Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court

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 Western Hemisphere

Western Hemisphere

The Western Hemisphere or western hemisphere is mainly used as a geographical term for the half of the Earth that lies west of the Prime Meridian and east of the Antimeridian , the other half being called the Eastern Hemisphere.In this sense, the western hemisphere consists of the western portions...

.

History

The court was established in 1692 as the "Superior Court of Judicature". It was formed by order of the British Crown in response to the large number of prosecutions stemming from the Salem Witch Trials

Salem witch trials

The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings before county court trials to prosecute people accused of witchcraft in the counties of Essex, Suffolk, and Middlesex in colonial Massachusetts, between February 1692 and May 1693...

. Its name was changed to the Supreme Judicial Court after the adoption of the Massachusetts Constitution

Massachusetts Constitution

The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the fundamental governing document of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, one of the 50 individual state governments that make up the United States of America. It was drafted by John Adams, Samuel Adams, and James Bowdoin during the...

 in 1780. In 1804 an official case reporter was created to publish the court's decisions, and the first officially reported decision was Gold v. Eddy

Gold v. Eddy

Gold v. Eddy, 1 Mass. 1 , was the first recorded case in the official reports of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.-Ruling:According to the reporter's summation:...

(1804).

Functions

The seven Justices hear appeal

Appeal

An appeal is a petition for review of a case that has been decided by a court of law. The petition is made to a higher court for the purpose of overturning the lower court's decision....

s on a broad range of criminal

Criminal law

Criminal law, is the body of law that relates to crime. It might be defined as the body of rules that defines conduct that is not allowed because it is held to threaten, harm or endanger the safety and welfare of people, and that sets out the punishment to be imposed on people who do not obey...

 and civil

Civil law (common law)

Civil law, as opposed to criminal law, is the branch of law dealing with disputes between individuals or organizations, in which compensation may be awarded to the victim...

 cases between September and May.

Single Justice sessions are held each week throughout the year for certain motions pertaining to cases on trial or on appeal, bail reviews, bar discipline proceedings, petitions for admission to the bar, and a variety of other statutory proceedings. The Associate Justices sit as Single Justices each month on a rotation schedule.

The full bench renders approximately 200 written decisions each year; the single justices decide a total of approximately 600 cases annually.

In addition to its appellate functions, the SJC is responsible for the general superintendence of the judiciary and of the bar, the creation or approval of rules for the operations of all the state courts, and, in certain instances, providing advisory opinions, upon request, to the Governor

Governor

A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...

 and General Court

Massachusetts General Court

The Massachusetts General Court is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name "General Court" is a hold-over from the Colonial Era, when this body also sat in judgment of judicial appeals cases...

 on various legal issues.

The SJC also has oversight responsibility in varying degrees, according to statutes, with several affiliated agencies of the judicial branch, including the Board of Bar Overseers, the Office of Bar Counsel, the Board of Bar Examiners, the Clients' Security Board, the Commission on Judicial Conduct, the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation, the Massachusetts Mental Health Legal Advisors’ Committee, and Correctional Legal Services, Inc.

The SJC is sits at the John Adams Courthouse, 1 Pemberton Square

Pemberton Square (Boston)

Pemberton Square in the Government Center area of Boston, Massachusetts, was developed by P.T. Jackson in 1835 as an architecturally uniform mixed-use enclave surrounding a small park. In the mid-19th century both private residences and businesses dwelt there...

, Boston, Massachusetts 02108, which also houses the Massachusetts Appeals Court

Massachusetts Appeals Court

The Massachusetts Appeals Court is the intermediate appellate court of Massachusetts. It was created in 1972 as a court of general appellate jurisdiction...

 and the Social Law Library

Social Law Library

The Social Law Library, founded in 1804, is one of the oldest law libraries in the United States. It is located in the John Adams Courthouse at Pemberton Square in Boston, Massachusetts, the same building which houses the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and the Massachusetts Appeals...

.

