Jubinville Casts First Vote Against Judicial Nominee

Jubinville Rejects Judicial Nomination At First Council Meeting

(Boston) -- In his first Governor’s Council vote, representing District 2, Robert L. Jubinville voted against Gov. Deval Patrick’s nomination of Brockton District Court’s Associate Justice Angel Kelley Brown to The Superior Court.  

Jubinville, an attorney of 33 years from Milton who was elected in November to serve the communities of District 2, cast one of two votes against the nomination of Kelley Brown. The other nay vote was cast by District 7 Councillor Jennie Caissie, also an attorney.

“The voters elected me to confirm the nominations of qualified judges. I used my 33 years of experience as an attorney to do as I saw fit. Ms. Kelley Brown was a very nice woman with a very nice temperament,” said Jubinville. “I just didn’t feel at this time that she was ready to go to the superior court level. You don’t do any favors to somebody by putting them there when they are not ready.” 

Kelley Brown has served as a Brockton District Court Judge for just three years. 

Jubinville referred to the Massachusetts Supreme Court as “the jewel of our great court system,” established in 1859 and used by other states as a model for their superior court systems. 

Kelley Brown was confirmed by the majority of Governor’s Councillors in a 6-2 vote. She will fill the vacancy on the Superior Court created by the retirement of The Hon. Barbara Dortch-Okara. 

Also during Jubinville’s first meeting, Jubinville voted to confirm the governor’s nomination of Robert B. Gordon as an Associate Justice of the Superior Court. Gordon is a 25-year veteran of Ropes and Gray who was made a partner in 1995. Since then, Gordon has been representing employers in various litigation matters. Gordon will fill the vacant seat on the Superior Court created by the retirement of John P. Connor Jr.

“We’re very lucky to get that kind of quality and expertise on the bench,” said Jubinville.