Register of Probate Gina DeRossi to become administrator of state Appeals Court

Bristol County Register of Probate Gina L. DeRossi of Dartmouth is stepping down to accept the position of court administrator for the state Appeals Court, the Trial Court said.

BOSTON — Bristol County Register of Probate Gina L. DeRossi of Dartmouth is stepping down to accept the position of court administrator for the state Appeals Court, the Trial Court said.

The appointment was announced Thursday by Mark V. Green, chief justice of the Massachusetts Appeals Court, who also made the selection.

DeRossi is expected to begin her new position on or around Nov. 26, succeeding court administrator Gilbert Lima, who is retiring Dec. 4, the Trial Court said in a news release. In accepting the position as Appeals Court administrator, DeRossi will formally step down from her current position and will not complete the remaining two years of her term.

"It's an unbelievable opportunity," DeRossi said Thursday. "I'm excited, but I have some mixed emotions. I've accomplished a lot and it is time to move on and this is an opportunity to broaden my professional career. It's an honor and a privilege to work for the Appeals Court."

Although she is leaving her elected position later this month, state law provides for the Assistant Register of Probate to act as the Register, she said. Jason Caton has served as the assistant register for about five years, she said.

She will earn $161,180 in her new position, the Trial Court said.

Chief Justice Green said DeRossi is well-suited for the position based on her background. "Attorney DeRossi brings a wealth of skills and experience to this important position," he said. "She brings deep operational experience in the development and implementation of new policies and procedures in numerous areas including finance, budgeting, access to justice, cross training of staff, best hiring practices and performance management. She has extensive knowledge of Trial Court Policy and Procedures and will be a tremendous asset to the Appeals Court."

Following DeRossi's election to the position of Register of Probate for the Bristol County Probate and Family Court in 2008, she began serving in January of 2009 and was subsequently re-elected to a second consecutive, six-year term, the Trial Court said.

The Probate and Family Court has jurisdiction over family-related and probate matters, such as divorce, paternity, child support, custody, parenting time, adoption, termination of parental rights, and abuse prevention, according to the Trial Court. The court also handles wills, estates, trusts, guardianships, conservatorships, and changes of name.

DeRossi was in the general practice of law for more than 13 years, working in the law firm of Leontire & Shub in Boston from 1996 to 2000 and later owning and managing the Law Offices of Gina L. DeRossi, P.C., in New Bedford from 2004 to 2009.

She is vice president of the New Bedford Bar Association and is a member of the Bristol County Bar Association and an adjunct professor at the University of Massachusetts Law School and Bristol Community College. She has a J.D. from New England Law, Boston, and is a graduate of Providence College. She earned a certificate in Judicial Administration from Michigan State University in 2017.

The Appeals Court is a court of general appellate jurisdiction and has 25 statutory justices, including the chief justice. The court decides between 1,400 and 1,700 cases a year. The justices, who sit in panels of three, review decisions made by Trial Court judges in the seven court departments. In addition to its panel jurisdiction, the Appeals Court runs a continuous single justice session, with a separate docket.