Author Archives: kbatte

Committee Meeting Agenda – March 15, 2023

The meeting will be REMOTE starting at 5:30 p.m.
Registration is required – details below.

  1. Approval of minutes of the February 15, 2023 meeting
  2. Legal
    a. Amicus report out
        Commonwealth v. Timothy Duguay, SJC-13312
  3. Audit & Oversight – State Auditor Update
  4. Contracts
    a. Arbola
    b. Classification Study
  5. Monthly Financial Overview Report
  6. Commitments $10,000 and Over Report
  7. FY2024 Budget Update
  8. Chief Counsel’s Report

Register in advance for this webinar:

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CPCS Annual Awards Nomination 2023

Nomination Process

The Committee will present the Awards at an in-person Awards Ceremony from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 23, 2023 at Suffolk University Law School, 120 Tremont St., Boston, MA  02108.  Registration is required, here is the link to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/awards-ceremony-tickets-566687015117   Friends and families of Award recipients will also have the option to attend remotely.

All nominations should be submitted to Ms. Kerry Batte, Executive Assistant to the Chief Counsel, Committee for Public Counsel Services, 75 Federal Street, 6th Floor, Boston, MA 02110, or by email kbatte@publiccounsel.net.

Nominations must be submitted no later than March 10, 2023.  All nominations must include a written explanation of why the nominee should be honored.

For a list of past award recipients, please check our website at https://www.publiccounsel.net/wp-content/uploads/1998-2022-Award-Recipients.pdf.  Biographical sketches of those with an award named in their honor are also on our website at https://www.publiccounsel.net/cpcs-awards/

Awards

The Jane Addams Award for Outstanding Social Service Accomplishments honors a staff social worker or social service advocate who exemplifies a commitment to clients through their advocacy, support, and dedication consistent with the CPCS core values of courage, accountability, respect, and excellence. The Addams Award recognizes the profound impact of social workers and social service advocates serving as members of a legal team.  It is named for Jane Addams, a pioneer in establishing the field of social work and the first American woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace prize.

The Jay D. Blitzman Award for Youth Advocacy is presented to a person who has demonstrated a commitment to courageously advocating for the rights of children and youth, which was the hallmark of Judge Blitzman’s long career.  The award honors an advocate who exemplifies the CPCS core values of courage, accountability, respect, and excellence and has exhibited extraordinary dedication, compassion and skill to assure that children accused of criminal conduct, or otherwise at risk, are treated fairly, equitably, and with dignity in the courtroom, in the community, and in the custody of the state.

The Willie J. Davis and Edward J. Duggan Award for Outstanding Criminal Defense Advocacy award is given to both a Public Defender Division and Private Counsel attorney and is named for two extraordinary leaders.  The awards are presented to criminal defense attorneys who demonstrate exceptional skill, determination, compassion, and courage while zealously representing indigent clients in the trial courts of the Massachusetts criminal legal system consistent with the CPCS core values of care, accountability, respect, and excellence.

The Carol A. Donovan Award for Exceptional Advocacy recognizes excellence in legal advocacy and is given to attorneys – public or private – whose zealous advocacy has had a lasting impact on the legal and/or life outcomes experienced by our clients. Recipients will demonstrate the CPCS core values of courage, accountability, respect, and excellence through appellate or other strategic litigation while addressing systemic injustice affecting CPCS clients and the communities in which they live.

The Paul J. Liacos Mental Health Advocacy Award recognizes a staff or private attorney whose advocacy on behalf of persons involved in mental health litigation proceedings exemplifies client centered zealous advocacy consistent with the CPCS core values of courage, accountability, respect, and excellence. The award honors a person whose advocacy has made a meaningful impact in furtherance of our clients’ interest in due process of law, personal autonomy, and the ability to live an independent life.

The Thurgood Marshall Award honors those who champion the cause of zealous representation and the right to effective assistance of counsel on behalf of the poor, the oppressed, and the vulnerable and, in so doing, contribute to building a more equitable and healthy community for all. This award is given to an individual or group who pushed for lasting, equitable changes in the legal system and/or the societal structures that affect CPCS clients and client communities. Recipients will embody the CPCS core values of courage, accountability, respect, and excellence.

The Teresa McParland Award for Operational Excellence is presented to a person who has made an outstanding contribution to improving agency operations in service to our clients through enhancing agency performance consistent with the CPCS core values of courage, accountability, respect, and excellence. These attributes were all hallmarks of Terry McParland during her CPCS career. The award honors Operations staff who exhibit extraordinary dedication, action, vision, passion, and creativity in improving the services, systems, quality of life, efficiency, and environment provided to agency staff, clients, and private counsel.

The Maura Mellen Administrative Professional Award honors an administrative staff member who has made an outstanding contribution to the delivery of zealous and effective advocacy for CPCS clients consistent with the CPCS core values of courage, accountability, respect, and excellence. The award recognizes that administrative staff members perform many critical roles in the provision of zealous representation to CPCS clients.

The Maria Souto–Armand Goyette Investigator Award honors a staff investigator for outstanding investigative work consistent with the CPCS core values of courage, accountability, respect, and excellence. Maria Souto, an indefatigable CPCS investigator in the Boston Trial office, and Armand Goyette, the first investigator at the Massachusetts Defenders Committee, established a standard for zealous, insightful, and skilled investigation that is still the national gold standard.

