Dear Democratic Activist:
Please give me your support for my candidacy as Register of Probate for the Democratic Party.
I am a progressive Democrat with the administrative, technical and legal skills to improve the function of the Middlesex Probate Court, as well as the legislative experience to be a true advocate for the court.
Having practiced law for 35 years – predominantly in the Probate Courts – I am most familiar with the Middlesex Probate and Family Court, and know many of the hardworking employees, clerks, family service officers and judges who do their best to deal with over 20,000 cases a year.
This is the court where families in distress come in crisis and I am the most qualified candidate to provide the right leadership to best serve their needs and restore integrity to the office of Register of Probate.
I am a trained mediator and understand the demands placed on the court system by self-represented litigants, as well as the need for lawyers to have a professional and efficiently run institution.
I am an organized, focused, energetic and creative individual who believes in good government and can bring a spirit of cooperation and caring to the position.
Although budget constraints may limit immediate broad policy changes, there is much that can be done to incorporate best practices and insure access to justice in the Middlesex Probate and Family court.
I would be honored to have your vote as the Democratic nominee and to serve as Register of Probate, Middlesex County.
Thank you.
Katherine Triantafillou
Selected Biographical Information:
B.S., University of Michigan(1972); J.D., Suffolk Law School(1975); MPA, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University (1999);admitted to Massachusetts Bar in 1975.
Taught family law at Suffolk Law School and the Boston University, UMass Lowell paralegal programs; author of many continuing legal education manuals.
Handled cases in all of the practice areas governed by the Probate and Family Court – from trials to appeals to court appointments as a Guardian Ad Litem and attorney for indigent clients in DSS cases and right to treatment /mental health cases.
Co-author of the Abuse Prevention Act (Chapter 209A, domestic violence statute) and former counsel to Transition House, a shelter for battered women; worked closely with administrative divisions of trial court to implement and amend law.
My self-help book, Do Your Own No Fault Divorce, was frequently used by court clerks before the advent of self-help instruction booklets.
Lead attorney in Adoption of Tammy which established the right to co-parent adoption.
Former three term Cambridge City Councilor (oversaw 300 million dollar budget, helped institute performance based budgeting, citizen complaint system and goal based council agendas).
Member Mass. Bar Association Family Law Section Council, former member Boston Bar Association Family Law Fee Dispute Committee.
Former member of Democratic State Committee; current member Board of Directors, MassEquality.
Named by Boston Magazine as one of the 20 top lawyers in Boston (1994) and listed in Feminists Who Changed America (2007); recipient of NAACP 2000 Diversity Award, Patriots’ Trail Girl Scout Council Leading Women 2000 Award, Cambridge Veterans’ Organization Veterans’ Salute (1999).
Discuss
4 Comments . Leave a comment below.Those of us who plan to be delegates, and make a careful decision as to which candidate to support welcome the willingness of candidates such as yourself to post here, and engage in dialog.
I am grateful to David, Charles, and Bob for maintaining this site and making this discussion possible in the time-crunch that is involved in this unusual election.
What will you do to increase efficiency on the Probate side? Right now, one can't get a citation in less than three weeks, unless you camp out at the counter for an indefinite period and make a serious fuss. Similarly, no one ever believes that temporary guardianship ought to get some priority in scheduling -- the health and safety of the proposed ward may be at stake, but good luck promptly getting the case in front of the judge.
It is nice to see there is so much interest in the Middlesex County register of probate contest. Maybe this will remind the Trial Court that they work for the people.
Who would have thunk that some guy stealing change would lead to a county-wide Democratic caucus and a reawakening of voters concerns about the courts?
I know I have been hard on the Trial Court and Margaret Marshall, but they need to know that the stunts they pull (wasting taxpayers money) don't go unnoticed.
I join my progressive friends Cambridge Rep. Alice Wolf and Cambridge Mayor Denise Simmons in supporting Katherine's candidacy.
Katherine served as vice chair of the MassEquality board until just a couple of weeks ago, and I can tell you that she is passionately committed to social justice and to helping families in distress. She is smart, diligent, compassionate, and a guardian of scarce not-for-profit (and presumably public) dollars.
Please consider her candidacy seriously...I know she would be a tremendous asset for the families of Middlesex County.
Marc Solomon
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