The Hon. Joseph W. Jennings, III (Ret.) was first justice of the Gloucester District Court in Massachusetts. He was appointed to the bench by former Governor Paul Cellucci in 2000. Jennings retired in 2017 after reaching the mandatory age of retirement.
During his tenure on the bench, he also presided as a circuit justice for Region 3 which encompasses the Cambridge, Chelsea, Gloucester, Haverhill, Ipswich, Lynn, Malden, Newburyport, Peabody, Salem, and Somerville District Courts.
Jennings received a B.A. from Adelphi University in 1969. He then spent the next three years serving as an infantry officer in the United States Army (1969 to 1972). After his military service, Jennings went on to complete a J.D. at Boston University School of Law (1975) and an M.B.A. at Suffolk University (1981).
At the start of his legal career, he practiced briefly as an attorney at O’Leary, Tierney, Silverman, Sargent & Schulman (1976) before becoming a contract negotiator for RCA Government Systems Division in 1976.
The following year, Jennings joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a special agent, working in that capacity for three years before becoming vice president and general counsel at Standard Service Bureau, Inc., though his time there would be brief.
Jennings also served as legal counsel to the Teachers’ Retirement Board (1982 to 1983), an assistant security officer for First National Bank of Boston (1983 to 1984), and general counsel with the Public Employees Retirement Administration (1984 to 1986).
In 1986, Jennings became an administrative judge for the Department of Industrial Accidents and presided in that capacity until becoming a senior administrative judge there in 1992. He held that position until assuming the District Court bench in 2000.
His memberships included the Massachusetts Bar Association and the Society of Former Special Agents of the F.B.I. Jennings also served as chairman of the Lynnfield Personnel Board.
He was born in Providence, Rhode Island.