Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
Coordinates: 42°21′33″N 71°03′39″W / 42.359297°N 71.060954°W
Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts | |
---|---|
Established | 1692 |
Country | Massachusetts , United States |
Location | Boston, Massachusetts |
Composition method | Executive appointments with quasi-legislative consent |
Authorized by | Massachusetts Constitution |
Decisions are appealed to | Supreme Court of the United States |
Website | Official website |
Chief Justice | |
Currently | Ralph Gants |
Since | July 28, 2014 |
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) is the highest court in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The SJC has the distinction of being the oldest continuously functioning appellate court in the Americas,[1] 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.[2]
Although it was historically composed of four associate justices and one chief justice, the court is currently composed of six associate justices and one chief justice.
History
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court traces its history back to the high court of the British Province of Massachusetts Bay, which was chartered in 1692. Under the terms of that charter, Governor Sir William Phips established the Superior Court of Judicature as the province's local court of last resort (some of the court's decisions could be appealed to courts in England). When the Massachusetts State Constitution was established in 1780, legislative and judicial records show that the state's high court, although renamed, was a continuation of provincial high court. During and after the period of the American Revolution the court had members who were appointed by royal governors, the executive council of the Massachusetts Provincial Congress (which acted as the state's executive from 1775 to 1780), and governors elected under the state constitution.
Location and citation
The SJC sits at the John Adams Courthouse, One Pemberton Square, Boston, Massachusetts 02108, which also houses the Massachusetts Appeals Court and the Social Law Library. The proper legal citation for the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court is "Mass."
Landmark cases
- Rex v. Preston (1770) – Captain Thomas Preston, the Officer of the Day during the Boston Massacre, was acquitted when the jury was unable to determine whether he had ordered the troops to fire. The defense counsel in the case was a young attorney named John Adams, later the second President of the United States.[3]
- Rex v. Wemms, et al. (1770) – Six soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre were found not guilty, and two more – the only two proven to have fired – were found guilty of manslaughter.[4]
- Commonwealth v. Nathaniel Jennison (1783) – The Court declared slavery unconstitutional in the state of Massachusetts by allowing slaves to sue their masters for freedom. Boston lawyer, and member of the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention of 1779, John Lowell, upon the adoption of Article I for inclusion in the Massachusetts Constitution, exclaimed: "...I will render my services as a lawyer gratis to any slave suing for his freedom if it is withheld from him..."[5] With this case, he fulfilled his promise. Slavery in Massachusetts was denied legal standing.
- Commonwealth v. Hunt (1842) – The Court established that trade unions were not necessarily criminal or conspiring organizations if they did not advocate violence or illegal activities in their attempts to gain recognition through striking. This legalized the existence of non-socialist or non-violent trade organizations, though trade unions would continue to be harassed legally through anti-trust suits and injunctions.
- Roberts v. Boston (1850) – The Court established the "separate but equal" doctrine that would later be used in Plessy v. Ferguson by maintaining that the law gave school boards complete authority in assigning students to schools and that they could do so along racial lines if they deemed it appropriate.
- Goodridge v. Department of Public Health (2003) – The Court ruled 4-3 that the denial of marriage licenses to same-sex couples violated the Massachusetts Constitution. The decision was stayed for 180 days to allow the legislature time to amend the law to comply with the decision. In December 2003, the state Senate asked the SJC whether "civil unions" would comply with their ruling. The SJC replied that civil unions were insufficient, and civil marriage was required. The legislature made no further action, and the stay expired on May 17, 2004. The state began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples the same day. This decision was one of the first in the world to find that same-sex couples have a right to marry.
Composition
The Court consists of a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices appointed by the Governor of Massachusetts with the consent of the Governor's Council. The Justices hold office until the mandatory retirement age of seventy, like all other Massachusetts judges.
