Governor Healey Nominates Hon. Jennifer Allen to the Appeals Court
BOSTON – Today, Governor Maura Healey nominated Judge Jennifer Allen to serve as an Associate Justice to the Massachusetts Appeals Court. Judge Allen will now move forward to the Governor’s Council for confirmation. If confirmed, all existing vacancies will have been filled on the Appeals Court.
“Judge Allen has proven to be an effective judge on the Probate and Family Court, and I know her knowledge and experience will be a positive contribution to the work of the Appeals Court,” said Governor Healey. “I’m grateful to the Governor’s Council for their review of her nomination.”
“I look forward to working with the Governor’s Council as they consider filling the final seat on the Massachusetts Appeals Court with Judge Allen, who is high-qualified for the role,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll.
The Appeals Court is the state’s intermediate appellate court. The Appeals Court is a court of general appellate jurisdiction, which means that the justices review decisions that trial judges from the several Departments of the Trial Court have already made in many different kinds of cases. The Appeals Court also has jurisdiction over appeals from final decisions of three State agencies: the Appellate Tax Board, the Industrial Accident Board and the Commonwealth Employment Relations Board. The Appeals Court consists of a Chief Justice and 24 Associate Justices.
For more information about the Appeals Court, visit its homepage. Governor Healey has previously nominated Associate Justice Amy L. Blake as Chief Justice , Associate Justice Gloria Tan, Associate Justice Chauncey Wood and Associate Justice Robert E. Toone.
Judge Jennifer M. Allen currently serves as an Associate Justice of the Probate and Family Court where she presides over a wide array of cases including divorces, custody and parenting disputes, support actions, adoptions, and parentage actions. Judge Allen has served in this role since 2019, serving 5 years in Middlesex County and one year in Norfolk County. She is a frequent lecturer to law students, lawyers, and new judges on all matters related to the Probate and Family Court, including Alimony, Business Valuations, Evidence, Mental Health examinations, and Ethical Considerations. Judge Allen is a former board member of the Massachusetts Probate and Family Inn of Court, and presently a member of the SJC Subcommittee on Judicial Wellbeing. Prior to her appointment, Judge Allen was in private practice, specializing in divorce, custody, alimony, and guardianship actions, serving as a special master and guardian ad litem, and supporting other members of her firm, Catanzaro and Allen, in commercial and residential real estate transactions, land use planning, estate matters, and civil litigation. As an attorney, Judge Allen served on the Board of Directors of MetroWest Legal Services. Judge Allen earned her B.A. cum laude from Brandeis University and her J.D. from Boston College Law School.
