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Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll stands with members of the Governors Council in the Old State House on June 24, 2026 -- Katie Castellani/SHNS
Katie Castellani|SHNS
As the state gears up for a slew of celebrations of the nation's 250th anniversary, the Governor's Council nodded to its own history Wednesday by meeting at the Old State House.
The council regularly met at the historic building from 1713 to 1789. On Wednesday, present-day councilors – who usually meet in a cramped chamber within the State House – gathered there again.
"Given the 250th anniversary of democracy and being able to hold this meeting in the place that witnessed so much of it is really important," Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, who chairs the council, said with the balcony where the Declaration of Independence was first read to Boston citizens in the background.
"Our authority comes not from a crown, but from the people of Massachusetts and from the Constitution," Driscoll continued. "And so it's fitting that this chamber can still remind us of the truths that we hold so dear, that our commonwealth is strongest when we work together, when we deliberate, when we take issues seriously and justly. It benefits the public trust today as much as it did 250 years ago."
During the meeting, councilors voted 8-0 to approve three nominations from Gov. Maura Healey: Zachary Hillman as an associate justice for the Appeals Court; Sarah Joss as an associate justice in the Superior Court; and Mark DeFrancisco, who Healey reappointed to the Apellate Tax Board and redesignated as its chair.
Hillman is the first justice of the Worcester District Court and regional administrative justice for the Trial Court's Region 5. Before that, he was general counsel in the District Court's administrative office, where he advised the chief justice, justices and clerks on legal issues. He was also an assistant district attorney in the Appeals Unit in Suffolk County.
Joss was confirmed to the District Court bench in 2022 and mainly sits in Lynn, according to Healey's office. She is also a member of the District Court's Appellate Division. Before her appointment, Joss was the deputy commissioner for legal services and legal counsel for the Massachusetts Probation Service.
According to his resume, DeFrancisco was first appointed to the Appellate Tax Board in 2020 and has served as its chair since 2022. He was also chief counsel to previous board chairs from 1995 to 2004, and again from 2006 to 2021.
Hearings for both Joss and Hillman took place minutes before the council voted on their nominations and councilors spoke highly of both. Indeed, Councilor Terrence Kennedy told Hillman he is the "perfect judge."
"You do a great job, you're really thoughtful in every one of your decisions, you are very attentive, you show a lot of empathy for everybody: defendants, victims. You're kind to everybody in the courthouse," Kennedy, a defense attorney, said.
Hillman told councilors that as he hears each case he wants to give everyone the "confidence that they were fairly heard" and will have "their case justly resolved."
"The parties that come into court are not simply names on a docket, they are people who may be having the worst, scariest, or most heart-wrenching day of their life. The court's decisions can profoundly impact a person's freedom, family, housing, and livelihood, as well as the interest of the community," he said.
Hillman added that he tried to remain "curious, open-minded and receptive" and would bring that mindset to the Appeals Court.
Joss told the council that she would make sure anyone who appears before her feels heard.
"Our justice system only works when the people who interact with it trust and believe that it works. Even if a case does not turn out the way someone hopes, the ability of the judge to make sure that the person is heard and believes that they have been heard is critical to establishing that trust and credibility," she said.
Councilor Joseph Ferreira praised Joss' work and said it's unusual for an applicant to be "equally learned in civil and criminal law."
Tuesday, Francis Crimmins is again launching a campaign for election to represent District 2 on the Governor's Council. The Norfolk County resident is promising "experience, accountability, and common-sense leadership."
Katie Castellani is a reporter for State House News Service and State Affairs Pro
