Doherty v. Commissioner of Administration

The plaintiffs are capítol police 3 officers who seek a determination under G. L. c. 231A of the validity of dismissal proceedings brought against them by the commissioner on December 9, 1964. The single issue is whether the commissioner or the State superintendent of buildings (superintendent) is the “appointing authority” of capítol police officers. The resolution of this issue is determinative of who is the proper official before whom dismissal hearings should be held under G. L. c. 31, § 43 (a). 4

The judge ruled that the superintendent, and not the commissioner, was the appointing…