Current composition
The currently serving justices are:
Justice | Began active service | Appointed by |
Gants, RalphRalph Gants | 2009 (Assoc.) 2014 (Chief) | Deval Patrick (both) |
Botsford, MargotMargot Botsford | 2007 | Deval Patrick |
Lenk, BarbaraBarbara Lenk | 2011[6] | Deval Patrick |
Hines, GeraldineGeraldine Hines | 2014 | Deval Patrick |
Gaziano, FrankFrank Gaziano | 2016 | Charlie Baker |
Lowy, David A.David A. Lowy | 2016 | Charlie Baker |
Budd, KimberlyKimberly Budd | 2016 | Charlie Baker |
Notable members
- William Cushing, Horace Gray, and Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. were Chief Justices of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court when they were appointed to serve as Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States
- Lemuel Shaw was one of the greatest American judges of the mid-19th century
- Charles Fried, who served on the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court from 1995 to 1999, was United States Solicitor General from 1985 to 1989 under Ronald Reagan
List of Chief Justices
# | Chief Justice | Took office | Left office | Appointed by | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | William Stoughton | 1692 | 1701 | Sir William Phips | Died in office. |
2 | Wait Winthrop | 1701 | 1701 | Governor's Council | Resigned. |
3 | Isaac Addington | 1702 | 1703 | Joseph Dudley | Resigned. |
4 | Wait Winthrop | 1708 | 1717 | Joseph Dudley | Died in office. |
5 | Samuel Sewall | 1718 | 1728 | Samuel Shute | Resigned. |
6 | Benjamin Lynde, Sr. | 1729 | 1745 | William Burnet | Died in office. |
7 | Paul Dudley | 1745 | 1751 | William Shirley | Died in office. |
8 | Stephen Sewall | 1752 | 1760 | William Shirley | Died in office. |
9 | Thomas Hutchinson | 1761 | 1769 | Francis Bernard | Resigned. |
10 | Benjamin Lynde, Jr. | 1769 | 1771 | Thomas Hutchinson | Resigned. |
11 | Peter Oliver | 1772 | 1775 | Thomas Hutchinson | Forced out by the revolution. |
12 | John Adams | 1775 | 1776 | Governor's Council | Adams accepted the appointment for political reasons, but never sat on the court and eventually resigned. |
13 | William Cushing | 1777 | 1789 | Governor's Council | Resigned upon appointment to the United States Supreme Court. |
14 | Nathaniel Peaslee Sargent | 1790 | 1791 | John Hancock | Died in office. |
15 | Francis Dana | 1791 | 1806 | John Hancock | Resigned. |
16 | Theophilus Parsons | 1806 | 1813 | Caleb Strong | Died in office. |
17 | Samuel Sewall | 1814 | 1814 | Caleb Strong | Died in office. |
18 | Isaac Parker | 1814 | 1830 | Caleb Strong | Died in office. |
19 | Lemuel Shaw | 1830 | 1860 | Levi Lincoln, Jr. | Resigned. |
20 | George Tyler Bigelow | 1860 | 1867 | Nathaniel Prentice Banks | Resigned. |
21 | Reuben Atwater Chapman | 1868 | 1873 | Alexander H. Bullock | Died in office. |
22 | Horace Gray | 1873 | 1882 | William B. Washburn | Resigned upon appointment to the United States Supreme Court. |
23 | Marcus Morton | 1882 | 1890 | John D. Long | Resigned. |
24 | Walbridge A. Field | 1890 | 1899 | John Q. A. Brackett | Died in office. |
25 | Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. | 1899 | 1902 | Roger Wolcott | Resigned upon appointment to the United States Supreme Court. |
26 | Marcus Perrin Knowlton | 1902 | 1911 | Winthrop M. Crane | Resigned. |
27 | Arthur Prentice Rugg | 1911 | 1938 | Eugene Foss | Died in office. |
28 | Fred Tarbell Field | 1938 | 1947 | Charles F. Hurley | Resigned. |
29 | Stanley Elroy Qua | 1947 | 1956 | Robert F. Bradford | Resigned. |
30 | Raymond Sanger Wilkins | 1956 | 1970 | Christian Herter | Resigned. |
31 | G. Joseph Tauro | 1970 | 1976 | Francis W. Sargent | Resigned. |
32 | Edward F. Hennessey | 1976 | 1989 | Michael Dukakis | Resigned. |
33 | Paul J. Liacos | 1989 | 1996 | Michael Dukakis | Resigned. |
34 | Herbert P. Wilkins | 1996 | 1999 | William Weld | Resigned. |
35 | Margaret H. Marshall | 1999 | 2010 | Paul Cellucci | Resigned. |
36 | Roderick L. Ireland | 2010 | 2014 | Deval Patrick | Resigned. |
37 | Ralph Gants | 2014 | incumbent | Deval Patrick |
Associate justices appointed by royal governors (1692–1775)
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.
