A lawsuit initiated by the Register of Deeds in October of 2025 in the Norfolk Superior Court because County Director John J. Cronin and the three (3) Norfolk County Commissioners failed to sign the Register of Deeds appointment of two long time Registry employees to vacant job promotions has concluded. This case, similar to the two other lawsuits the Register of Deeds had to file, was filed in order to combat unlawful interference by the Norfolk County Defendants into Registry operations and the Register’s right to run and manage the Registry of Deeds.
The key result is that there was a court order mandating the promotions that had been denied to the two Registry employees since October of 2025 by the Norfolk County Commissioners. “I am grateful that two long time and valued employees – one with 34 years of work experience at the Registry of Deeds and the other with 36 years of work experience got their promotions. Sometimes you have to stand up and fight for what is right which is why this lawsuit was instituted. It is a shame that County Director John J. Cronin and the Norfolk County Commissioners just do whatever they want. This court case outcome similar to the other two Registry court cases holds these elected and appointed Norfolk County officials accountable” stated Register of Deeds William P. O’Donnell.
This lawsuit was instituted to ensure that there was a consistent and uniform handbook policy applied to Registry personnel decisions by the County Defendants – County Director John J. Cronin and the Norfolk County Commissioners who are former Quincy City Clerk Joseph J. Shea of Quincy, Quincy Attorney and Milton resident Peter H. Collins and former Canton Select Board member Richard R. Staiti of Canton.
“I believe the County has exhibited bias and retaliation against me as Register and the operations of the Registry of Deeds. This lawsuit shined a light on what Norfolk County was doing. I and the Registry employees are grateful for the favorable court outcome that there will be a consistent and uniform implementation by the County Director and his human resources department of the drafted county handbook when it comes to Registry staff appointments” stated Register O’Donnell.
Register O’Donnell filed and argued this lawsuit pro se, or on his own, in Court. Defendants County Director John J. Cronin and the Norfolk County Commissioners were all represented by Attorney Scott Lopez from the Boston law firm of Lawson and Weitzen, LLP. The fees of Attorney Lopez are paid by the Norfolk County Commissioners from the Norfolk County Budget. The County Commissioners in just two fiscal years have spent in excess of $394,000 out of the County’s legal line item budget.
“I litigated this case on my own so the taxpayers did not pay any of the costs of this favorable outcome for the Norfolk Registry of Deeds and its employees. However, the spending of legal monies by the County Commissioners to defend their questionable if not unlawful decisions is a waste of taxpayers’ monies. The taxpayers should be outraged.”
There have been other court rulings that have stated the Register of Deeds is the appointing authority when it comes to Registry staff positions. This issue once again came up in this court case given the actions and decisions of County Director John J. Cronin and the Norfolk County Commissioners in not recognizing the Register’s promotional appointments of the two long time Registry staff persons. “I am grateful this court ruled as other Massachusetts courts have that the Register of Deeds is the appointing authority for the Registry of Deeds. Hopefully in the future these Commissioners and their staff will recognize the Register’s appointment authority.”
Follow this link to see a Court Ruling in Case No. 2582CV1197 https://www.norfolkdeeds.org/wp-content/uploads/Court-Ruling-CASE-2582-CV-1197.pdf
