MARGIE PALLADINO for Governor’s Council: She's Been Fighting For Families Long Before This Race

BILLERICA, MA — This September 1st, voters will decide who they want representing them when Massachusetts judges are chosen.

Politics can produce plenty of promises.

But Margie Palladino’s record began long before she entered this race.

For years, Palladino has worked with families, advocates and policymakers on family-court reform, fairness and accountability.

Now, she is asking voters to give her a seat on the Governor’s Council, the constitutional body that provides advice and consent on judicial appointments for judges.

Her campaign is built on something she has already been doing: standing with families.

A POWERFUL ENDORSEMENT

Palladino has been endorsed by Massachusetts State Auditor Diana DiZoglio, who cited the importance of trust, transparency and independent judgment in the Governor’s Council.

DiZoglio described Palladino as a former trial attorney focused on family-court reform and emphasized her ability to bring an independent perspective to judicial nominations.

But Palladino’s qualifications go well beyond an endorsement.

She is a former trial attorney, former Boston law-firm partner and Boston College Law School graduate, with experience practicing throughout the Massachusetts court system.

She is also the co-founder and Executive Director of the Massachusetts Family Advocacy Coalition (MFAC), a grassroots organization focused on family-court reform and advocacy.

She knows the law. She knows the courtroom. And she knows what happens to families when the system fails them.

THE FERRITER VOTE CHANGED THE CONVERSATION

The controversy surrounding the nomination of Mary Ferriter brought the Governor’s Council into a much brighter spotlight.

Ferriter was nominated by Governor Maura Healey to serve as an Associate Justice of the Probate and Family Court.

The Governor’s Council ultimately confirmed Ferriter by a 4–3 vote.

The nomination drew opposition from many domestic-violence survivors and family-court advocates throughout Massachusetts, particularly concerning Ferriter’s previous involvement with a court-ordered parenting program.

According to reporting on the nomination, advocates contacted Governor’s Council members before the vote with concerns about Ferriter and the program.

Governor’s Councilor Mara Dolan voted in favor of Ferriter’s confirmation and defended her decision, saying she had confidence Ferriter would be an outstanding Probate and Family Court judge.

That decision has fueled a larger conversation:

What should voters expect from the person they elect to help choose Massachusetts judges?

And when questions arise about a judicial nominee, how should the concerns of families and advocates be weighed?

This is not an accusation that Dolan violated a law or ethics rule.

It is a question about trust, transparency, responsiveness and public confidence in the judicial appointment process.

PALLADINO HAS ALREADY CHOSEN HER SIDE: FAMILIES

Palladino’s campaign argues that advocacy shouldn't begin when someone decides to run for office.

Her advocacy began years ago.

She has worked on family-court reform and helped advance protections for survivors of domestic abuse. Her campaign also points to her work on the Massachusetts coercive-control law and the amicus briefs she has authored.

Her work has focused not only on individual families, but on systemic reform that can affect thousands of people.

That distinction matters.

She isn't promising to become an advocate after Election Day.

She already is one.

WHY THE GOVERNOR’S COUNCIL MATTERS TO BILLERICA

The Governor’s Council might not be the most familiar office on the ballot.

But its responsibilities are substantial.

The Council provides advice and consent on judicial appointments that includes judges, as well as certain other positions and matters.

The judges it helps confirm can make decisions involving:

Children.
Custody.
Parenting time.
Safety.
And the future of families.

Those decisions don't stay inside a courtroom.

They follow families home.

That is why Palladino believes the people selecting judges should understand not only the law, but the real-life consequences of the decisions being made.

A BROADER COMMITMENT TO EQUAL JUSTICE

Palladino’s advocacy also extends beyond family-court reform.

Not only does Palladino stand behind domestic violence victims, she supports LGBTQ+ rights, disability rights and anti-racism, reflecting her belief that fairness, equal justice, and safety should apply to everyone.

Her campaign describes her approach as one centered on accountability, transparency, public trust and listening to the people most affected by the decisions of the justice system.

SEPTEMBER 1ST: BILLERICA VOTERS HAVE A DECISION TO MAKE

The Ferriter nomination may have sparked this political contest.

But Palladino’s record is bigger than one judicial vote.

It includes:

Years of legal experience.
Courtroom experience.
Supreme Judicial Court experience.
Family-court advocacy.
Grassroots leadership.
Systemic reform efforts.
And a commitment to standing with families.

On September 1st, Billerica voters will decide who they want representing them on the Governor’s Council.

Who should have a voice when Massachusetts judges are chosen?

Who will listen when families speak?

And who will bring an independent voice to the bench-selection process?

For Palladino, the answer starts with a principle she has demonstrated long before this campaign:

STAND WITH FAMILIES.

MARGIE PALLADINO FOR GOVERNOR’S COUNCIL

SEPTEMBER 1, 2026

ENDORSED BY MASSACHUSETTS STATE AUDITOR DIANA DIZOGLIO

Legal experience. Family-court advocacy. Independent judgment. A commitment to reform.

Billerica voters: your voice matters. Who chooses our judges matters.

Learn more about Margie Palladino: Margie Palladino for Governor’s Council