Justice | Began active service | Ended active service | Appointed by | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Danforth, ThomasThomas Danforth | 1692 | 1699 | Sir William Phips | Died in office. |
Winthrop, WaitWait Winthrop | 1692 | 1701 | Sir William Phips | Promoted to chief justice; resigned in 1702. Winthrop rejoined the court as chief justice in 1708, and died while holding that office in 1717. |
Richards, JohnJohn Richards | 1692 | 1694 | Sir William Phips | Died in office. |
Sewall, SamuelSamuel Sewall | 1692 | 1718 | Sir William Phips | Promoted to chief justice; resigned 1728. |
Cooke, Sr., ElishaElisha Cooke, Sr. | 1695 | 1702 | William Stoughton | Died in office. |
Walley, JohnJohn Walley | 1700 | 1712 | William Stoughton | Died in office. |
Saffin, JohnJohn Saffin | 1701 | 1702 | Governor's Council | Appointment not renewed upon the accession of Queen Anne. |
Hathorne, JohnJohn Hathorne | 1702 | 1712 | Joseph Dudley | Resigned. |
Leverett, JohnJohn Leverett | 1702 | 1708 | Joseph Dudley | Resigned. |
Curwin, JonathanJonathan Curwin | 1708 | 1715 | Joseph Dudley | Appointment not renewed upon the accession of King George I. |
Lynde, Sr., BenjaminBenjamin Lynde, Sr. | 1712 | 1729 | Joseph Dudley | Promoted to chief justice; died in office, 1745. |
Thomas, NathanielNathaniel Thomas | 1712 | 1718 | Joseph Dudley | Died in office. |
Davenport, AddingtonAddington Davenport | 1715 | 1736 | Died in office. | |
Quincy, EdmundEdmund Quincy | 1718 | 1737 | Samuel Shute | Resigned. |
Dudley, PaulPaul Dudley | 1718 | 1745 | Samuel Shute | Promoted to chief justice; died in office, 1751. |
Cushing, JohnJohn Cushing | 1728 | 1733 | William Burnet | Resigned. |
Remington, JonathanJonathan Remington | 1733 | 1745 | Jonathan Belcher | Died in office. |
Saltonstall, RichardRichard Saltonstall | 1736 | 1756 | Jonathan Belcher | Resigned. |
Graves, ThomasThomas Graves | 1737 | 1738 | Jonathan Belcher | Resigned. |
Sewall, StephenStephen Sewall | 1739 | 1752 | Jonathan Belcher | Promoted to chief justice; died in office, 1760. |
Hubbard, NathanielNathaniel Hubbard | 1745 | 1746 | William Shirley | |
Lynde, Jr., BenjaminBenjamin Lynde, Jr. | 1747 | 1769 | William Shirley | Promoted to chief justice; resigned, 1771. |
Cushing, Jr., JohnJohn Cushing, Jr. | 1747 | 1771 | William Shirley | Resigned. |
Russell, ChambersChambers Russell | 1752 | 1766 | Spencer Phips | Died in office. |
Oliver, PeterPeter Oliver | 1756 | 1772 | William Shirley | Promoted to chief justice; forced out during revolution, 1775. |
Trowbridge, EdmundEdmund Trowbridge | 1767 | 1775 | Francis Bernard | Forced out during revolution. |
Hutchinson, FosterFoster Hutchinson | 1771 | 1775 | Thomas Hutchinson | Forced out during revolution. |
Ropes, NathanielNathaniel Ropes | 1772 | 1774 | Thomas Hutchinson | Died in office. |
Cushing, WilliamWilliam Cushing | 1772 | 1777 | Thomas Hutchinson | Survived reorganization of the court, 1775; promoted to chief justice, 1777; resigned upon appointment to United States Supreme Court, 1789. |
Brown, WilliamWilliam Brown | 1774 | 1775 | Thomas Hutchinson | Brown's appointment was approved during the tenure of Governor Thomas Gage, but was made by Hutchinson. Brown was forced out during the revolution. |
Justices appointed by the Provincial Congress (1775–1780)
Justice | Began active service | Ended active service | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Adams, JohnJohn Adams | 1775 | 1776 | Adams never sat with the court, and resigned in 1776. |
