List of justices of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Following is a list of justices of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.
Current justices[]
Title | Name | Began active service | Appointed by | Reaches age 70 |
Chief Justice | Kimberly S. Budd | 2020 | Charlie Baker | 2036 |
Associate Justice | Frank Gaziano | 2016 | 2034 | |
Associate Justice | David A. Lowy | 2016 | 2031 | |
Associate Justice | Elspeth B. Cypher | 2017[1] | 2029 | |
Associate Justice | Scott L. Kafker | 2017 | 2029 | |
Associate Justice | Dalila Argaez Wendlandt | 2020 | 2038 | |
Associate Justice | Serge Georges Jr. | 2020 | 2038 |
List of justices[]
Superior Court of Judicature (1692–1775)[]
Justice | Position | Succeeded | Tenure | Appointed by | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
William Stoughton (1631–1701) |
Chief Justice |
Inaugural[a] | 1692 – July 7, 1701
|
Sir William Phips |
2 | Thomas Danforth (bapt. 1623–1699) |
Associate Justice |
Inaugural[a] | 1692 – November 5, 1699
| ||
3 | Wait Winthrop (1642–1717) |
Associate Justice |
Inaugural[a] | 1692 – 1701
| ||
4 | John Richards (bef. 1630–1694) |
Associate Justice |
Inaugural[a] | 1692 – April 2, 1694
| ||
5 | ![]() |
Samuel Sewall (1652–1730) |
Associate Justice |
Inaugural[a] | 1692 – 1718
| |
6 | ![]() |
Elisha Cooke Sr. (1637–1715) |
Associate Justice |
J. Richards | 1695 – 1702
|
William Stoughton |
7 |
|
Associate Justice |
T. Danforth | 1700 – 1712
| ||
2 | Wait Winthrop (1642–1717) |
Chief Justice |
W. Stoughton | 1701 – 1701
|
Governor's Council | |
7 | John Saffin (bapt. 1626–1710) |
Associate Justice |
W. Winthrop | 1701 – 1702
| ||
8 | Isaac Addington (1645–1719) |
Chief Justice |
W. Winthrop | 1702 – 1703
|
Joseph Dudley | |
9 | John Hathorne (1641–1717) |
Associate Justice |
E. Cooke | 1702 – 1712
| ||
10 | ![]() |
John Leverett
the Younger
|
Associate Justice |
J. Saffin | 1702 – 1708
| |
11 | Jonathan Corwin (1640–1718) |
Associate Justice |
J. Leverett | 1708 – 1717
| ||
2 | Wait Winthrop (1642–1717) |
Chief Justice |
I. Addington
(1702) |
1708 – November 7, 1717
| ||
12 | ![]() |
Benjamin Lynde Sr. (1666–1749) |
Associate Justice |
Lynde and Thomas were appointed to fill vacancies created by the death of John Whalley and the resignation of John Hathorne. | 1712 – 1729
| |
13 | Nathaniel Thomas (1643–1718) |
Associate Justice |
1712 – October 22, 1718
| |||
14 | Addington Davenport (1670–1736) |
Associate Justice |
J. Corwin | December 9, 1715 – April 3, 1736
|
William Tailer | |
5 | ![]() |
Samuel Sewall (1652–1730) |
Chief Justice |
W. Winthrop | 1718 – 1728
|
Samuel Shute |
15 | ![]() |
Edmund Quincy III (1681–1737) |
Associate Justice |
Quincy and Dudley were appointed to fill vacancies created by the deaths of Wait Winthrop and Nathaniel Thomas. | 1718 – February 23, 1737
| |
16 | Paul Dudley (1666–1751) |
Associate Justice |
1718 – 1751
| |||
12 | ![]() |
Benjamin Lynde Sr. (1666–1749) |
Chief Justice |
Sa. Sewall | 1729 – January 28, 1745
|
William Burnet |
17 | Associate Justice |
B. Lynde Sr. | 1728 – 1733