Landmark cases

• Rex v. Preston (1770) - Captain Thomas Preston, the Officer of the Day during the Boston Massacre
  Boston Massacre
  The Boston Massacre, called the Boston Riot by the British, was an incident on March 5, 1770, in which British Army soldiers killed five civilian men. British troops had been stationed in Boston, capital of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, since 1768 in order to protect and support...
  
  , 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
  John Adams
  John Adams was an American lawyer, statesman, diplomat and political theorist. A leading champion of independence in 1776, he was the second President of the United States...
  
  , later the second President of the United States
  President of the United States
  The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
  
  .

• Rex v. Wemms, et al. (1770) - Six soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre
  Boston Massacre
  The Boston Massacre, called the Boston Riot by the British, was an incident on March 5, 1770, in which British Army soldiers killed five civilian men. British troops had been stationed in Boston, capital of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, since 1768 in order to protect and support...
  
   were found not guilty, and two more the only two proven to have fired were found guilty of manslaughter.

• Commonwealth v. Nathaniel Jennison (1783) - The Court declared slavery
  Slavery
  Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
  
   unconstitutional
  Constitutionality
  Constitutionality is the condition of acting in accordance with an applicable constitution. Acts that are not in accordance with the rules laid down in the constitution are deemed to be ultra vires.-See also:*ultra vires*Company law*Constitutional law...
  
   in the state of Massachusetts by allowing slaves to sue
  Lawsuit
  A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
  
   their masters for freedom. Boston lawyer, and member of the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention of 1779, John Lowell
  John Lowell
  John A. Lowell was an American lawyer, selectman, jurist, delegate to the Congress of the Confederation and federal judge....
  
  , upon the adoption of Article I for inclusion in the Massachusetts Constitution
  Massachusetts Constitution
  The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the fundamental governing document of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, one of the 50 individual state governments that make up the United States of America. It was drafted by John Adams, Samuel Adams, and James Bowdoin during the...
  
  , exclaimed: "...I will render my services as a lawyer gratis to any slave suing for his freedom if it is withheld from him..." With this case, he fulfilled his promise. Slavery in Massachusetts was denied legal standing.

• Commonwealth v. Hunt
  Commonwealth v. Hunt
  Commonwealth v. Hunt was a landmark legal decision issued by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court on the subject of labor unions. Before this decision, based on Commonwealth v. Pullis, labor unions which attempted to 'close' or create a unionized workplace could be charged with conspiracy...
  
  (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
  Roberts v. Boston
  Roberts v. Boston, 59 Mass. 198 , was a lawsuit seeking to end racial discrimination in Boston public schools. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled in favor of Boston, finding no constitutional basis for the suit. The case was later cited by the US Supreme Court in Plessy v...
  
  (1850) - The Court established the "separate but equal
  Separate but equal
  Separate but equal was a legal doctrine in United States constitutional law that justified systems of segregation. Under this doctrine, services, facilities and public accommodations were allowed to be separated by race, on the condition that the quality of each group's public facilities was to...
  
  " doctrine that would later be used in Plessy v. Ferguson
  Plessy v. Ferguson
  Plessy v. Ferguson, 163 U.S. 537 , is a landmark United States Supreme Court decision in the jurisprudence of the United States, upholding the constitutionality of state laws requiring racial segregation in private businesses , under the doctrine of "separate but equal".The decision was handed...
  
  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
  Goodridge v. Department of Public Health
  Goodridge v. Dept. of Public Health, 798 N.E.2d 941 , was a landmark state appellate court case dealing with same-sex marriage in Massachusetts. The November 18, 2003, decision was the first by a U.S...
  
  (2003) - The Court ruled that the denial of marriage license
  Marriage license
  A marriage license is a document issued, either by a church or state authority, authorizing a couple to marry. The procedure for obtaining a license varies between countries and has changed over time...
  
  s to same-sex couples violated the Massachusetts Constitution.

