The Honorable Amy L. Nechtem ’76 is the Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Juvenile Court Department, protecting the safety, health, and wellbeing of children residing in the state. Chief Justice Nechtem spoke with us about her lifelong devotion to public service and her commitment to systems enhancement affecting vulnerable children and families, both influenced by the early impact of the Simmons sisterhood.
For the Honorable Amy L. Nechtem ’76, Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Juvenile Court Department, humanity is integral to her two great passions: equitable access to justice and dance. “They each require a discipline, a devotion, and constant learning, and the rewards are astounding.”
Chief Justice Nechtem is a lifelong dancer who trained at the Boston Ballet School as a child. “I see a symmetry between dancing and our life experience,” she says. “Life is a kind of choreography, whether it be a dance performance or the theater of a courtroom. However you decide to move, it is going to expand the depth and breadth of your profession, relationships, and friendships.”
The commitment Chief Justice Nechtem learned from dance helped to inform her earlier work as an Assistant District Attorney in Suffolk County from 1991 to 2000. “In court, I tried serious major felony cases, including child abuse cases, which, as a prosecutor, were very difficult. Those professional experiences paved the way for continued work in public service in support of our most vulnerable children in the Commonwealth and nationally,” she says.
In 2001, Interim Massachusetts Governor Jane Maria Swift appointed Nechtem as an Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Juvenile Court Department, one of the state’s seven Trial Court Departments. In 2014, she was appointed as the Chief Justice.
“I liken my current role to that of a Chief Executive Officer,” says Chief Justice Nechtem. “In this capacity, I am responsible for the administration and management of policy and practice over all the juvenile courts in the state. I advance programmatic initiatives to enhance access to justice in our courts while ensuring continual education, training, and onboarding of new judges.” Currently, 42 judges serve the Juvenile Court Department, all of whom serve under Chief Justice Nechtem’s supervision. “This role has given me the opportunity to build and implement my vision for system-wide changes in child welfare and juvenile justice.”
A Commitment to Child Welfare, Juvenile Justice, and Systems Enhancement
“Many people assume that our department constitutes a court only for children and youth who have trouble within the justice system, but a majority of our cases are civil child welfare, care, and protection cases,” clarifies Chief Justice Nechtem. “Due to the sensitive nature of the matters before the Juvenile Court, we are a confidential court closed to the public by statute.”
Most child welfare cases are brought to the Juvenile Court through the Department of Children and Families (DCF). “An allegation of abuse or neglect may warrant a child being removed from their home. A judge will have to determine whether there was just cause for that removal. If so, the case will continue toward trial,” explains Chief Justice Nechtem.
Child welfare cases are complex matters that require expertise and sound judgment. “We are a specialized court and the judges who preside and attorneys who practice are required to have focused training and experience in juvenile justice and child welfare law and practice,” says Chief Justice Nechtem. “As there exists a constitutional right to raise one’s child, there is a significant impact on the parents’ rights when a child is removed from their home.”
Chief Justice Nechtem believes in differentiated case management as advanced in her national initiative Pathways, where child and family serving stakeholder partners work collaboratively to reduce delay and trauma experienced by a child(ren)’s removal from their homes and to create positive outcomes. “We know that children thrive at home if it is a safe, supported, and healthy home. If that is not feasible, DCF seeks a kinship placement or foster care,” explains Chief Justice Nechtem. “If safe for a child, reunification with a parent(s) is optimum.”
The Juvenile Court Department also hears cases involving juvenile justice, called delinquency cases (i.e., juveniles who have been arrested for a particular offense). Here Chief Justice Nechtem believes diversion programs in communities enhance the opportunity to change the trajectory of a child from the justice system in a rehabilitative manner. “Our goal is to seek intervention and prevention options,” she says. “We want children and youth to avoid the court system altogether, if possible, and if not, with the least amount of trauma.”
The Juvenile Court addresses hybrid-status cases as well, called Children Requiring Assistance (CRA). These cases typically involve children who require specialized intervention and assistance, such as children who frequently run away from home or are routinely truant. “When these cases come before the court, we help the family obtain the resources they need to keep their child safe,” says Chief Justice Nechtem.
Prioritizing Intervention
“As the Chief Justice, I am committed to advancing prevention and intervention system opportunities with our stakeholder partners,” says Chief Justice Nechtem. “Working in a collective impact model by collaboratively convening leaders from governmental departments whose role impacts the lives of children and families is key to the positive changes necessary to benefit our most vulnerable children.”
Early in 2024, Chief Justice Nechtem launched Family Treatment Courts (FTC) statewide in the Juvenile Court Department, PATHS (Prevention and Treatment for the Health and Safety of Children and Families), specialty courts designed in accordance with national best practices. “This initiative required tremendous collaboration between stakeholder leaders, judges, attorneys, clinicians, and community members, offering much-needed prevention and treatments for parents suffering from substance use and co-occurring disorders,” she says.
Most recently, Chief Justice Nechtem convened the “Northeast Judicial and Systems Partners Symposium Child Wellbeing, Family Preservation, and Equal Access to Justice” in Philadelphia. “I am passionate about system collaborative efforts to improve outcomes and this event brought together leaders from three branches of government to move the dial,” she says.
During her decades-long career, Chief Justice Nechtem believes that the courts have come a long way. “Our systems are less siloed than they were several years ago. In my role as Chief Justice, building relationships and securing trusted partnerships have been my top priorities. I am proud we are experiencing this now in Massachusetts.”
The Simmons Sisterhood
Chief Justice Nechtem was attracted to Simmons because of its Boston location. She grew up in Chelsea and thrived in its multicultural community. She was also drawn to the unique sisterhood that a women’s-centered institution offers. “At a university like Simmons, you can be free, you can be yourself,” she says. “Simmons awakened and expanded my intellectual capacity. I treasure the friends from my days at Simmons.”
At Simmons, Chief Justice Nechtem majored in Nutritional Sciences. “Back then I did not yet know what career I wanted to pursue, but I found my coursework [including organic chemistry and microbiology] fascinating and challenging. The Simmons community and the extraordinary professors were supportive, and I am proud to have graduated from Simmons.”
Experiencing a women-centered environment influenced her future accomplishments. “I credit my experience with the Simmons sisterhood as the foundation influencing who I have become personally and professionally,” says Chief Justice Nechtem. “When I became a judge, I joined the National Association of Women Judges (NAWJ) and, as a result, I interacted with brilliant women from all levels of the judiciary, nationally and internationally. In 2012, I was honored to be elected as the President of NAWJ, and used my platform to bolster women’s rights, women’s access to justice, and women’s leadership. For me, the joy of camaraderie with other women was born at Simmons.”
Moreover, Chief Justice Nechtem embodies Simmons’ commitment to leadership for the public good. “In my leadership role as judge, I knew I had the privilege and the responsibility to open doors for young people and families that were otherwise closed. . . . And that has been extremely rewarding.”
Regarding words of advice, Chief Justice Nechtem urges Simmons students to “listen to your instincts, which can serve as your inner guide. . . . Always keep an open, agile mind and welcome new possibilities.”
In summer 2024, Chief Justice Nechtem retired from the judiciary, and intends to continue working on access to justice initiatives and women’s rights globally. She welcomes the Simmons community to connect with her on LinkedIn.