The Supreme Judicial Court has issued a standing order regarding assignment of judges to cases involving allegations of misconduct at the William A. Hinton State Laboratory Institute. Dated November 9, 2012, it says:
This Order is issued to facilitate the handling of matters related to allegations of misconduct at the William A. Hinton State Laboratory Institute. To further the expeditious handling of such matters, and notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary in any Rule of Court or Standing Order, it is hereby ORDERED that a Chief Justice of a Trial Court Department may assign for all purposes, including disposition, any post conviction motion in which a party seeks relief based on alleged misconduct at the Hinton State Laboratory to any judge of that Trial Court Department. The assigned judge may reassign the motion to the original trial judge where the interests of justice require.
This Order is effective immediately and shall remain in effect until further Order of this Court.
