The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) is the highest court in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Although the claim is disputed by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania,the SJC claims the distinction of being the oldest continuously functioning appellate court in the Americas,with a recognized history dating to the establishment of the Massachusetts Superior Court of Judicature in 1692 under the charter of the Province of Massachusetts Bay.
Ruth Ida Abrams was the first female justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court,where she served from 1978 to 2000,and the first female appellate justice in Massachusetts.
Martha B. Sosman was an American lawyer and jurist from Massachusetts. Appointed by Governor Paul Cellucci,she served as an associate justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court from 2000 until her death.
Barbara A. Lenk is an American attorney and jurist who served as an associate justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. On April 4,2011,Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick nominated her to that position and she was confirmed by the Governor's Council on May 4,2011. She took the oath of office on June 8,2011.
Ralph D. Gants was an American attorney and jurist who served as the chief justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. He was sworn in on July 28,2014. Gants had previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney.
Janis M. Berry is an American jurist who served as an associate justice of the Massachusetts Appeals Court from 2001 to 2016.
John Byron Owens is an American judge and lawyer who serves as a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Gabrielle R. Wolohojian is an American judge who serves as an associate justice of the Massachusetts Appeals Court. She is the designate to serve as an associate justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.
Maura Tracy Healey is an American lawyer and politician serving as the 73rd governor of Massachusetts since 2023. A member of the Democratic Party,she served as Massachusetts Attorney General from 2015 to 2023 and was elected governor in 2022,defeating the Republican nominee,former state representative Geoff Diehl.
Geraldine S. Hines is an American retired judge who formerly served served as an associate justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court from 2014 to 2017. She was nominated in July 2014 by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and confirmed by an 8–0 vote of the Governor's Council. She succeeded Ralph D. Gants,who was promoted to chief justice.
Leondra Reid Kruger is an American judge who serves as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of California. A native of South Pasadena,California,she graduated from Harvard College and Yale Law School. Kruger then clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens,and subsequently worked in private practice and as a professor. She served as acting Principal Deputy Solicitor General of the United States from 2010 to 2011,and worked in the Office of Legal Counsel. In 2014,California Governor Jerry Brown nominated Kruger to a seat on the Supreme Court of California. She was confirmed,and was sworn in on January 5,2015.
Gordon J. MacDonald is an American attorney who has served as the chief justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court since 2021. He previously served as the 30th Attorney General of New Hampshire from 2017 to 2021.
David A. Lowy is an American attorney,academic and jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts from 2016 to 2024.
Kimberly S. Budd is the chief justice of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts and former justice of the Massachusetts Superior Court.
Elspeth B. Cypher is a former justice of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts who served from 2017 to 2024. She is also a former justice of the Massachusetts Appeals Court,where she served from 2000 to 2017.
Dalila Argaez Wendlandt is an American lawyer who has served as an associate justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court since 2020. She previously served as an associate justice of the Massachusetts Appeals Court from 2017 to 2020.
Colleen D. Zahn is an American lawyer and jurist serving as an associate justice of the Idaho Supreme Court. She assumed office in 2021.
Julia Eleanor Kobick is an American lawyer who has served as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts since 2023. She previously served as deputy state solicitor in the Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General.
Kate R. Cook is an American lawyer and government official serving as the chief of staff for the Massachusetts governor's office since January 2023.
