Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey has nominated Judge Joanna Rodriguez and Lisa Core as her latest picks to join the District Court bench. With years of legal experience behind them, these two women could soon become the newest faces delivering justice in the Commonwealth’s courtrooms. The announcement, made yesterday, is now under consideration by the Governor’s Council—the body responsible for confirming such appointments.
"Judge Rodriguez and Attorney Core are highly-qualified nominees, and their decades of experience in our courts will be incredibly valuable on the District Court," Governor Healey said in a statement. Her lieutenant governor, Kim Driscoll, echoed these sentiments, "Both of these nominees are exceedingly qualified to serve on the District Court, and I am excited to work with the Governor's Council to advance their nominations."
The District Court where Rodriguez and Core may soon preside deals with a diverse set of cases — from criminal to civil, and includes specialized areas like housing, juvenile, mental health, among others. Its jurisdiction spans all felonies punishable by up to five years, select felonies with more severe penalties, misdemeanors, and city or town ordinance violations. Civil matters also find a hearing here, especially when the damages do not exceed $50,000 as well as smaller claims that go up to $7,000. These courts are dispersed throughout Massachusetts, with 62 in total.
Healey, since her tenure began, has nominated 18 attorneys to the District Court. The ranks, including Heath Antonio, Patrick Burke, and many others, are set to include Judge Joanna Rodriguez, currently an Associate Justice of the Juvenile Court where she's presided since 2020, handling a plethora of both civil and criminal matters. Before this, Rodriguez served as the Deputy General Counsel at the Sex Offenders Registry Board, and prior, a solo practitioner focusing on criminal defense in District and Juvenile Courts.
As for Lisa Core, she comes with a decade of experience running her own practice focused mainly on criminal defense in both trial and appellate courts. Her past roles include working as a law clerk in the Massachusetts Appeals Court, a stint as a civil litigator in Boston, and six years as an Assistant District Attorney in the Essex County District Attorney's Office where she prosecuted both felony and misdemeanor cases and led the Lynn District Court and the Lynn Gun Court. Residing in Winchester, Core is deeply involved in her local community.