Sargent, NathanielNathaniel Sargent | 1775 | 1791 | Appointed chief justice by John Hancock in 1790. |
Reed, WilliamWilliam Reed | 1775 | Refused | Reed refused the appointment. |
Paine, Robert TreatRobert Treat Paine | 1776 | Refused | Paine refused the appointment. |
Warren, JamesJames Warren | 1776 | Refused | Warren refused the appointment. |
Foster, JedediahJedediah Foster | 1776 | 1779 | Died in office. |
Sullivan, JamesJames Sullivan | 1776 | 1807 | Resigned to become governor. |
Sewall, DavidDavid Sewall | 1777 | 1789 | Resigned to become judge of the United States District Court for Maine. |
Associate justices appointed under the state constitution (1780-present)
Justice | Began active service | Ended active service | Appointed by | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Abrams, RuthRuth Abrams | 1978 | 2000 | Michael Dukakis | |
Allen, WilliamWilliam Allen | 1881 | 1891 | John Davis Long | Died in office. |
Allen, CharlesCharles Allen | 1882 | 1898 | John Davis Long | Resigned. |
Ames, SethSeth Ames | 1869 | 1881 | William Claflin | Resigned. |
Barker, JamesJames Barker | 1891 | 1905 | William E. Russell | Died in office. |
Bigelow, George TylerGeorge Tyler Bigelow | 1850 | 1860 | George N. Briggs | Promoted to chief justice. |
Botsford, MargotMargot Botsford | 2007 | incumbent | Deval Patrick | |
Bradbury, TheophilusTheophilus Bradbury | 1797 | 1803 | Increase Sumner | Removed due to physical infirmity. |
Braley, HenryHenry Braley | 1902 | 1929 | Winthrop M. Crane | Died in office. |
Braucher, RobertRobert Braucher | 1971 | 1981 | Francis W. Sargent | |
Budd, KimberlyKimberly Budd | 2016 | incumbent | Charlie Baker | |
Carroll, JamesJames Carroll | 1915 | 1932 | David I. Walsh | Died in office. |
Chapman, Reuben AtwaterReuben Atwater Chapman | 1860 | 1868 | Nathaniel Prentice Banks | Promoted to chief justice. |
Colburn, WaldoWaldo Colburn | 1882 | 1885 | John Davis Long | Died in office. |
Colt, JamesJames Colt | 1865 | 1866 | John Albion Andrew | Resigned. |
Colt, JamesJames Colt | 1868 | 1881 | Alexander H. Bullock | Died in office. |
Cordy, Robert J.Robert J. Cordy | 2001 | 2016 | Paul Cellucci | |
Counihan, EdwardEdward Counihan | 1949 | 1960 | Paul A. Dever | |
Cowin, Judith A.Judith A. Cowin | 1999 | 2011 | Paul Cellucci | Resigned. |
Cox, LouisLouis Cox | 1937 | 1944 | Charles F. Hurley | |
Crosby, John C.John C. Crosby | 1914 | 1937 | David I. Walsh | Resigned. |
Cushing, CalebCaleb Cushing | 1852 | 1853 | George S. Boutwell | Resigned to become United States Attorney General. |
Cushing, NathanNathan Cushing | 1790 | 1800 | John Hancock | Resigned. |
Cutter, R. AmmiR. Ammi Cutter | 1956 | 1972 | Christian Herter | |
Dana, FrancisFrancis Dana | 1785 | 1806 | John Hancock | Promoted to chief justice. |
Dawes, ThomasThomas Dawes | 1792 | 1802 | John Hancock | Resigned. |
Decourcy, CharlesCharles Decourcy | 1911 | 1924 | Eugene Foss | Died in office. |
Devens, CharlesCharles Devens | 1873 | 1877 | William B. Washburn | Resigned to become United States Attorney General. |
Devens, CharlesCharles Devens | 1881 | 1891 | John Davis Long | Second appointment; died in office. |
Dewey, DanielDaniel Dewey | 1814 | 1815 | Caleb Strong | Died in office. |
Dolan, ArthurArthur Dolan | 1937 | 1949 | Charles F. Hurley | |
Donahue, CharlesCharles Donahue | 1932 | 1944 | Joseph B. Ely | |
Duffly, Fernande R.V.Fernande R.V. Duffly | 2011 | 2016 | Deval Patrick | |
Endicott, WilliamWilliam Endicott | 1873 | 1882 | William B. Washburn | Resigned. |
