Roundtable judged a success at Lynn Museum

LYNN – Seven judges touched upon a variety of topics during a panel discussion regarding the Judicial System and the city Thursday night at the Lynn Museum and Historical Society.The panel from the First Justice of Lynn Court and the Lynn Division Courthouse donated their time to give the public an inside look into the Judicial System at the second in a series of roundtable discussions held at the museum.The panel included Judge Albert S. Conlon from the First Justice of Lynn Court, retired Judge Joseph I. Dever, Judge Ellen Flatley, Judge James J. LaMothe, Judge Michael C. Lauranzano and Judge James H. Wexler from the Lynn Division Courthouse. The panel was moderated by Attorney Loring Paul Fluke.Fluke kicked off the evening with a brief historic overview of the Lynn Division Courthouse, which was established in 1849 as “Lynn Police Court.” Later it was called the “District Court of Southern Essex” in 1911 and then, years later, the Lynn Division Courthouse, as it is known today.Judge Conlon, who graduated from Suffolk Law School, said out of the 52 district courts in Massachusetts, the Lynn Courthouse is the “fifth or sixth busiest” in the state.?We see some 6,500 criminal cases filed each year along with more than 7,000 civil cases,” he told the audience.Judge Lauranzano added the Lynn Courthouse is above the state average when it comes to clearing cases. “We resolve cases as good, if not better, than courts that have a quarter of the cases that we have,” said Lauranzano. “We expect to resolve criminal cases within one year of the date it gets brought to court. Out of 2,000 civil filings, (Lynn Courthouse) on average has less than five cases that have not been resolved within one year.”Judge Dever said years ago there was a big issue of civil cases being “backlogged” and virtually ignored because of the amount of criminal cases.?A lot of civil cases weren?t being tried because there weren?t enough judges to assign the cases to,” said Dever. “Today, that has changed. There was hard work done to convince the Chief Justice Officer to assign four judges at the Lynn court per day and now we have the ability to try significantly more criminal and civil cases.”Judge Dever also spoke about the alternative sentencing program at the Lynn Courthouse, which is currently marking its 20th anniversary.He said when the line between sentencing an individual charged with a criminal offense to jail and giving that individual probation is unclear. Judges may decide instead to give the individual the opportunity to go to a seminar inclusive of seven to eight classes (one class per week) on Contemporary American Literature. Judge Dever founded the program.?When the line is unclear between probation and sentencing, we assign the individual to these classes, he said. “They read books on American literature and take part in these classes in order to give them an alternative to sentencing.”He said there?s a common denominator among those with criminal charges on probation.?They seem to be totally self-absorbed,” said Dever, adding, “Yet they have no feeling of self-worth. This is a deadly combination for someone?s character. If these people can identify with someone?s character from something like American literature, they may be able to look at life objectively rather than subjectively. A set of values tends to take root and they realize in life they have many choices.”Judge Dever said more than 350 individuals charged with criminal offenses have graduated from the program.He said this is an example of a program that works, especially when money is concerned.?It costs roughly $500 per student to enroll them in the alternative sentencing program versus $44,000 for incarceration for one individual for one year. This program isn?t only a moral thing, but an issue of money as well.”Judge Lauranzano spoke about the court?s drug program. “The drug program is about changing a person?s cycle of behavior,” he said. The program meets weekly and reviews the p