By Tiffany Williams –
This week, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey nominated five accomplished attorneys from across the state to serve as Associate Justices of the District Court, a critical judicial role within the Massachusetts court system.
Attorney Ed Karcasinas has dedicated nearly two decades of service as the First Assistant District Attorney for the Middle District, within the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office. His extensive responsibilities include overseeing investigations and prosecutions of serious felony cases, managing a team of over 150 employees, and coordinating efforts with vital state agencies such as the New England Organ Bank and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Beyond his prosecutorial duties, Attorney Karcasinas contributes to the academic community as an Adjunct Faculty Member at Clark University, where he has imparted knowledge about the intricacies of the criminal justice system since 2006. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Maine, Orono, followed by a Juris Doctorate from the New England School of Law, showcasing his commitment to higher education and professional development.
Attorney Patrick Burke brings nearly thirty years of trial experience to the table, having represented diverse clients throughout the Commonwealth’s courts. Since 2017, he has been a Trial Attorney and Partner at Burke Levy, PC, focusing on representing clients in criminal matters across the Superior, District, and Juvenile Courts, as well as handling cases in the Probate and Family Court. Before co-founding his current firm, Attorney Burke was a Partner at LoConto, Burke and Madaio, PC, where he specialized in criminal defense. His early career as an Assistant District Attorney in the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office gave him invaluable experience prosecuting felony and misdemeanor cases in District Court. Known for his courtroom prowess, he has tried hundreds of jury cases to verdict, reflecting both his tenacity and legal acumen. Attorney Burke holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a Juris Doctor from the Massachusetts School of Law. He resides in Westborough, further deepening his roots in the community he serves.
Attorney Brian Doxtader has held the position of First Assistant Clerk Magistrate in the West Roxbury Division of the Boston Municipal Court since April 2024, after a decade as an Assistant Clerk Magistrate. His role involves conducting small claims hearings, civil motor vehicle hearings, and show cause hearings while rigorously reviewing search warrants and criminal complaints for probable cause. Previously, he served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, where he supervised attorneys within the Lowell District Court and led the prosecution of diverse criminal cases throughout the District and Superior Courts. Attorney Doxtader graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Notre Dame and earned his Juris Doctor from Boston College Law School. He currently resides in West Roxbury, where he continues to engage with his local legal community.
Attorney Suzanne McDonough has been the Deputy Legal Counsel of the Administrative Office of the District Court since 2022. In her advisory capacity, she provides legal guidance to the Chief Justice, Justices, and Clerk Magistrates on complex legal, ethical, and policy issues, contributing to the development of policies that enhance judicial efficiency. McDonough has devised comprehensive training materials, curriculum, and legal bulletins to equip clerks and judges with best practices. She plays a pivotal role as a member of various committees, including the District Court Criminal Proceedings Committee, Domestic Violence Committee, and the New Judges Orientation Committee. Before her current role, she practiced law in private at McDonough Law Offices, defending clients in criminal matters across various courts in Massachusetts. Her prior experience as an Assistant District Attorney spans over twelve years in the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office, where she initiated her career in the District Court before advancing to prosecute serious felony cases such as murder and child sexual assault in the Superior Court. McDonough also excelled in the Appeals Unit, arguing pivotal cases before the Massachusetts Appeals Court and the Supreme Judicial Court. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Boston College and a Juris Doctor from Boston College Law School, and makes her home in Marshfield.
Attorney Liza Williamson has presided as the Clerk Magistrate of the Edgartown District Court for over twenty years, a role in which she oversees small claims trials, issues search warrants, conducts bail hearings, and administers court operations with authority and precision. Prior to her clerkship, she maintained a private general law practice that focused on civil and criminal defense matters in the Superior, District, and Juvenile Courts. Williamson also has experience serving as an Assistant District Attorney in both the Suffolk County and Middlesex County District Attorney’s Offices, where she prosecuted numerous felony and misdemeanor cases in various court settings. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and her extensive legal background positions her as a trusted leader in the judiciary.
“All five of these distinguished attorneys will bring decades of experience and a proven dedication to upholding the rule of law,” said Governor Healey. “I’m grateful to the Governor’s Council for their hard work to review all of the judicial nominations we have put before them and look forward to our continued partnership.”
“I am excited to work with the Governor’s Council to advance these nominees, who have shown a true dedication to the law and justice,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll.
The District Court Department hears a wide range of criminal, civil, housing, juvenile, mental health, and other types of cases. District Court criminal jurisdiction extends to all felonies punishable by a sentence up to five years, and many other specific felonies with greater potential penalties, all misdemeanors, and all violations of city and town ordinances and by-laws. In civil matters, the District Court hears cases in which the damages are not likely to be more than $50,000 and small claims cases up to $7,000. The District Court is located in 62 courts across the state.