| |||
18 | Jonathan Remington (1677–1745) |
Associate Justice |
J. Cushing | 1733 – September 20, 1745
|
Jonathan Belcher | |
19 | Associate Justice |
A. Davenport | 1736 – 1756
| |||
20 | Thomas Graves | Associate Justice |
E. Quincy | 1737 – 1738
| ||
21 | Stephen Sewall (1702–1760) |
Associate Justice |
T. Graves | 1739 – 1745
| ||
16 | Paul Dudley (1666–1751) |
Chief Justice |
B. Lynde Sr. | 1745 – January 25, 1751
|
William Shirley | |
22 | Nathaniel Hubbard | Associate Justice |
P. Dudley | 1745 – 1746 | ||
23 | Benjamin Lynde Jr. | Associate Justice |
J. Remington | 1747 – 1769
| ||
24 | Associate Justice |
N. Hubbard | 1747 – 1771
| |||
21 | Stephen Sewall (1702–1760) |
Chief Justice |
P. Dudley | 1751 – September 10, 1760
| ||
25 | Chambers Russell | Associate Justice |
St. Sewall | 1752 – 1766
|
Spencer Phips | |
26 | Peter Oliver (1713–1791) |
Associate Justice |
R. Saltonstall | 1756 – 1772
|
William Shirley | |
27 | ![]() |
Thomas Hutchinson (1711–1780) |
Chief Justice |
St. Sewall | 1761 – 1769
|
Francis Bernard |
28 | Edmund Trowbridge (1709–1793) |
Associate Justice |
C. Russell | 1767 – 1775
| ||
29 | Benjamin Lynde Jr. | Chief Justice |
T. Hutchinson | 1769 – 1771
|
Thomas Hutchinson | |
30 | Foster Hutchinson (1724–1799) |
Associate Justice |
B. Lynde Jr. | 1771 – 1775
| ||
31 |
|
Associate Justice |
Ropes and Cushing were appointed to replace John Cushing and Benjamin Lynde Jr., both of whom resigned. Peter Oliver was named Chief Justice, replacing Lynde. | 1772 – 1774
| ||
32 | ![]() |
William Cushing (1732–1810) |
Associate Justice |
1772 – 1775
| ||
26 | Peter Oliver (1713–1791) |
Chief Justice |
1772 – 1775
| |||
33 | William Brown | Associate Justice |
N. Ropes | 1774 – 1775
|
- ^ a b c d e All judges appointed before 1695 were reappointed in that year (except John Richards, who had died) because the legislation creating the court was vetoed in that year by the Privy Council. Several further attempts to legislate the court's existence were vetoed, and it was not until 1699 that the provincial assembly enacted laws creating courts that satisfied the Privy Council.
Justices appointed by the Provincial Congress (1775–80)[]
Justice | Position | Succeeded | Tenure | Appointed by | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() |
John Adams (1735–1826) |
Chief Justice |
Inaugural | 1775 – 1776
|
|
2 | ![]() |
William Cushing (1732–1810) |
Associate Justice |
Inaugural | 1775 – 1776
|
|
3 | Nathaniel Sargent (1731–1791) |
Associate Justice |
Inaugural | 1775 – 1780
|
||
4 | Jedediah Foster (1726–1779) |
Associate Justice |
Inaugural | 1776 – October 17, 1779
|
||
5 | ![]() |
James Sullivan (1744–1808) |
Associate Justice |
Inaugural | March 1776 – 1780
|
|
2 | ![]() |
William Cushing (1732–1810) |
Chief Justice |
J. Adams | 1777 – 1780
|
Governor's Council |
6 | David Sewall (1735–1825) |
Associate Justice |
W. Cushing | 1777 – 1780
|
Three men declined appointment to the Court during this period: William Reed in 1775, Robert Treat Paine in 1776, and James Warren in 1777.
