanning the array of family structures and dynamics, embedding their rulings into the very fabric of the commonwealth's lineage.
With decades of combined legal expertise within family law, the nominees bring a varied perspective to the bench. Barraco, an acclaimed lawyer who has been regularly spotlighted as a top performer in her field, is known for her litigation work across diverse family law scenarios. Brown, the founder of a law-focused practice bearing her name, adds over two decades of private practice insight into family and probate law. Patsos, with a history of public service entwined with private practice, holds the mantle of innovating elder justice programming and codifying probate legislation. Salisbury’s wide-spread experience stretches over litigations, fiduciary matters, and roles essential to the constructive resolution of familial conflicts.
These nominations aren't Healey’s first moves to fortify the bench—earlier in her term, she appointed 10 judges to the Probate and Family Court, not to mention naming two registers of probate who will safeguard the legality of family bequests and executorial actions; all signs of a deliberate effort to sculpt a judiciary reflective of proficiency and empathy, Healey and her Lieutenant Governor, Kim Driscoll, now await the Governor's Council’s affirmation for these latest candidates with optimism, Driscoll shared her expectations eagerly, "I am excited to work closely with the Governor’s Council to confirm these four nominees and hope to see them serve on the Probate and Family Court," until then, the realm of probate and family jurisprudence anticipates these potential associate justices, who stand on the precipice of becoming key actors in the adjudication of the commonwealth's most intimate legal matters, as per mass.gov.
