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Confirmation hearings next week for WMass AG's regional chief nominated for judgeship

SPRINGFIELD — There will be two public confirmation hearings next week for the regional chief of the Western Massachusetts division of the Attorney General's Office who was nominated recently for judgeship. Attorney Amy Karangekis, who has served as the regional chief since 2018, was nominated by Gov. Maura Healey for a judgeship on the Massachusetts Superior Court bench earlier this month. On June 2 and 4, there will be public confirmation hearings for Karangekis, the next step of the judicial process before a judge is appointed. The hearings will be chaired by Tara Jacobs, the District 8 representative for the Governor's Council, the body responsible for confirming nominated judges. Jacobs is the council's only member from Western Massachusetts. If confirmed, Karangekis would be the fifth person from Western Massachusetts nominated by the Healey administration to Superior Court. Judges Tracy E. Duncan, Deepika Shukla, Jeffrey Trapani and Charles Groce III were all previously nominated and appointed. Throughout her tenure with the AG's office, Karangekis has overseen staff and attorneys in the criminal and civil divisions, according to a statement. She also has prosecuted human trafficking cases, organized crime, gaming enforcement, and enterprise and major crimes. Last year, Karangekis represented the commonwealth in a case against two massage parlors in Springfield that were involved in a prostitution and money-laundering operation. She was also named as a defendant in a wrongful termination lawsuit against the AG's office. The plaintiff in that case, Bart Q. Hollander, alleged members of the AG's office discriminated against him because of his age. A request to the AG's office to interview Karangekis about her nomination went unanswered. Prior to becoming the regional chief, Karangekis was the deputy regional chief and the managing attorney for the Springfield office, a role she'd had for three years, between 2015 and 2018. She was hired to be an assistant attorney general in 2008. Before joining the Attorney General's Office, Karangekis was a contract attorney for law firms in Massachusetts and Maine. She was also an adjunct professor at the New England School of Law. Karangekis was nominated alongside Judge Asha White, who has served as the first justice of the Woburn District Court since last July. Shots-fired call leads to 2 arrests in Holyoke Muppet-based dollmaker in Wilbraham helps PBS with $10K fundraising effort After four decades, Cornucopia prepares to leave Northampton E-bike rider killed in collision in Springfield Read the original article on MassLive.