Justices under the State Constitution (1780–present)[]
Justice | Position | Succeeded | Tenure | Appointed by | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
William Cushing (1732–1810) |
Chief Justice |
Inaugural | 1780 – 1789
|
|
Nathaniel Sargent (1731–1791) |
Associate Justice |
Inaugural | 1780 – 1791
| ||
David Sewall (1735–1825) |
Associate Justice |
Inaugural | 1780 – 1789
| ||
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James Sullivan (1744–1808) |
Associate Justice |
Inaugural | 1780 – 1782
| |
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Francis Dana (1743–1811) |
Associate Justice |
J. Foster
(1779) |
1785 – 1806
|
|
![]() |
Increase Sumner (1746–1799) |
Associate Justice |
J. Sullivan | 1782 – 1787
|
John Hancock |
Nathaniel Sargent (1731–1791) |
Chief Justice |
W. Cushing | 1790 – October 2, 1791
| ||
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Robert Treat Paine (1731–1814) |
Associate Justice |
D. Sewall | 1790 – 1804
| |
Nathan Cushing | Associate Justice |
N. Sargent (as Associate Justice) |
1790 – 1800
| ||
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Francis Dana (1743–1811) |
Chief Justice |
N. Sargent (as Chief Justice) |
1791 – 1806
| |
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Thomas Dawes (1731–1809) |
Associate Justice |
F. Dana | 1792 – 1802
| |
Theophilus Bradbury (1739–1803) |
Associate Justice |
I. Sumner | 1797 – July 1803
| ||
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Samuel Sewall (1750–1814) |
Associate Justice |
N. Cushing | 1800 – 1814
|
Caleb Strong |
![]() |
Theodore Sedgwick (1746–1813) |
Associate Justice |
T. Dawes | 1802 – January 24, 1813
| |
Simeon Strong (1735–1805) |
Associate Justice |
Inaugural | 1801 – 1805
| ||
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George Thatcher (1754–1824) |
Associate Justice |
Inaugural | 1801 – January 1824
| |
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Theophilus Parsons (1750–1813) |
Chief Justice |
F. Dana | 1806 – October 13, 1813
| |
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Isaac Parker (1768–1830) |
Associate Justice |
S. Strong | 1806 – 1814
| |
Charles Jackson (1768–1830) |
Associate Justice |
T. Sedgwick | 1813 – 1823
| ||
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Samuel Sewall (1750–1814) |
Chief Justice |
T. Parsons | 1814 – June 8, 1814
| |
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Daniel Dewey (1766–1815) |
Associate Justice |
S. Sewall | 1814 – May 26, 1815
| |
Associate Justice |
I. Parker (as Associate Justice) |
1814 – 1842
| |||
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Isaac Parker (1768–1830) |
Chief Justice |
S. Sewall | 1814 – July 25, 1830
| |
Samuel Wilde (1771–1855) |
Associate Justice |
D. Dewey | 1815 – 1850
| ||
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Levi Lincoln Jr. (1782–1868) |
Associate Justice |
G. Thatcher | 1824 – 1825
|
William Eustis |
![]() |
Marcus Morton (1784–1864) |
Associate Justice |
L. Lincoln Jr. | 1825 – 1840
|
Levi Lincoln Jr. |
![]() |
Lemuel Shaw (1781–1861) |
Chief Justice |
I. Parker | August 30, 1830 – August 21, 1860
| |
Charles Augustus Dewey (d. 1866) |
Associate Justice |
Inaugural | 1837 – 1866
|
Edward Everett | |
(d. 1847) |
Associate Justice |
S. Putnam | 1842 – 1847
|
John Davis | |
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Theron Metcalf (1784–1875) |
Associate Justice |
M. Morton I
(1840) |
1848 – 1865
|
George N. Briggs |
Associate Justice |
1848 – 1848
| ||||
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Richard Fletcher (1788–1869) |
Associate Justice |
C. Forbes | 1848 – 1853
| |
Associate Justice |
S. Wilde | 1850 – 1860
| |||