Composition

The Court consists of a Chief Justice

Chief Justice

The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...

 and six Associate Justice

Associate Justice

Associate Justice or Associate Judge is the title for a member of a judicial panel who is not the Chief Justice in some jurisdictions. The title "Associate Justice" is used for members of the United States Supreme Court and some state supreme courts, and for some other courts in Commonwealth...

s appointed by the Governor of Massachusetts

Governor of Massachusetts

The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. The current governor is Democrat Deval Patrick.-Constitutional role:...

 with the consent of the Governor's Council

Massachusetts Governor's Council

The Massachusetts Governor's Council is a governmental body that provides advice and consent in certain matters such as judicial nominations, pardons, and commutations to the Governor of Massachusetts...

. 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
	1997 (Assoc.) 2010 (Chief)	William Weld William Weld William Floyd Weld is a former governor of the US state of Massachusetts. He served as that state's 68th governor from 1991 to 1997. From 1981 to 1988, he was a federal prosecutor in the United States Justice Department...  (1997) Deval Patrick Deval Patrick Deval Laurdine Patrick is the 71st and current Governor of Massachusetts. A member of the Democratic Party, Patrick served as an Assistant United States Attorney General under President Bill Clinton...  (2010)
	2007	Deval Patrick Deval Patrick Deval Laurdine Patrick is the 71st and current Governor of Massachusetts. A member of the Democratic Party, Patrick served as an Assistant United States Attorney General under President Bill Clinton...
	2001	Paul Cellucci Paul Cellucci Argeo Paul Cellucci is an American politician and diplomat who served as the 69th Governor of Massachusetts and US Ambassador to Canada.-Early life and career:...
	2011	Deval Patrick Deval Patrick Deval Laurdine Patrick is the 71st and current Governor of Massachusetts. A member of the Democratic Party, Patrick served as an Assistant United States Attorney General under President Bill Clinton...
	2009	Deval Patrick Deval Patrick Deval Laurdine Patrick is the 71st and current Governor of Massachusetts. A member of the Democratic Party, Patrick served as an Assistant United States Attorney General under President Bill Clinton...
	2011	Deval Patrick Deval Patrick Deval Laurdine Patrick is the 71st and current Governor of Massachusetts. A member of the Democratic Party, Patrick served as an Assistant United States Attorney General under President Bill Clinton...
	1999	Paul Cellucci Paul Cellucci Argeo Paul Cellucci is an American politician and diplomat who served as the 69th Governor of Massachusetts and US Ambassador to Canada.-Early life and career:...

Notable members

• William Cushing
  William Cushing
  William Cushing was an early Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, from its inception to his death. He was the longest-serving of the Court's original members, sitting on the bench for 21 years...
  
  , Horace Gray
  Horace Gray
  Horace Gray was an American jurist who ultimately served on the United States Supreme Court. He was active in public service and a great philanthropist to the City of Boston.-Early life:...
  
  , and Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.
  Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.
  Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. was an American jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1902 to 1932...
  
   served on the Supreme Court of the United States
  Supreme Court of the United States
  The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
  
   after leaving the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
• Charles Fried
  Charles Fried
  Charles Fried is a prominent American jurist and lawyer. He served as United States Solicitor General from 1985 to 1989. He is currently a professor at Harvard Law School.-Early life and education:...
  
   served as United States Solicitor General
  United States Solicitor General
  The United States Solicitor General is the person appointed to represent the federal government of the United States before the Supreme Court of the United States. The current Solicitor General, Donald B. Verrilli, Jr. was confirmed by the United States Senate on June 6, 2011 and sworn in on June...
  
   from 1985 to 1989 under Ronald Reagan
  Ronald Reagan
  Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
  
  

Pre-Revolution

#	Chief Justice		Took office	Left office
1	John Stoughton John Stoughton John Stoughton , English Nonconformist divine, was born at Norwich.His father was an Episcopalian, his mother a member of the Religious Society of Friends. Stoughton was educated at Norwich Grammar School, and, after an interval of legal study, at Highbury Congregational College...		1692	1701
2	Wait Winthrop		1701	1701
3	Isaac Addington		1702	1703
4	Wait Winthrop		1708	1717
5	Samuel Sewall Samuel Sewall Samuel Sewall was a Massachusetts judge, best known for his involvement in the Salem witch trials, for which he later apologized, and his essay The Selling of Joseph , which criticized slavery.-Biography:...		1718	1728
6	Benjamin Lynde		1729	1745
7	Paul Dudley		1745	1751
8	Stephen Sewall Stephen Sewall Stephen Sewall was a judge in colonial Massachusetts. Born in Salem, Massachusetts, he was the son of Stephen Sewall, the clerk of court at the Salem witchcraft trials, and a nephew of Chief Justice Samuel Sewall, who presided at the witchcraft trials...		1752	1760
9	Thomas Hutchinson		1761	1769
10	Benjamin Lynde		1769	1771
11	Peter Oliver		1772	1775

