Governor Healey Nominates Frances Dallmeyer to District Court and Toiya Taylor to Probate & Family Court

 Governor Healey Nominates Frances Dallmeyer to District Court and Toiya Taylor to Probate & Family Court 

BOSTON – Today, Governor Maura Healey nominated Frances Dallmeyer to serve as an Associate Justice of the District Court and Toiya Taylor to serve as Associate Justice of the Probate & Family Court. The nominees will now be considered by the Governor’s Council for confirmation.   

 

“Both Frances and Toiya have years of legal experience and a deep-rooted commitment to upholding the law,” said Governor Maura Healey. “If confirmed, they will be positive additions to the courts and serve the people of Massachusetts with distinction.” 

 

“I am excited to work closely with the Governor’s Council to confirm these nominees and hope to see them serve on the bench,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll.  

 

The District Court Department hears a wide range of criminal, civil, housing, juvenile, mental health, and other types of cases. District Court criminal jurisdiction extends to all felonies punishable by a sentence up to five years, and many other specific felonies with greater potential penalties, all misdemeanors, and all violations of city and town ordinances and by-laws. In civil matters, the District Court hears cases in which the damages are not likely to be more than $50,000 and small claims cases up to $7,000. The District Court is located in 62 courts across the state. 

Governor Healey has already nominated 28 attorneys to the District Court: Heath Antonio,   Patrick Burke, Lisa Core, Tonomey Coleman, Frederick DeCubellis, Brian Doxtader, Mark Fabiano, Leo Fama, Stuart Hurowitz, Edward Kacasinas, Francis V. Kenneally, Sarah Kennedy, Edward Jr. Krippendorf, Cara Krysil, Courtney C. Linnehan, Hilary McCamic, Suzanne McDonough, Becky Michaels, Hector Zumbado, Lauren Greene, William Powers, Jerry Parisella, Polly Phillips, Joanna Rodriguez, Gegory Teran, Marjorie P. Tynes, Amanda Ward, and Liza Williamson.  

For more information about the District Court, visit their homepage. 

The Probate and Family Court Department handles court matters that involve families and children, like divorce, child support, and wills. The Probate and Family Court Department's mission is to deliver timely justice to the public by providing equal access to a fair, equitable, and efficient forum to solve family and probate legal matters and to help and protect all individuals, families, and children impartially and respectfully. 

Governor Healey has appointed 19 judges to serve as Associate Justices of the Probate and Family Court: Laurel Barraco, Bethany Brown, Jennifer Bingham, Colleen Carroll, Caryn Mitchell-Munevar, Manisha Bhatt, Bernadette Stark, Michelle Yee,  Lyonel Jean-Pierre, Jr., Timothy Horan, Jessica Dubin, Alexandra Flanders,  Evelyn Patsos, Brian Salisbury, Mikalen Howe, Carla Salvucci, Mark Lee, Alessandra Petruccelli, and Elena Tsizer. Governor Healey also appointed Stephanie L. Everett, Esq. to serve as the Suffolk Register of Probate, and Mark Ames to serve as Hampshire Register of Probate. to serve as Hampshire Register of Probate. 

For more information about the Probate and Family Court, visit its homepage. 

About the Nominees:  

Frances Dallmeyer is a solo practitioner who has represented clients in criminal defense and family law matters for nearly 20 years. She has devoted a substantial portion of her practice to representing indigent criminal defendants. She has served as a Bar Advocate since 2006, accepting appointments in both the Lowell and Ayer District Courts. Prior to starting her own practice, she worked at a small law firm representing clients in real estate transactions and civil matters.  Attorney Dallmeyer also has experience as a social worker, having served as a Child Protective Case Worker for the Massachusetts Department of Social Services (now known as DCF), where she supported families through home visits, service coordination, and various aspects of case management.  She has served on the Continuing Legal Education Board for the Greater Lowell Bar Association, a board dedicated to training attorneys on developments in case law and educating practitioners about procedural changes and requirements in specialized hearings. She has also served as a moderator for trial advocacy certification programs for Middlesex Defense Attorneys, Inc. She holds both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Arts in Criminal Justice from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, and a Juris Doctor from Suffolk University Law School. She lives in Chelmsford with her family. 

  

Toiya L. Taylor currently serves as the First Assistant Clerk Magistrate in the Dorchester Division of the Boston Municipal Court, where she reviews search warrants, arrest warrants, and criminal complaints for probable cause and assists court users in navigating court procedures and rules. She is also responsible for conducting show cause hearings and managing the call of cases in court sessions. Previously, Attorney Taylor was the First Assistant Register in the Probate and Family Court in Suffolk County, where she oversaw office operations and developed policies and procedures to ensure compliance with applicable laws. Prior to entering public service, Attorney Taylor was a Clinical Instructor at the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau, where she supervised law students engaged in the practice of family law. Attorney Taylor also owned and operated a solo practice for 16 years focused on providing counsel in criminal, juvenile, and family law matters.  Attorney Taylor began her legal career as a law clerk for the Probate and Family Court 25 years ago. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a Juris Doctor from Boston College Law School.