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.
Gordon College is a private Christian college in Wenham,Massachusetts. The college offers 33 majors,38 concentrations,and 21 interdisciplinary and pre-professional minors as well as graduate programs in education and music education. Gordon has an undergraduate enrollment of around 1,600 students representing more than 50 Christian denominations.
Sandra Lea Lynch is an American lawyer who serves as a senior United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. She is the first woman to serve on that court. Lynch served as chief judge of the First Circuit from 2008 to 2015.
G. Joseph Tauro was the chief justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court from 1970 to 1976.
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.
The Massachusetts Appeals Court is the intermediate appellate court of Massachusetts. It was created in 1972 as a court of general appellate jurisdiction. The court is located at the John Adams Courthouse at Pemberton Square in Boston,the same building which houses the Supreme Judicial Court and the Social Law Library.
John M. Greaney is a former Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and former Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Appeals Court. After his judicial retirement,he served as Director of the Macaronis Institute for Trial and Appellate Advocacy at Suffolk University Law School. He currently is in private practice as senior counsel at Bulkley Richardson in Springfield,Massachusetts.
Francis Patrick O'Connor was an American lawyer and jurist from Massachusetts. He was long-time associate justice on the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court who was noted for his frequent and thorough dissents.
Roderick L. Ireland is a former Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts,and the first African American to serve that position. He was nominated for Chief Justice by Governor Deval Patrick on November 4,2010,and sworn in on December 20. He retired from service on the court on July 25,2014.
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.
Judith Cathy Arnold Cowin is a retired justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.
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.
Francis X. Spina is a former Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.
The judiciary of Massachusetts is the branch of the government of Massachusetts that interprets and applies the law of Massachusetts,ensures equal justice under law,and provides a mechanism for dispute resolution. The judicial power in Massachusetts is reposed in the Supreme Judicial Court,which superintends the entire system of courts.
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.
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.
Elizabeth Napier "Bessie" Dewar is an American lawyer who has served as an associate justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court since 2024. She previously served as the state solicitor of Massachusetts from 2016 to 2024. Prior to serving as the state solicitor,she had served as the assistant state solicitor under former state solicitor Peter Sacks.