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Caleb Cushing (1800–1879) |
Associate Justice |
Inaugural | 1852 – 1853
|
George S. Boutwell |
![]() |
Benjamin Thomas (1813–1878) |
Associate Justice |
R. Fletcher | 1853 – 1859
|
John H. Clifford |
![]() |
Pliny Merrick (1794–1867) |
Associate Justice |
1853 – 1864
| ||
![]() |
Ebenezer R. Hoar (1801–1873) |
Associate Justice |
J. Nolan | 1859 – 1869
|
Nathaniel Prentice Banks |
George Tyler Bigelow | Chief Justice |
L. Shaw | 1860 – 1867
| ||
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Reuben Atwater Chapman (1801–1873) |
Associate Justice |
1860 – 1868
| ||
![]() |
Horace Gray (1828–1902) |
Associate Justice |
N. Clifford | 1864 – September 15, 1873
|
John Albion Andrew |
James Denison Colt (1819–1881) |
Associate Justice |
T. Metcalf | 1865 – 1866
| ||
![]() |
Dwight Foster (1828–1884) |
Associate Justice |
C. A. Dewey | 1866 – 1869
|
Alexander H. Bullock |
(d. 1875) |
Associate Justice |
J. D. Colt | 1866 – 1875
| ||
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Reuben Atwater Chapman (1801–1873) |
Chief Justice |
G. T. Bigelow | 1868 – June 28, 1873
| |
James Denison Colt (1819–1881) |
Associate Justice |
R. A. Chapman | 1868 – 1881
| ||
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Marcus Morton II (1819–1891) |
Associate Justice |
E. Hoar | 1869 – 1882
|
William Claflin |
Seth Ames | Associate Justice |
D. Foster | 1869 – 1881
| ||
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Horace Gray (1828–1902) |
Chief Justice |
R. A. Chapman | September 15, 1873 – January 9, 1882
|
William B. Washburn |
![]() |
Charles Devens (1820–1891) |
Associate Justice |
H. Gray | 1873 – 1877
| |
![]() |
William Endicott (1826–1900) |
Associate Justice |
Inaugural | 1873 – 1882
| |
Otis Lord (1812–1884) |
Associate Justice |
J. Wells | 1875 – 1882
|
William Gaston | |
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Augustus Soule (1827–1887) |
Associate Justice |
March 27, 1877 – April 11, 1881 (Resigned) |
Alexander H. Rice | |
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Walbridge A. Field (1833–1899) |
Associate Justice |
S. Ames | 1881 – September 4, 1890
|
John D. Long |
Associate Justice |
1881 – 1891
| ||||
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Charles Devens (1820–1891) |
Associate Justice |
A. Soule | 1881 – 1891
| |
![]() |
Marcus Morton II (1819–1891) |
Chief Justice |
H. Gray | 1882 – 1890
| |
![]() |
Waldo Colburn (1824–1885) |
Associate Justice |
W. C. Endicott | November 10, 1882 – September 26, 1885
| |
![]() |
Charles Allen (1819–1891) |
Associate Justice |
M. Morton II | 1882 – 1898
| |
![]() |
Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. (1833–1899) |
Associate Justice |
O. Lord | 1882 – 1899
| |
William Gardner | Associate Justice |
1885 – 1887
|
George D. Robinson | ||
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Marcus Perrin Knowlton (1839–1918) |
Associate Justice |
W. Gardner | 1887 – 1902
|
Oliver Ames |
![]() |
Walbridge A. Field (1833–1899) |
Chief Justice |
M. Morton | September 4, 1890 – July 15, 1899
|
John Q. A. Brackett |
James Madison Morton Sr. | Associate Justice |
1890 – 1913
|
|||
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James Barker (1839–1905) |
Associate Justice |
W. Allen | 1891 – October 2, 1905
|
William Russell |
John Lathrop | Associate Justice |
1891 – 1906
|
|||
Associate Justice |
1898}} – 1914
|
Roger Wolcott | |||
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Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. (1833–1899) |
Chief Justice |
W. A. Field | August 2, 1899 – December 4, 1902
| |
William Loring (1851–1930) |
Associate Justice |
