Armand Fernandes Jr.

Honorable Armand Fernandes, Jr., retired Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Trial court, Probate and Family Court Department, recently joined as “Of Counsel” to the Keches Law Group. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Attorney Fernandes maintained a successful private law practice engaging in many jury and non-jury trials in the Federal and State Courts. He has tried personal injury, workers’ compensation, social security, eminent domain, murder, products liability, probate, and domestic relations matters. Many were high-profile cases, such as In Re: Papas (journalist privilege); In Re: Kopechne; (inquest); Commonwealth v. Costa (serial murder); Commonwealth v. Reed (high school stabbing); Gonsalves v. City of New Bedford (cell death); and Andrade v. Correia (motor vehicle tort where the use of chiropractic evidence was supported by Supreme Judicial Court).

While in private practice, he served as an Associate District Attorney for the Southern District, Assistant City Solicitor and City Solicitor for the City of New Bedford; legal advisor to the New Bedford Police Department, and on the Massachusetts Superior Court certified lists for the appointment of Masters and court-appointed defense attorneys (murder).

Attorney Fernandes lectured at the New Bedford Police Academy, at Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (MCLE), Massachusetts Bar Association (MBA) and Suffolk University Law School continuing education courses. He is a member of the American Bar Association (ABA), Massachusetts Bar Association (MBA), and Massachusetts Law Foundation. He has served as President of the New Bedford Bar Association, and as a member of the MBA’s family law urban affairs and judicial administration committees. During these years, he also was a member of and served on the Board of Directors of many civic, educational and charitable organizations and a recipient of civic and social honors.