Doug Darnbrough 31 Ashlynn Way Rehoboth, MA 02769 Tel: 774-271-0251 Email: dougdarnbrough@gmail.com
WORK EXPERIENCE October 2023- December 2023
Associate Justice of the District Court Bristol, Plymouth and Barnstable Counties
Preside over civil and criminal cases, including arraignments, pre trials, motions and trials. Author decisions on evidentiary hearings. Preside over mental health hearings and restraining order hearings. January 2019- September 2023
Presiding Justice New Bedford District Court New Bedford, MA
Oversaw the operations of the New Bedford District Court which is the third busiest District Court in the Commonwealth. Interviewed and hired Probation Officers, Assistant Chief Probation Officers and First Assistant Chief Probation Officer. Acted as liaison between facilities and the County Commissioners concerning the building. Conducted arraignments,
pretrial hearings, criminal and civil trials and mental health hearings. Authored decisions on conducted evidentiary hearings. Presided over restraining order hearings. Presiding Justice in the New Bedford Recovery Court (formerly known as Drug Court). Hired clinician, worked with team on participants’ plan, and oversaw all operations of court. Met with participants every Wednesday to review progress and amend treatment protocol if necessary. Attended trainings and spoke at seminars about recovery and addiction. Planned and implemented the Mental Health Court. Set up the team and all protocol. Instituted the video conference session in February 2019 for video conferencing for all custody criminal defendants at Houses of Corrections and state jails.
September 2016- February 2019
Associate Justice of the District Court Bristol, Plymouth and Barnstable Counties
Presided over civil and criminal cases, including arraignments, pre trials, motions and trials. Authored decisions on evidentiary matters. Conducted mental health hearings and restraining order hearings.
August 2013- September 2016
Assistant Clerk Magistrate Taunton District Court Taunton, Massachusetts
Presided and conducted civil motor vehicle infraction appeals, criminal show cause hearings, small claims trials, and payment review hearings. Assisted judges in session, presenting matters to the Court, recorded docket entries, draw orders as indicated by the Judge, and maintained trial exhibits and docket sheets. Oversaw the civil department, in conjunction with the Clerk Magistrate, to make sure that cases are entered timely, cases are docket appropriately, and the filings are correct. Had general supervision over the ten to twelve clerical workers in the Magistrate office to review filings and advise staff on legal issues. Reviewed applications for search warrants from various police departments to determine if the affidavit in support of said search warrant contains probable cause and to determine if the application is in accordance with existing and changing case law. During the hours court is not in session, I received calls from various police departments when a person is arrested. After review of the facts, the biographical history of the person and a review
of their criminal history, I set bail. If a person is released on bail or personal recognizance, I traveled to the police stations, expedited their release, and indicated their return date to court. Reviewed police reports and criminal applications to determine if there is probable cause to issue arrest warrant, schedule arraignment, or schedule a case for a criminal show cause hearing.
September 1995August 2013
Douglas J. Darnbrough Law Offices, P. C. Fall River, Massachusetts
General Practice of Law including contracts, personal injury, worker’s compensation, landlord/tenant, criminal defense, probate and family, and real estate law. My concentration was in criminal defense and civil tort litigation. Over the years, I have dealt with almost every aspect of district court & superior court litigation including clerk hearings, bail arguments, evidentiary motions, and trials of both criminal and civil cases. During the last two years of my practice, I was also involved in real estate closings, performing approximately ten closings per month. Counsel to a 100-person boat building company in Rhode Island. Responsible for drafting employee handbook, construction contracts, dealer contracts, dealt with all aspects of litigation, and employee issues. Counsel to three (3) other small business (10-40) employees and dealt with contract drafting, negotiation, and dealt with human resource issues. 1994
Honorable RI Supreme Court Justice Gilbert Indeglia Judicial Clerk for Justice Indeglia for semester in school while he was sitting in the Rhode Island District Court
Researched and briefed issues as assigned and submit memorandum to Judge as to the existing state of law. 1989 – 1992
General Accident Insurance Company Providence, Rhode Island
Insurance Adjuster involved in the investigation and settlement of automobile and personal injury claims. Involved in determining and assessing liability, gathering medical documentation, determining causation of injuries claimed, assessing value to case and ultimately negotiating with attorneys to reach a settlement. 1988 – 1989
Norfield Associates Wakefield, Massachusetts
Insurance Adjuster involved in the investigation of automobile and personal injury claims. Involved in performing locus investigations, gathering witness statements and assessing liability in order to report to the insurance company.
EDUCATION Rocky Hill School Graduation June 1985
East Greenwich, Rhode Island Private College Preparatory School East Greenwich, RI
Nichols College September1985December 1985
Dudley, Massachusetts Studies toward Business Administration
Bryant College January 1986December 1988
Smithfield, Rhode Island Bachelor of Science Business Administration
Southern New England School of Law UMASS School of Law September 1991December 1994
North Dartmouth, Massachusetts Juris Doctor Degree
June 2000
National Criminal Defense College 80 hour training in Criminal Defense Practice Macon, Georgia
1995- 2012
Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education Boston, MA. Attended numerous MCLE seminars over years on various subjects involving litigation, drunk driving, civil practice, criminal practice, Sex Offender Registry Board training, search and seizure, and the like.
BAR ADMISSIONS Commonwealth of Massachusetts State of Rhode Island United States District Court, District of Massachusetts United States District Court, District of Rhode Island
June 1995 June 2001 October 1995 May 2002
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS Association of Magistrates and Assistant Clerk Magistrates American Bar Association (Past Member ) American Trial Lawyers Association (Past Member ) Bristol County Bar Advocate Program (Past Member ) Bristol County Bar Association Fall River Bar Association (Past Member ) Massachusetts Bar Association Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education Association Massachusetts Judges Conference New Bedford Bar Association Rhode Island Bar Association Rhode Island Trial Lawyers Association VOLUNTEER/ SPEAKING/ TEACHING
Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education
McLaughlin Muse Training
Taught seminars on “Mastering Opening Statements” and “Representing Clients at Show Cause Hearing”. Lead contact and instructor for Bristol County. The statewide advance trial training program ran for 5 weeks, training 8 lawyers.
Volunteered to speak local high schools on the court system; Spoke at local drug court event on recovery, addiction, programs and how the court operates to address these issues.