Section 28A. There shall be an appellate division of the superior court for the review of sentences to the state prison imposed by final judgments in criminal cases, except in any case in which a different sentence could not have been imposed, and for the review of sentences to the reformatory for women for terms of more than five years imposed by final judgments in such criminal cases. Said appellate division shall consist of three justices of the superior court to be designated from time to time by the chief justice of said court and shall sit in Boston or at a Massachusetts correctional institution or at such other place as may be designated by the chief justice and at such times as he shall determine. No justice shall sit or act on an appeal from a sentence imposed by him. Two justices shall constitute a quorum to decide all matters before the appellate division.
A designation by the chief justice of the members of the appellate division shall be recorded by the clerk of the appellate division who shall forthwith send copies thereof to the several clerks of the superior court.
The clerk of the superior court for criminal business in Suffolk county shall be the clerk of the appellate division of the superior court. The first assistant clerk of superior court for criminal business in Suffolk county shall be the first assistant clerk of the appellate division of the superior court; the second assistant clerk of the superior court for criminal business in Suffolk county shall be the second assistant clerk of the appellate division of the superior court.
The clerk or an assistant clerk of the appellate division of the superior court shall attend all sittings of the appellate division wherever such sittings are held and shall record the proceedings thereof. The clerk shall have the care and custody of all records, books and papers which pertain to said appellate division. The clerk and the assistant clerks of the appellate division shall have all the power and authority of a clerk of courts in any county of the commonwealth in any and all matters pertaining to the appellate division or to any criminal case in which an appeal for a review of a sentence imposed in any county has been filed.