Post-Revolution

#	Chief Justice		Took office	Left office
1	John Adams John Adams John Adams was an American lawyer, statesman, diplomat and political theorist. A leading champion of independence in 1776, he was the second President of the United States...		1775	1776
2	William Cushing William Cushing William Cushing was an early Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, from its inception to his death. He was the longest-serving of the Court's original members, sitting on the bench for 21 years...		1777	1789
3	Nathaniel Peaslee Sargent Nathaniel Peaslee Sargent Nathaniel Peaslee Sargeant was a Justice on the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court from 1782 to 1791. He was born in 1731. He was the second Chief Justice of the court from 1790 to 1791, after the American revolution. He was preceded by William Cushing and succeeded by Francis Dana...		1790	1791
4	Francis Dana Francis Dana Francis Dana was an American lawyer, jurist, and statesman from Massachusetts. He served as a delegate to the Continental Congress in 1777-1778 and 1784. He signed the Articles of Confederation.-Biography:...		1791	1806
5	Theophilus Parsons Theophilus Parsons Theophilus Parsons was an American jurist.Born in Newbury, Massachusetts, and the son of a clergyman, Parsons was one of the early students at the Dummer Academy before matriculating to Harvard College from which he graduated in 1769, was a schoolmaster in Falmouth from 1770–1773; he studied law,...		1806	1813
6	Samuel Sewall Samuel Sewall (congressman) Samuel Sewall was an American lawyer and congressman. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts.After attending Dummer Charity School , Sewall graduated from Harvard College Samuel Sewall (December 11, 1757 – June 8, 1814) was an American lawyer and congressman. He was born in Boston,...		1814	1814
7	Isaac Parker Isaac Parker (congressman) Isaac Parker was a Massachusetts Congressman and jurist, including Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court from 1814 to his death. He was born in Boston, the son of Daniel Parker, a goldsmith, and Margaret Parker...		August 24, 1814	July 25, 1830
8	Lemuel Shaw Lemuel Shaw Lemuel Shaw was an American jurist who served as Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Court...		August 30, 1830	August 21, 1860
9	George Tyler Bigelow		September 7, 1860	December 31, 1867
10	Reuben Atwater Chapman		February 7, 1868	June 28, 1873
11	Horace Gray Horace Gray Horace Gray was an American jurist who ultimately served on the United States Supreme Court. He was active in public service and a great philanthropist to the City of Boston.-Early life:...		September 5, 1873	January 9, 1882
12	Marcus Morton Marcus Morton (jurist) Marcus Morton , American lawyer and jurist who served as Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, was born in Taunton, the son of future Governor Marcus Morton and his wife Charlotte . He attended Bristol County Academy, was graduated from Brown University in 1838, and from...		January 16, 1882	August 27, 1890
13	Walbridge A. Field Walbridge A. Field Walbridge Abner Field was an American lawyer, jurist and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts, and as the Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. He was born in North Springfield, Vermont on April 26, 1833. He...		September 4, 1890	July 15, 1899
14	Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. was an American jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1902 to 1932...		August 2, 1899	December 8, 1902
15	Marcus Perrin Knowlton Marcus Perrin Knowlton Marcus Perrin Knowlton was an American politician and jurist who served as Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Court....		December 17, 1902	September 7, 1911
16	Arthur Prentice Rugg		September 20, 1911	June 12, 1938
17	Fred Tarbell Field		June 30, 1938	July 24, 1947
18	Stanley Elroy Qua		August 6, 1947	September 6, 1956
19	Raymond Sanger Wilkins		September 13, 1956	September 1, 1970
20	G. Joseph Tauro G. Joseph Tauro G. Joseph Tauro was the Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court from 1970 to 1976.Tauro was born in Lynn to an Italian immigrant cobbler and his wife. He graduated from Lynn public schools and attended Boston University's College of Business Administration for a year before...		1970	January 10, 1976
21	Edward F. Hennessey Edward F. Hennessey Edward F. Hennessey was the Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court from 1976 to 1989.-Biography:...		1976	April 19, 1989
22	Paul J. Liacos Paul J. Liacos Paul Julian Liacos was the Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court from 1989 to 1996.He was born in Peabody to James and Pitsa Liacos, Greek immigrants...		June 20, 1989	September 30, 1996
23	Herbert P. Wilkins Herbert P. Wilkins Herbert P. Wilkins served as Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court from 1996 to 1999, a position his father, Raymond Sanger Wilkins, held from 1956 to 1970....		October 1, 1996	August 31, 1999
24	Margaret H. Marshall Margaret H. Marshall Margaret Hilary Marshall was the 24th Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, and the first female to hold that position. She was Chief Justice from 1999 to 2010. On July 21, 2010, she announced her retirement....		October 14, 1999	December 19, 2010
25	Roderick L. Ireland Roderick L. Ireland Roderick L. Ireland was nominated to be Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts by Governor Deval Patrick on November 4, 2010. Ireland was sworn in as Chief Justice on December 20, 2010. He was previously an Associate Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court, appointed in 1997 by...		December 20, 2010	Incumbent (faces mandatory retirement on December 3, 2014)