O. W. Holmes | September 7, 1899 – September 16, 1919 (Resigned) | ||
Henry Braley | Associate Justice |
1902 – 1929
|
Winthrop M. Crane | ||
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Marcus Perrin Knowlton (1839–1918) |
Chief Justice |
O. W. Holmes | 1902 – September 7, 1911
| |
Associate Justice |
Barker | 1905 – 1915
|
William Lewis Douglas | ||
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Arthur Prentice Rugg (1862–1938) |
Associate Justice |
J. Lathrop | 1906 – 1911
|
Curtis Guild Jr. |
![]() |
Arthur Prentice Rugg (1862–1938) |
Chief Justice |
M. P. Knowlton | 1911 – June 12, 1938
|
Eugene Foss |
|
Associate Justice |
1911 – 1924
| |||
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John C. Crosby (1859–1943) |
Associate Justice |
J. Morton | December 31, 1913 – October 1, 1937
|
David I. Walsh |
Edward Pierce | Associate Justice |
1914 – 1937
| |||
|
Associate Justice |
Sheldon | 1915 – 1932
| ||
Charles Jenney (1860–1923) |
Associate Justice |
W. Loring | 1919 – November 29, 1923
|
Calvin Coolidge | |
William C. Wait | Associate Justice |
1923 – 1934
|
Channing H. Cox | ||
|
Associate Justice |
1924 – 1932
| |||
Fred Tarbell Field (1876–1950) |
Associate Justice |
H. Braley | January 30, 1929 – June 30, 1938
|
Frank G. Allen | |
Charles Donahue (1877–1952) |
Associate Justice |
March 17, 1932 – April 26, 1944
|
Joseph B. Ely | ||
Associate Justice |
1932 – 1955 | ||||
Stanley Elroy Qua (1880–1965) |
Associate Justice |
1934 – 1947
| |||
Arthur Dolan (1876–1949) |
Associate Justice |
J. C. Crosby | 1937 – August 20, 1949
|
Charles F. Hurley | |
Louis Cox | Associate Justice |
Edward Pierce | 1937 – 1944 | ||
Fred Tarbell Field (1876–1950) |
Chief Justice |
A. P. Rugg | June 30, 1938 – July 24, 1947
| ||
Associate Justice |
F. T. Field | 1938 – 1959
| |||
Associate Justice |
L. Cox | 1944 – 1956
|
Leverett Saltonstall | ||
Associate Justice |
Donahue | 1944 – 1971 | |||
Stanley Elroy Qua (1880–1965) |
Chief Justice |
F. T. Field | 1947 – 1956
|
Robert F. Bradford | |
Harold P. Williams (1882–1963) |
Associate Justice |
S. Qua | 1947 – 1962
| ||
Associate Justice |
Dolan | 1949 – 1960 |
Paul A. Dever | ||
Arthur Whittemore (1896–1969) |
Associate Justice |
H. Lummus | October 1955 – October 1, 1969
|
Christian Herter | |
Raymond Sanger Wilkins | Chief Justice |
S. E. Qua | 1956 – 1970
| ||
Associate Justice |
1956 – 1972 | ||||
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Paul G. Kirk Sr. (1905–1981) |
Associate Justice |
E. Counihan | November 23, 1960 – December 15, 1970 (Resigned) |
Foster Furcolo |
Jacob Spiegel | Associate Justice |
Ronan | 1960 – 1972 | ||
G. Joseph Tauro (1906–1994) |
Associate Justice |
1961 – 1970
|
John Volpe | ||
Paul Reardon | Associate Justice |
H. P. Williams | 1962 – 1977 | ||
G. Joseph Tauro (1906–1994) |
Chief Justice |
R. S. Wilkins | 1970 – 1976
|
||
Associate Justice |
1969 – 1981 |
Francis W. Sargent | |||
Robert Braucher (1916–1981) |
Associate Justice |
P. Kirk | January 18, 1971 – August 26, 1981
| ||
Edward F. Hennessey (1919–2007) |
Associate Justice |
J. Spalding | 1971 – 1976
| ||
Benjamin Kaplan (1911–2010) |
Associate Justice |
R. A. Cutter | 1972 – 1981
| ||
Herbert P. Wilkins | Associate Justice |
J. Spiegel | 1972 – 1996
| ||
Edward F. Hennessey (1919–2007) |
Chief Justice |
G. J. Tauro | 1976 – 1989
|
Michael Dukakis | |
Paul J. Liacos (1929–1999) |
Associate Justice |
E. Hennessey | 1976 – June 20, 1986
| ||
Ruth Abrams (1930–2019) |
Associate Justice |
P. Reardon | 1978 – 2000
| ||
Joseph R. Nolan (1925–2013) |
Associate Justice |
Quirico | 1981 – 1995
|
Edward J. King | |
Neil L. Lynch | Associate Justice |
Kaplan | 1981 – 2000 | ||
Francis Patrick O'Connor (1927–2007) |
Associate Justice |
