“In times like these, when there seems to be increasing discord and strife in our society, the courts can help to maintain stability and order by resolving disagreements fairly and rationally, according to the rule of law,” said Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Kimberly S. Budd in the annual State of the Judiciary address.
Funding is down. So is public confidence, especially as the federal system has become the main venue for heated and far-reaching disputes over President Trump’s policies. Some worry of violence. And, separately, artificial intelligence looms, bringing possibility and peril alike.
Speaking in the courtroom where the Supreme Judicial Court hears cases in the John Adams Courthouse , Budd said it’s crucial that the judiciary strengthen its reputation by being accountable and transparent.
“We’re constantly looking for ways to improve,” she said to a small crowd of judges, lawyers and others for the 45 minute talk.
She cited changes the courts have made to make it easier for people representing themselves to navigate the complex system. The judiciary has also restarted a review process for judges to receive feedback, and created more digital processes, such as a way to apply to seal old eviction records online.
“The program has proven to be incredibly popular,” she said. “Since it was launched, it has been used to prepare and file over 1,000 eviction sealing petitions in the Housing Court.”
Budd’s remarks came after a year in which the state’s court system endured a budget shortfall that led to cuts with a direct impact on public services.
Over the summer, as federal funding cuts loomed, Gov. Maura Healey vetoed millions of dollars of spending on the court system, leading the courts to implement a hiring freeze.
Other leaders of the state’s court system spoke of those challenges during Tuesday’s address.
Trial Court administrator Thomas Ambrosino said the system is down about 200 staff positions, from clerks to support staff.
The legislature recently restored more than $9 million of $24 million in cuts, Ambrosino said, leading him to begin to authorize some new hiring. But over the past few months, he said, the freeze “has a real impact on operations.”
In clerks’ offices, he said, “It means the phone rings longer than it should and sometimes cant even be reached. It means people waiting in line.”
The system has long felt overlooked by Beacon Hill. And this has come as a work stoppage by court-appointed defense attorneys for indigent defendants over higher pay has rippled through the courts, resulting in the dismissal of more than 1000 cases. The wage dispute wasn’t directly mentioned on Tuesday, though a case that will determine whether the SJC would give judges the right to raise pay is currently before Budd and her colleagues.
Budd and Ambrosino both spoke of ongoing modernization efforts in the state’s 94 courthouses, from wireless internet to projects to replace the aging buildings.
Budd also touched upon artificial intelligence. Advances in generative AI have reverberated through the legal profession. Some see it as a way to facilitate research and open up access to the courts. But others cite confidentiality issues, and also cite instances — including in Massachusetts — when lawyers have relied too heavily on AI to write filings.
The courts have a committee look into whether they should add any new rules for AI usage, and ultimately decided to recommend no changes for now, though it should be further studied.
“We are committed to being curious and open-minded about GenAI, while simultaneously being deliberative and thoughtful in how and when we utilize it,” she said, referring to generative AI, artificial intelligence that creates new content or writing.
Budd, Ambrosino, and Massachusetts Bar Association president Michael H. Hayden, fielded submitted questions, including about courthouse safety. Ambrosino said the system is using capital funds to make security upgrades across dozens of the courthouses.
Hayden also spoke of the need to protect judges.
“Our judges in Massachusetts have been increasingly harassed,” he said, saying some had seen their personal information released online, and others had even had pranks such as people ordering pizzas to their homes.
He urged legislators to implement protections for the personal information of judge, similar to what exists on the federal level.
“The time for decisive action to protect our judiciary is now,” he said.
Sean Cotter can be reached at sean.cotter@globe.com. Follow him @cotterreporter.