The Margaret Winchester Award for Child Welfare Advocacy honors a person who has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to the families of Massachusetts by protecting the rights of parents, children, and other parties in care and protection and other child welfare cases, consistent with the CPCS core values of courage, accountability, respect, and excellence. The recipient is someone who, much like Attorney Winchester, is a champion for children, parents, and others, assuring that they are treated equitably and with dignity in the courtroom, in the community, and in their dealings with the Department of Children and Families.

The CPCS Community Leadership Award will go to a person or organization dedicated to the work that we do and the communities that we serve.  The winner of this award will have undertaken a forward-looking campaign, or be committed to an ongoing mission, that directly benefits our clients and the communities in which they live and embodies the CPCS core values of courage, accountability, respect, and excellence.

The Emerging Defender Awards will be presented to one or more individuals committed to indigent defense who have gone above and beyond the call of duty, excelled when facing challenging situations, and shown they are highly motivated to continuously learn and improve.  Recipients of this award will have been employed with CPCS or worked with CPCS clients for five or fewer years and demonstrated a commitment to the CPCS core values of courage, accountability, respect, and excellence.

 

Committee Meeting Agenda – February 15, 2023

The meeting will be REMOTE starting at 5:30 p.m.
Registration is required – details below.

1. Approval of minutes of the January 18, 2023 meeting

2. Legal – Request for Committee Action

a. Amicus recommendation for
Commonwealth v. R.E., A Juvenile,
Appeals Court No. 2022-P-0787
Supreme Judicial Court No. DAR-29168
&
Commonwealth v. D.J., A Juvenile,
Appeals Court No. 2022-P-0897
Supreme Judicial Court No. DAR-29169

3. CPCS’ Internal Control Plan and CPCS’ Continuity of Operations Plan

4. Monthly Financial Overview Report

5. Commitments $10,000 and Over Report

6. Leases

a. East Bridgewater

b. Lawrence

7. Chief Counsel Report

8. Executive Session

a. Personnel matters

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Committee Meeting Agenda – January 18, 2023

The meeting will be hybrid starting at 5:30 p.m. at 75 Federal Street, 5th floor conference room.  If joining virtually, registration is required – details below.

  1. Approval of minutes of the December 21, 2022 meeting
  2. Public Consulting Group (PCG) Contract
  3. Monthly Financial Overview Report
  4. Commitments $10,000 and Over Report
  5. FY24 Maintenance Budget
  6. Chief Counsel Report

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Committee Meeting Agenda – December 21, 2022

The meeting will be REMOTE starting at 5:30 p.m.

Registration is required – details below.

1. Approval of minutes of the October 19, 2022 & November 16, 2022 meetings

2. Legal – Request for Committee Action

a. Amicus recommendation for Commonwealth v. Lonnie Thomas (FAR-29105)

b. Amicus recommendation for Gulluni v. Rollins, First Circuit Dkt. No. 22-1862

c. Amicus report out for Commonwealth v. Juan Gaviria,

Appeals Court No. 20-P-182

Supreme Judicial Court No. FAR-29037

3. ACRSU Appellate Performance Standards

4. Emergency Murder List

5. Monthly Financial Overview Report

6. Commitments $10,000 and Over Report

7. Private Counsel Listening Session Report

8. Chief Counsel Report

9. 2023 Committee meeting dates

This meeting is REMOTE ONLY

Please register in advance for this webinar

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After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Committee Meeting Agenda – November 16, 2022

The meeting will be REMOTE starting at 5:30 p.m.  Registration is required – details below.

1. Approval of minutes of the October 19, 2022 meeting

2. Legal Action

a. Amicus recommendation for Commonwealth v. Juan Gaviria,
Appeals Court No. 20-P-182
Supreme Judicial Court No. FAR-29037

b. Amicus report out Commonwealth v. Carlos Guardado, SJC-13315

3. Possible settlement in Larocque v. Turco

4. Monthly Financial Overview Report

5. Commitments $10,000 and Over Report

6. Chief Counsel Report

7. POST Commission update

This meeting is REMOTE ONLY

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Committee Meeting Agenda – October 19, 2022

The meeting will be hybrid starting at 5:30 p.m. at 75 Federal Street, 5th floor conference room.  If joining virtually, registration is required – details below.

1. Approval of minutes of the September 21, 2022 meeting

2. Legal – Request for Committee Action

  • Amicus request, Commonwealth v. Sheldon Mattis SJC-11693, Commonwealth v. Jason Robinson SJC-09265
  • Amicus letter in support of application for further appellate review of Commonwealth v. Santana, 101 Mass.App.Ct. 690 (2022)
  • Amicus request, Fonjia v. Garland, No. 22-1625 (1st Circuit)
  • Motion to Intervene with Respect to Protective Order in Joined Middlesex “Hinton Whole Lab” cases (Com. v. Reginald Remy, 0681CR00155; Com. v. Justin Deprospro, 0781CR00294; Com. v. Israel Cedeno-Martinez, 0381CR01623; and Com. v. Ricky Simmons, 0481CR01176)
  • Request for Authorization to Settle Class Action Lawsuit, Coe v. SORB

3. Monthly Financial Overview Report

4. Commitments $10,000 and Over Report

5. Human Resources presentation on CPCS recruitment efforts

6. Chief Counsel Report

7. Executive Session

  • Personnel matters

If you are joining remotely registration is required.

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