Governor Charlie Baker today nominated Thomas J. Perrino to the position of Associate Justice of the Commonwealth’s Superior Court. Attorney Perrino brings almost three decades of legal experience to the court, having served as both an attorney in private practice on Cape Cod and then as First Assistant Clerk Magistrate in the Barnstable Superior Court.
Perrino has been nominated to the seat being vacated by the retirement of Justice Gary A. Nickerson from the Barnstable Superior Court. Justice Nickerson was nominated to the court by Governor Paul Cellucci in October 1998.
“Attorney Thomas Perrino is a well-rounded practitioner, who is knowledgeable in many areas of civil and criminal practice,” said Governor Baker. “I am pleased to submit his name for the Governor’s Council’s advice and consent, and am confident he will be an asset to the Superior Court.”“Thomas Perrino brings legal wisdom paired with local experience,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “If confirmed, I am confident Attorney Perrino will serve both his community and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, with distinction.”
The Massachusetts Superior Court is a statewide court of general jurisdiction - handling both criminal and civil actions. The court’s 82 justices sit in 20 courthouses in all 14 counties of the Commonwealth. The court has exclusive original jurisdiction of first degree murder cases and original jurisdiction of all other crimes.For more information about the Superior Court, visit their homepage.Judicial nominations are subject to the advice and consent of the Governor’s Council. Applicants for judicial openings are reviewed by the Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC) and recommended to the governor. Governor Baker established the JNC in February, 2015 pursuant to Executive Order 558, a non-partisan, non-political Commission composed of volunteers from a cross-section of the Commonwealth's diverse population to screen judicial applications. Twenty-one members were later appointed to the JNC in April, 2015.
About Thomas J. PerrinoThomas J. Perrino currently serves as First Assistant Clerk Magistrate for the Barnstable Superior Court where he is responsible for maintaining Court records, runs both civil and criminal Court sessions, and assists in the management and supervision of Court staff. Before assuming this position, Perrino was in private practice for twenty-five years, the last ten of which was as a senior attorney at Rubin, Rudman, Chamberlain & Marsh, where he specialized in civil litigation. During Perrino’s early career as an associate attorney, he litigated criminal and civil cases in Superior Court, Land Court, Probate Court and District Court. He has held a variety of roles at the Barnstable County Bar Association including President, Treasurer and Executive Board Member, and is an active member of the community in his home town, Dennis. Perrino earned his Juris Doctorate from Suffolk University, where he served as an Editor of the Law Review, after graduating Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science from Fitchburg State University.