Editorial: Arroyo the right choice to lead court

Felix D. Arroyo, a well-regarded local political figure, will be the next register of the Suffolk County Probate and Family Court. Voters made the right choice in electing him.

Arroyo has a long track record as a progressive leader in Boston, including advising former Mayor Ray Flynn in the 1980s and leading the Boston School Committee in the 1990s. Now a Roslindale resident, he lived in JP while serving as a Boston city councilor a decade ago, drawing strong local support. He remains well-known here as the father of JP resident Felix G. Arroyo, also a former city councilor who is now the City’s chief of Health and Human Services.

The elder Arroyo is known for his humane and compassionate approach. He is an excellent choice to lead the Probate and Family Court system, the significance of which is vastly underestimated. The court handles such matters as divorces and wills—some of the most difficult times of anyone’s life.

JP resident Chris Iannella long served as the register of probate, designing a pioneering system of do-it-yourself legal filings that eased the financial and psychological burdens on people seeking the courts’ aid. Arroyo is likely to continue that transparent, people-first approach.

In addition, as a respected and principled leader, Arroyo is well-positioned to erase the stains the brief, sordid tenure of Patricia Campatelli has left on the office’s good name and inner workings.

Congratulations to Felix, and to all residents who may find themselves in need of the court’s judgment.

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