R. Braucher | 1981 – 1997
| ||
Paul J. Liacos (1929–1999) |
Chief Justice |
E. Hennessey | June 20, 1986 – September 30, 1996
|
Michael Dukakis | |
John M. Greaney (1939–) |
Associate Justice |
P. Liacos | 1989 – 2008
| ||
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Charles Fried (1944–) |
Associate Justice |
J. Nolan | September 1995 – June 1999
|
William Weld |
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Margaret H. Marshall (1944–) |
Associate Justice |
1996 – October 14, 1999
| ||
Herbert P. Wilkins | Chief Justice |
P. Liacos | 1996 – October 13, 1999
| ||
Roderick L. Ireland (1944–) |
Associate Justice |
1997 – December 20, 2010
| |||
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Margaret H. Marshall (1944–) |
Chief Justice |
H. Wilkins | October 14, 1999 – October 31, 2010
|
Paul Cellucci |
Judith Cowin (1942–) |
Associate Justice |
C. Fried | 1999 – 2011
| ||
Francis X. Spina (1946–) |
Associate Justice |
M. Marshall | 1999 – August 12, 2016
| ||
Martha B. Sosman (1950–2007) |
Associate Justice |
N. Lynch | 2000 – March 10, 2007
| ||
Robert J. Cordy (1949–) |
Associate Justice |
R. Abrams | 2001 – August 12, 2016
| ||
Margot Botsford (1947–) |
Associate Justice |
M. Sosman | September 4, 2007 – March 15, 2017
|
Deval Patrick | |
Ralph Gants (1954–2020) |
Associate Justice |
J. Greaney | January 29, 2009 – July 28, 2014
| ||
Roderick L. Ireland (1944–) |
Chief Justice |
M. Marshall | December 20, 2010 – July 25, 2014
| ||
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Barbara Lenk (1950–) |
Associate Justice |
J. Cowin | June 8, 2011 – December 1, 2020
| |
Fernande R.V. Duffly (1949–) |
Associate Justice |
R. Ireland | February 1, 2011 – July 12, 2016
| ||
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Ralph Gants (1954–2020) |
Chief Justice |
R. Ireland | July 28, 2014 – September 14, 2020[2][3] (Died) | |
Geraldine Hines (1947–) |
Associate Justice |
R. Gants | July 31, 2014 – August 18, 2017 (Mandatory retirement) | ||
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Frank Gaziano (1963–) |
Associate Justice |
F. Spina | August 18, 2016 – Incumbent |
Charlie Baker |
![]() |
Kimberly S. Budd (1966–) |
Associate Justice |
F. Duffly | August 24, 2016 – December 1, 2020 (Continued as Chief Justice) | |
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David A. Lowy (1959/60–) |
Associate Justice |
R. Cordy | August 24, 2016 – Incumbent | |
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Elspeth B. Cypher (1959–) |
Associate Justice |
M. Botsford | March 31, 2017 – Incumbent | |
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Scott Kafker (1959–) |
Associate Justice |
G. Hines | August 21, 2017 – Incumbent | |
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Kimberly S. Budd (1966–) |
Chief Justice |
R. Gants | December 1, 2020 – Incumbent | |
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Dalila Argaez Wendlandt (1968/69–) |
Associate Justice |
B. Lenk | December 4, 2020 – Incumbent | |
![]() |
Serge Georges Jr. (1969/70–) |
Associate Justice |
K. Budd | December 16, 2020 – Incumbent |
Notes[]
- ^ "Justice Margot Botsford retires from SJC – The Boston Globe". Retrieved 7 July 2017.
- ^ Becker, Deborah. "Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Ralph Gants Dies At 65". www.wbur.org. Retrieved 2020-09-14.
- ^ Marquard, Bryan. "SJC Chief Justice Ralph D. Gants has died - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 2020-09-14.
Sources[]
- Whitmore, William Henry (1870). The Massachusetts Civil List for the Colonial and Provincial Periods, 1630-1774. J. Munsell.
- Lists of people from Massachusetts
- Lists of United States state supreme court justices