By Haley Chi-Sing
Boston University Statehouse Program
MILFORD — General practice attorney Pacifico DeCapua Jr. will be sworn in as a district court judge next month after his nomination to the bench was unanimously confirmed last week by the Governor’s Council.
“It was surreal,” said DeCapua, a Milford native, when asked about the Nov. 17 confirmation vote. “I found myself just stopping time and soaking in the magnitude of everything that was happening at that moment.”
DeCapua’s wife, mother, son and daughter were present when the vote was announced. Several of his own character witnesses were part of the audience as well, sharing in DeCapua’s next step in his legal profession.
“It was humbling to hear attorney Brian Murray and Judge Robert Calagione … speak on my behalf,” DeCapua said.
DeCapua will meet with Judge Paul C. Dawley, chief justice of the district court, for his initial interview, then take his new position on Dec. 20.
He will undergo a monthlong orientation, which he said is routine for incoming district court judges. The process involves shadowing another judge for a three-week period while also being shadowed by a district judge himself.
According to DeCapua, orientation weeks will involve lots of going to and from various district courts in the area until it is determined where he will serve on the bench.
“It’s like a bouncing ball — the ball is just going to keep bouncing until it stops bouncing and then we’ll figure it out at a later point,” he said. “That’s the way that the chief judge does it. He assigns the newest people where there is the most need, and then settle in after that.”
As of now, DeCapua’s private practice will close its doors as he heads for his new role. He has noted the outpouring of congratulations in the Milford community, of which he has been a part of since childhood.
“Everybody’s just ecstatic, they’re thrilled, outpouring of support, and people are just very, very excited for me,” said DeCapua.
This article originally appeared in the Milford Daily News.