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| 麻州州長查理貝克強調他們在挑選提名人時很慎重。(周菊子攝) |
麻州州長查理貝克在今年稍早前，陸續提名了Kimberly
S. Budd及Dalila Argaez Wendlandt出任高等法院法官。他們倆人一旦經由麻州州長議會(Governor’s
Council)通過，也將依序創下麻州首名女性黑人首席法官，首名拉丁裔法官的歷史紀錄。
海地裔(Haitian)出身的Serge Georges Jr.，一旦獲得確認，將是麻州最高法院法官有史以來的第二位獲任命的黑人男性法官。在他之前的是Roderick
L. Ireland。
麻州高等法院共有7人。波士頓學院歷史系教授Alan Rogers表示，在查理貝克之前，只有50年前的約翰漢考克(John Hancock)曾經有這樣的，任命所有7名最高法院法官的機會。
查理貝克在2016年時任命了Kimberly S. Budd，Frank M.
Gaziano，以及David A. Lowy等3人，次年再任命Elspeth “Ellie” B. Cypher，該法庭第2位公開承認自己是同性戀的法官，以及麻州當時的最高上訴法院法官Scott L. Kafker。
最近的這波任命，是因為Barbara
A. Lenk法官即將於12月達到規定退休年齡，接著首席法官Ralph
D. Gants又在9月時突然逝世。
在州長任內連任命一位最高法院法官的機會也沒的是朗尼(Mitt
Romny)。
Serge Georges Jr.今年50歲，住在龍都鎮(Randolph)，曾任麻州黑人律師協會會長，在幾個律師行工作過，包括曾任Barron
& Stadfeld律師樓的合夥人，也曾自己開業，主要承辦商務及企業訴訟，還有刑事法業務。過去20年來他也在薩福克大學法學院任教。
他將遞補Kimberly
S. Budd成為大法官後的副法官遺缺。他畢業於波士頓學院及薩福克(Suffolk)大學法學院，2013年時由前州長派區克(Deval Patrick)任命為波士頓地方法官，目前在他的出生地主持多徹斯特法庭。在2014到2018年間，他掌管多徹斯特毒品法庭。
在州政府大樓舉行的記者會中，Serge
Georges Jr.透露，他父親當年來到美國為聯合國工作，被派去薩伊(Zaire)教書，因此他是在曼哈頓出生。
Governor Baker Nominates Judge Serge Georges Jr. to the Supreme Judicial Court
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| Serge Georges Jr. (By Chutze Chou) |
“Judge Georges has served on the Boston Municipal Court with great distinction and treats all those that come before him with dignity and respect,” said Governor Baker. “His unique voice and real world experiences will improve the quality of discussion and debate on the Commonwealth’s highest court and I am pleased to nominate him.”
“Judge Georges’ rich background in and out of the courtroom, from his time in private practice to his experience on the drug court, will well serve the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and all those that come before it,” said Lt. Governor Polito. “I have the utmost confidence that, if confirmed, Judge Georges will be an excellent addition to the SJC and I look forward to the advice and consent of my colleagues on the Governor’s Council.”
The Supreme Judicial Court is the Commonwealth's highest appellate court, consisting of the Chief Justice and six Associate Justices. The seven Justices hear appeals on a broad range of criminal and civil cases from September through May and issue written opinions that are posted online.
About Judge Serge Georges, Jr.:
Judge Serge Georges serves as an Associate Justice of the Boston Municipal Court. He had a successful and diverse career as an experienced litigator prior to his appointment to the bench in 2013 by Governor Deval Patrick. Directly prior to his appointment, he managed his own successful solo practice concentrating in commercial and business litigation, criminal defense, and matters involving professional licensure and liability. He represented businesses and individuals in a wide range of civil disputes including breach of contract, fiduciary duty suits, employment matters, housing litigation and personal injury cases. In private practice, he also defended criminal cases, including motor vehicle offenses and violent and drug related charges. Prior to establishing his solo practice, Georges was a partner at Barron & Stadfeld, P.C., the Managing Director for Major, Lindsey & Africa, LLC, and an associate at both Todd & Weld and Rackemann, Sawyer & Brewster. He served on multiple boards during his legal career, including the Board of Governors of the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Lawyers, and he was the President of the Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association in 2013.
In his role as Associate Justice of the Boston Municipal Court, over the last seven years, he has had jurisdiction over both criminal and civil matters, including housing matters, mental health hearings, restraining orders and small claims and civil litigation cases. Judge Georges sits in the Dorchester Division of the Boston Municipal Court, one of the most active and busiest urban courts in the Commonwealth. From 2014 to 2018, Judge Georges presided over the Dorchester Drug Court. The Dorchester Drug Court is a multidivisional team working with community providers, representatives from Suffolk Lawyers for Justice and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office to offer treatment options to those whose addictions have led them into the criminal justice system.
Judge Georges graduated from Boston College in 1992, and from Suffolk University Law School in 1996, where he has served as an adjunct professor for the past twenty years. At Suffolk Law he teaches courses in Professional Responsibility, Evidence and Trial Advocacy. He also teaches Trial Advocacy at UMass Law School. He attended Boston College High School and currently serves as vice-chair of the Board of Trustees for BC High, and remains involved with the school. In January of this year, BC High awarded Judge Georges The James E Cotter ’55 Courage Award. This award is presented to a member of the BC High Community in recognition of courage in the face of adversity, tenacious spirit and force of will. He grew up in Kane Square, in Dorchester, and currently resides in Randolph with his wife Michelle and his two daughters, Olivia and Samantha. (From the governor's office)
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