Governor Healey Nominates Two to Appeals Court

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BOSTON — Governor Maura Healey nominated Hon. Gloria Tan and Chauncey Wood to serve as Associate Justices to the Massachusetts Appeals Court.

The nominees will now continue forward to the Governor's Council for confirmation.  

"I'm proud to be nominating two more highly qualified attorneys to the Appeals Court today," said Governor Maura Healey. "Judge Tan and Attorney Wood both have decades of legal experience that makes them uniquely qualified to serve on this bench, and we look forward to their continued service to the people of Massachusetts." 

The Appeals Court is the state's intermediate appellate court. The Appeals Court is a court of general appellate jurisdiction, which means that the justices review decisions that trial judges from the several Departments of the Trial Court have already made in many different kinds of cases. The Appeals Court also has jurisdiction over appeals from final decisions of three State agencies: the Appellate Tax Board, the Industrial Accident Board and the Commonwealth Employment Relations Board. The Appeals Court consists of a Chief Justice and 24 Associate Justices. 

For more information about the Appeals Court, visit its homepage. Governor Healey has previously nominated Associate Justice Amy L. Blake as Chief Justice and Associate Justice Robert E. Toone.

About Judge Gloria Tan 

Judge Gloria Tan currently serves as First Justice of the Massachusetts Juvenile Court in Middlesex County. Judge Tan joined the bench of the Juvenile Court in 2013 and has served as First Justice since 2019.  She currently serves on the Flaschner Judicial Institute Board of Trustees, the Massachusetts Trial Court Judge-to-Judge Peer Mentoring Program Advisory Committee, and the Massachusetts Trial Court Standing Committee on Alternative Dispute Resolution. She also served on the Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) Advisory Committee on Massachusetts Evidence Guide and on the SJC Jury Management Advisory Committee.  Judge Tan began her legal career as an attorney with the Committee for Public Counsel Services, serving in its Boston Superior Court Office and Youth Advocacy Project. She later joined the Criminal Justice Institute at Harvard Law School, serving first as a Clinical Instructor and then as Deputy Director. Judge Tan received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Sociology from Rice University, where she graduated magna cum laude and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She received a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School. 

About Chauncey Wood 

Chauncey Wood is Partner at Wood & Nathanson and has been a criminal defense attorney for 30 years focused on defending individuals facing serious criminal charges at trial and on appeal, as well as handling Title IX matters, and addressing the collateral consequences of criminal convictions. He has frequently appeared in Massachusetts trial and appellate courts. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers since 2015 and chaired its Amicus Committee. Attorney Wood received a Bachelor of Arts in English from Harvard University and a Juris Doctor from Boston University.  


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State Wins $130M to Advance West-East Rail

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Some $130 million in federal monies is being invested into passenger rail along the so-called Knowledge Corridor and for laying the groundwork to establish West-East Rail from Albany, N.Y., to Boston. 
 
The funding for the Springfield Hub Modernization Project was announced on Friday by Gov. Maura Healey, U.S. Sen. Ed Markey and U.S. Reps. Richard Neal and James McGovern.
 
The project is part of the state's Compass Rail vision, centered on Springfield Union Station and building on existing Amtrak Vermonter, Hartford Line and Valley Flyer service. 
 
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation was awarded the funding through the Federal Railroad Administration's Fiscal Years 2025-2026 Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements grant program to support modernization of the rail infrastructure around Springfield Union Station. 
 
"This is a major win for Western Massachusetts and a big step forward for West-East Rail," said Healey in a statement. "This $130 million investment in Springfield will help us improve transportation, reduce congestion and connect more communities to jobs, housing and economic opportunity. I'm grateful to Senators Markey and Warren, Congressmen Neal and McGovern, and all of our partners for helping us secure this critical funding and move us closer to expanded passenger rail service across Massachusetts." 
 
The project will upgrade tracks, signals and other infrastructure to address a major rail bottleneck, reduce conflicts between freight and passenger trains, and allow more efficient operations and expanded rail service. This work is expected to improve on-time performance, reduce delays and provide more schedule flexibility for Amtrak Vermonter and Valley Flyer passengers. The project will also create capacity for future passenger rail service while reducing unnecessary train idling, emissions and operating costs. 
 
"Building West-East rail is a once-in a-lifetime investment to connect Massachusetts' communities and our regional economies like never before. It will mean lower costs, less congestion, and access to opportunity for families across the state," said Markey. "I'm proud to have secured this $130 million in federal funding alongside Governor Healey, Senator Warren, Congressman Neal and Congressman McGovern, bringing our total federal investment to more than $280 million to date, which will build the track to this more affordable, cleaner, better connected future."
 
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