Judicial Profiles
Image credit: Merrill Shea
Judicial Biography
Born:
Aug. 8, 1949, Pittsfield
Year admitted to bar:
1974
Year appointed/elected:
1989, by Gov. Michael S. Dukakis
Bench Service:
Superior Court, 1989-2019
Pet Peeves
Other than being well prepared, I look for the following attributes in an attorney appearing before me:
“Politeness to the court and to other counsel. Honesty and frankness with the court.”
What displeases me the most is:
“Unfounded accusations of impropriety made against other counsel. Duplicity.”
Background
Education:
Boston College Law School, 1974
University of Notre Dame, 1971
Participation as a Faculty Member or Lecturer:
Lecturer, Harvard Law School Trial Advocacy Program;
Lecturer, MCLE.
Professional
Legal Employment History:
Partner, Cain, Hibbard, Myers & Cook (1987-1989);
First assistant district attorney, Berkshire County (1979-1987);
Associate, Katz & Lapointe (1975-1979).
General Character of Law Practice Prior to Judgeship:
Criminal prosecution. General practice, with emphasis on civil litigation.
Civic and Community Activities
Appointive or Elective Positions Held:
Chairman, Pittsfield Traffic Commission, appointed (1975-1978).
Memberships/Affiliations:
Board of Trustees, Hancock Shaker Village, Inc. (1983-1995);
Notre Dame Club of the Berkshires (1975-1995);
Board of Directors, Pittsfield Community Music School, Board of Directors (1986-1987).
- Reported Decisions
- Other Links
Evaluations from Lawyers
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Comments
1) Good lawyers love him. Judge Ford appreciates preparation, and hard work. It does not go unnoticed. If you are not prepared, he will be all over you, in a fair nice but firm way. Most would say he is not the most patient of judges but he never loses his temper. There is always a reason if he is critical.
2) Judge Ford is among the very best. Knows the law inside and out. Love his job. Enjoys arguments of counsel. Loves the give and take with counsel. But does not suffer fools. He has a very good sense of justice. Runs a great trial.
3) Hang in there, dont be intimidated by his inclination to rush you through your argument
4) Inpatient, not particularly well mannered, seems to have little concern over outcome of the case. Mostly concerned with moving the docket rather than making the right decision. Takes everything under advisement which is a clear indication he reads very little of the paper pleadings which can determine the outcome of the case.
5) Be ready to get criticized but dont take it too seriously. His impatience does not reflect itself in his decisions. Sometimes he gets irritated a little too easily.
6) Good Judge but can be irritable at times. Always prepared and knows his stuff.
7) Keep your head down and be prepared to keep your mouth shut.
8) Some men and women simply change once they are on the bench. They become consumed by a sense of power, they are insecure and express themselves by being arrogant, unreasonable and inaccessible. There have been some mistakes in appointments and this is certainly one such mistake, primarily with temporment.
9) Be on time. Be prepared.
10) Smart guy. On the bad side needs more patience with respect to lawyers schedules.
11) Be on time, and be prepared.
12) Judge Ford is bright, timely, and professional. That said, his civil decisions often lack a degree to detail appropriate to the nature of motions filed, especially summary judgment motions. While this lack of detail could be a function of how busy the court is, attorneys and litigants would be better served by a better approach to written decisions.