Field, Fred T.Fred T. Field | 1929 | 1938 | Frank G. Allen | Promoted to chief justice; resigned in 1947. |
Field, Walbridge A.Walbridge A. Field | 1881 | 1890 | John Davis Long | Promoted to chief justice. |
Fletcher, RichardRichard Fletcher | 1848 | 1853 | George N. Briggs | Resigned. |
Forbes, CharlesCharles Forbes | 1848 | 1848 | George N. Briggs | Resigned. |
Foster, DwightDwight Foster | 1866 | 1869 | Alexander H. Bullock | Resigned. |
Fried, CharlesCharles Fried | 1995 | 1999 | William Weld | Resigned. |
Gants, Ralph D.Ralph D. Gants | 2009 | 2014 | Deval Patrick | Promoted to chief justice (incumbent) |
Gardner, WilliamWilliam Gardner | 1885 | 1887 | George D. Robinson | Resigned. |
Gaziano, FrankFrank Gaziano | 2016 | incumbent | Charlie Baker | |
Gray, HoraceHorace Gray | 1864 | 1873 | John Albion Andrew | Promoted to chief justice. |
Greaney, John M.John M. Greaney | 1989 | 2008 | Michael Dukakis | Resigned. |
Hammond, JohnJohn Hammond | 1898 | 1914 | Roger Wolcott | Resigned. |
Hennessey, Edward F.Edward F. Hennessey | 1971 | 1976 | Francis W. Sargent | Promoted to chief justice; resigned in 1989. |
Hines, GeraldineGeraldine Hines | 2014 | incumbent | Deval Patrick | |
Hoar, Ebenezer R.Ebenezer R. Hoar | 1859 | 1869 | Nathaniel Prentice Banks | Resigned to become United States Attorney General. |
Holmes, Jr., Oliver WendellOliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. | 1882 | 1899 | John Davis Long | Promoted to chief justice. |
Hubbard, SamuelSamuel Hubbard | 1842 | 1848 | John Davis | Died in office. |
Ireland, Roderick L.Roderick L. Ireland | 1997 | 2010 | William Weld | Promoted to chief justice; resigned in 2014. |
Jackson, CharlesCharles Jackson | 1813 | 1823 | Caleb Strong | Resigned. |
Jenney, CharlesCharles Jenney | 1919 | 1923 | Calvin Coolidge | Died in office. |
Kaplan, BenjaminBenjamin Kaplan | 1972 | 1981 | Francis W. Sargent | Resigned. |
Kirk, Sr., Paul G.Paul G. Kirk, Sr. | 1960 | 1971 | Foster Furcolo | |
Knowlton, Marcus PerrinMarcus Perrin Knowlton | 1887 | 1902 | Oliver Ames | Promoted to chief justice; resigned in 1911. |
Lathrop, JohnJohn Lathrop | 1891 | 1906 | William Russell | Resigned. |
Lenk, BarbaraBarbara Lenk | 2011 | incumbent | Deval Patrick | |
Liacos, Paul J.Paul J. Liacos | 1976 | 1989 | Michael Dukakis | Promoted to chief justice. |
Lincoln, Jr., LeviLevi Lincoln, Jr. | 1824 | 1825 | William Eustis | Resigned to become governor. |
Lord, OtisOtis Lord | 1875 | 1882 | William Gaston | Resigned. |
Loring, WilliamWilliam Loring | 1899 | 1919 | Roger Wolcott | Resigned. |
Lowy, David A.David A. Lowy | 2016 | incumbent | Charlie Baker | |
Lummus, HenryHenry Lummus | 1932 | 1955 | Joseph B. Ely | |
Lynch, Neil L.Neil L. Lynch | 1981 | 2000 | Edward J. King | |
Marshall, Margaret H.Margaret H. Marshall | 1996 | 1999 | William Weld | Promoted to chief justice; resigned in 2010. |
Merrick, PlinyPliny Merrick | 1853 | 1864 | John H. Clifford | Resigned. |
Metcalf, TheronTheron Metcalf | 1848 | 1865 | George N. Briggs | Resigned. |
Morton, MarcusMarcus Morton | 1825 | 1840 | Levi Lincoln, Jr. | Resigned to become governor. |
Morton, Jr., MarcusMarcus Morton, Jr. | 1869 | 1882 | William Claflin | Promoted to chief justice. |
Morton, JamesJames Morton | 1890 | 1913 | John Q. A. Brackett | Resigned. |
Nolan, Joseph R.Joseph R. Nolan | 1981 | 1995 | Edward J. King | |
Paine, Robert TreatRobert Treat Paine | 1790 | 1804 | John Hancock | Resigned. |
Parker, IsaacIsaac Parker | 1806 | 1814 | Caleb Strong | Promoted to chief justice; died in office. |
