MARGIE PALLADINO for Governor’s Council: She Didn’t Wait for Politics to Fight for Families.

The Ferriter vote sparked a bigger question about trust, transparency and who should have a voice in choosing Massachusetts judges. On September 1, voters get to answer it.

For years, Margie Palladino has been doing something that doesn't require an elected title:

She has been fighting for families.

She has worked for family-court reform, advocated for families navigating the system and pushed for changes she believes are necessary to make Massachusetts courts safer and more accountable.

Now she is asking voters for a seat on the Governor’s Council, the body that helps determine who will serve as judges across the Commonwealth.

The controversy surrounding the nomination of Mary Ferriter has made that choice impossible to ignore.

One Vote. A Bigger Question.

Ferriter’s nomination to the Probate and Family Court drew concern from several domestic violence survivors and advocates throughout the Commonwealth, particularly over her involvement with a controversial court-ordered parenting program and its impact on families navigating the court system.

Those concerns were brought directly to Governor’s Councilor Mara Dolan.

Dolan recently stated that she is proud that she voted in favor of Ferriter’s nomination and has defended that decision, saying she reviewed the allegations and evidence and believed Ferriter would be an outstanding judge.

But the controversy raises a question that extends beyond one nominee:

When a Governor’s Councilor is also an actively practicing attorney within the Massachusetts court system, what safeguards should exist to protect public confidence in the judicial appointment process?

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

It is a question about trust, transparency and the appearance of independence.

Why Palladino Is Different:

Palladino is a retired commercial litigator who left the practice of law years ago and became deeply involved in family-court advocacy. She is a co-founder and executive director of the Massachusetts Family Advocacy Coalition, a grassroots organization focused on family-court reform. She is not paid to stand by to help support families in court. She chooses to help families.

Her advocacy did not begin with this election.

She has spent years working with families, advocates and policymakers to address problems within the Massachusetts family court system.

She knows the law.

She knows the courtroom.

She has stepped away from active legal practice and chose to put that experience toward reform and advocacy.

That distinction matters when considering who should help select the judges who preside over the system with integrity.

She Understands What Is at Stake

In Probate and Family Court, judicial decisions can determine:

-Where Children Live

-Parenting Time

-Custody and;

-Other Issues That Can Reshape a Family's Life

That is why the people selecting those judges need more than legal knowledge.

They need to understand the human consequences of the decisions being made inside those courtrooms.

Palladino brings that perspective.

She has seen the legal system from inside the courtroom, and has spent years listening to the very families experiencing it from the other side of the bench.

September 1st Matters

The Governor’s Council may not be the most familiar office on the ballot, but its influence is enormous.

Its members help determine who receives advice and consent to serve as Massachusetts judges.

Those judges can make decisions that affect children, families and survivors for years.

September 1st is about more than the Ferriter nomination.

It is about what kind of voice voters want involved in selecting Massachusetts judges.

Margie Palladino is offering something different:

Legal experience.
A record of family-court advocacy.
A commitment to reform.
And a perspective shaped by stepping away from active courtroom practice.

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

She already is one.

The Ferriter vote may have sparked this campaign.

But Margie Palladino's record is much bigger than one vote.

On September 1st, voters have a choice about who they want representing them on the Governor’s Council.

A voice for families.
A voice for transparency.
A voice for reform.

That voice is Margie Palladino.

September 1st, 2026 Governor’s Council. Margie Palladino.

Link: Margie Palladino