Chief’s Office Update — November 25, 2025

Hello Membership, 

Below please find a summary our meeting with the Chief's Office on November

25, 2025. The Judicial Liaison Committee (President Tom Ritter, Judicial Liaison Katie Rice, and Nicole Robinson) met with Chief Justice Brian Dunn and Denise Fitzgerald. Unfortunately, Brian Parisier was on vacation and could not attend our meeting. The goal was to discuss ways for mutual support, integrity, and efficiency in the important work that we do. We are pleased to report that we felt valued and heard, and we hope this update will make you feel the same. 

Professional Parenting Time Supervision (PPTS):

We expressed appreciation for the guidelines and the increased consistency by those who follow them. It was clarified that all supervisors paid by a Probate and Family Court client are expected to follow the guidelines, regardless of whether they are on the official PPTS list (which has doubled in size and currently includes 16 professional parenting time supervisors).

We sought clarification on the "safety” intervention concept. Chief Justice Dunn and Denise Fitzgerald confirmed that intervention for safety is at the professional supervisor's judgment and inclusive of emotional and physical safety. The Chief’s Office has a plan to discuss and reiterate this for future training.

We discussed how we are responsible to file the reports/logs when requested by the Judge, Attorneys, or Parties. We expressed the difficulty and frequency when Courts have been unable to locate the reports after reports have been filed. Of course this is time consuming for the supervisor but extremely unfair to the attorneys and families involved.

We requested a more streamlined approach, such as e-filing (as these are impounded documents that require docketing) or a method for Judges to agree that reports can be provided directly to attorneys. The Chief's office seemed eager to address this issue and will explore the possibility of implementing e-filing.

We also reviewed the difficulty GALs have in being able to review supervisor reports and ascertain information. The Chief’s Office agreed to allow GALs easier access likely through updating permission on their Appointment.  

Court Lists and Onboarding

The Chief's Office now holds standing interviews twice per month for new Category E and F GALs, PCs, and Professional Parenting Time Supervisors, ensuring no delay in the onboarding process.

A new system is being implemented to provide candidates with timelines and notifications regarding their application status, including any outstanding required documents. Applications will become inactive if the professional fails to follow through on their requirements.

Recruiting New GALs

We discussed MAGAL's commitment to nurturing early career GALs to increase the pool of Category E and F professionals.

We received positive feedback on how to provide advice and support when needed, without direct mentorship or consultation, while respecting confidentiality and liability. The Judicial Liaison Committee will soon be rolling out a new mechanism to support new GALs and will share details shortly. 

Category E Standards

Revisions to the Category E and F standards are targeted to begin in January.

Protection for Subpoenaed GALs: We requested that the revised standards include language and protections for when GALs are subpoenaed to other Courts or face a professional license complaint. The new standards will outline the process required for when this occurs.

If you are a Commonwealth-paid GAL and receive a request for record production, deposition, or trial, you are instructed to file a Motion for Additional Hours. If a Judge denies this request, please email Brian Parisier directly. It was clarified that a GAL's notes must be preserved, but there remains a question as to whether GAL notes are considered impounded. There will be clarity included in the revised standards. 

CARI Access

It was confirmed that due to current law, there is no mechanism for CARI information to be provided to GALs without the GAL physically going into the Court and requesting it. 

Commonwealth Paid GAL Matters

We raised concerns from members who accept state-pay GAL matters but don't seem to be receiving private-pay matters. We asked if there was a mechanism to ensure that GALs receive at least one private pay matter, if they accept a state-pay matter. The Chief's office stated that the rotation is to include GALs receiving private pay cases as well as state pay cases. If a GAL is on the list and not receiving private pay cases, reach out to Brian Parisier.

Other Chief's Office Updates

• New GAL training, TBD
• Experienced GAL training, TBD