Section 8 Chief justice; powers and duties
Section 8. The justice provided for under the provisions of section one of chapter two hundred and eleven B as the chief justice for the probate and family court department, in addition to his judicial powers and duties, shall, subject to the superintendence authority of the supreme judicial court as provided in section three of chapter two hundred and eleven and the administrative authority of the chief justice for administration and management, be the administrative head of the probate and family court department and shall also have the power, authority and responsibility of a chief justice as set forth in section ten of chapter two hundred and eleven B. A chief justice shall hold said office for a term of five years, and shall be eligible to be reappointed for additional five-year terms. A chief justice, so appointed, may be removed from that office prior to the expiration of his term upon a determination by the chief justice for administration and management that such removal is in the best interests of the administration of justice. The chief justice may establish forms for the annual reports of the work of the registers of the several courts; and said registers shall annually on or before October first prepare and file with the chief justice reports of the work of said courts during the preceding court year, and said reports shall also be filed with the chief justice for administration. Said chief justice of the probate and family court shall also have the powers and duties described in section ten of chapter two hundred and eleven B and section forty-two of this chapter; except that none of the powers herein described or referred to shall be construed as authorizing said chief justice to alter or affect the provisions of sections fifty-eight, fifty-nine, sixty or sixty-two of chapter two hundred and fifteen.