O'Connor, Francis PatrickFrancis Patrick O'Connor | 1981 | 1997 | Edward J. King | Resigned. |
Pierce, EdwardEdward Pierce | 1914 | 1937 | David I. Walsh | Resigned. |
Putnam, SamuelSamuel Putnam | 1814 | 1842 | Caleb Strong | Resigned. |
Qua, Stanley ElroyStanley Elroy Qua | 1934 | 1947 | Joseph B. Ely | Promoted to chief justice; resigned 1956. |
Quirico, FrancisFrancis Quirico | 1969 | 1981 | Francis W. Sargent | |
Reardon, PaulPaul Reardon | 1962 | 1977 | John A. Volpe | |
Ronan, JamesJames Ronan | 1938 | 1960 | Charles F. Hurley | |
Rugg, ArthurArthur Rugg | 1906 | 1911 | Curtis Guild, Jr. | Promoted to chief justice; died in office. |
Sanderson, GeorgeGeorge Sanderson | 1924 | 1932 | Channing H. Cox | Died in office. |
Sedgwick, TheodoreTheodore Sedgwick | 1802 | 1813 | Caleb Strong | Died in office. |
Sewall, SamuelSamuel Sewall | 1800 | 1814 | Caleb Strong | Promoted to chief justice; died shortly afterward. |
Sheldon, HenryHenry Sheldon | 1905 | 1915 | William Lewis Douglas | Resigned. |
Sosman, Martha B.Martha B. Sosman | 2000 | 2007 | Paul Cellucci | Died in office. |
Soule, Augustus LordAugustus Lord Soule | 1877 | 1881 | Alexander H. Rice | Resigned. |
Spalding, JohnJohn Spalding | 1944 | 1971 | Leverett Saltonstall | |
Spiegel, JacobJacob Spiegel | 1960 | 1972 | Foster Furcolo | |
Spina, Francis X.Francis X. Spina | 1999 | 2016 | Paul Cellucci | |
Strong, SimeonSimeon Strong | 1801 | 1805 | Caleb Strong | Died in office. |
Sumner, IncreaseIncrease Sumner | 1782 | 1797 | John Hancock | Resigned to become governor. |
Tauro, G. JosephG. Joseph Tauro | 1970 | 1976 | Francis W. Sargent | |
Thatcher, GeorgeGeorge Thatcher | 1801 | 1824 | Caleb Strong | Resigned. |
Thomas, BenjaminBenjamin Thomas | 1853 | 1859 | John H. Clifford | Resigned. |
Wait, WilliamWilliam Wait | 1923 | 1934 | Channing H. Cox | Resigned. |
Wells, JohnJohn Wells | 1866 | 1875 | Alexander H. Bullock | Died in office. |
Whittemore, ArthurArthur Whittemore | 1955 | 1969 | Christian Herter | |
Wilde, SamuelSamuel Wilde | 1815 | 1850 | Caleb Strong | Resigned. |
Wilkins, Herbert P.Herbert P. Wilkins | 1972 | 1996 | Francis W. Sargent | Promoted to chief justice; resigned in 1999. |
Wilkins, RaymondRaymond Wilkins | 1944 | 1956 | Leverett Saltonstall | Promoted to chief justice; resigned in 1970. |
Williams, Harold P.Harold P. Williams | 1947 | 1962 | Robert F. Bradford |
Notes
- ↑ "Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts home page". Retrieved 2013-10-16.
- ↑ Eichholz, Alice (2004). Alice Eichholz, ed. Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources (3rd Revised ed.). Ancestry Publishing. p. 316. ISBN 978-1593311667.
- ↑ Zobel, Hiller (1970). Boston Massacre, pp. 243–265
- ↑ Zobel, pp. 269–286
- ↑ Lowell, Delmar R., The Historic Genealogy of the Lowells of America from 1639 to 1899 (p 35); Rutland VT, The Tuttle Company, 1899; ISBN 978-0-7884-1567-8.
- ↑ Levenson, Michael (May 4, 2011). "Lenk approved for SJC; first openly gay justice on state's highest court". Boston Globe. Retrieved May 4, 2011.
References
- Davis, William (1900). History of the Judiciary of Massachusetts
- Massachusetts Civil List for the Colonial and Provincial Periods
- Reno, Conrad. Memoirs of the Judiciary and the Bar of New England, Volume 1
External links
- Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts
- List of Chief Justices of the Supreme Judicial Court (since 1801)
- Office of the Reporter of Decisions of the SJC
- Gay-Marriage Decision: Just the Beginning of the Debate
- Memoirs v. Massachusetts
- Simpson's Contemporary Quotations