The bill amends Chapter 217 of the General Laws to improve the management and operation of probate registries by introducing new provisions for the selection, appointment, and management of first assistant registers and assistant registers. It allows the registers of the probate and family court department to appoint these positions with the chief justice's approval and specifies the number of these positions for each county, with terms set at three years. The bill also eliminates the roles of administrative deputy assistant registers and associate deputy registers, while ensuring that current employees in these positions can continue their employment under the new structure. Additionally, it adjusts the number of assistant judicial case managers and establishes deputy assistant registers across various counties, detailing specific compensation structures for these roles.

Furthermore, the bill allows the registers of the Essex, Franklin, and Norfolk probate and family courts to designate deputy assistant registers with powers equivalent to assistant registers, also subject to the chief justice's approval. The Essex court can designate six deputy assistant registers with varying salary increases, while the Franklin court can designate three, and the Norfolk court mirrors Essex's structure. The bill also ensures that current deputy assistant registers in Norfolk will maintain their positions and receive a specified percentage of the county register's salary until they are no longer designated as such. This transition aims to provide stability for existing employees while modernizing the compensation framework for future appointments.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 217-2