All members after 1800

Justice	Began active service	Ended active service	Appointed by
	1978	2000	Michael Dukakis Michael Dukakis Michael Stanley Dukakis served as the 65th and 67th Governor of Massachusetts from 1975–1979 and from 1983–1991, and was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1988. He was born to Greek immigrants in Brookline, Massachusetts, also the birthplace of John F. Kennedy, and was the longest serving...
	1881	1891	John Davis Long John Davis Long John Davis Long was a U.S. political figure. He served as the 32nd Governor of Massachusetts between 1880 and 1883. He later served as the Secretary of the Navy from 1897 to 1902....
	1882	1898	John D. Long John Davis Long John Davis Long was a U.S. political figure. He served as the 32nd Governor of Massachusetts between 1880 and 1883. He later served as the Secretary of the Navy from 1897 to 1902....
	1869	1881	William Claflin William Claflin William Claflin was an industrialist and philanthropist who served as the 27th Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts from 1869–1872 and as a member of the United States Congress from 1877–1881....
	1891	1905	William E. Russell William Russell (governor) William Eustis Russell was a U.S. political figure. He served as the 37th Governor of Massachusetts between 1891 and 1894, becoming the state's youngest ever elected Governor at age 34.-Family:...
	1850	1860	George N. Briggs George N. Briggs George Nixon Briggs was a member of the Whig Party and served seven-terms as the 19th Governor of the U.S. state of Massachusetts, serving from 1844 to 1851.-Early life and education:...
	2007
Deval Patrick Deval Patrick Deval Laurdine Patrick is the 71st and current Governor of Massachusetts. A member of the Democratic Party, Patrick served as an Assistant United States Attorney General under President Bill Clinton...
	1902	1929	Winthrop M. Crane Winthrop M. Crane Winthrop Murray Crane was a U.S. political figure. He served as the 40th Governor of Massachusetts between 1900 and 1903. He also served as a United States Senator from Massachusetts from 1904 until 1913...
	1971	1981	Francis W. Sargent Francis W. Sargent Francis William Sargent was the 64th Governor of Massachusetts from 1969 to 1975. Born in 1915 in Hamilton, Massachusetts, he was known for his sharp wit and self-deprecating manner...
	1915	1932	David I. Walsh David I. Walsh David Ignatius Walsh was a United States politician from Massachusetts. As a member of the Democratic Party, he served in the state legislature and then as Lieutenant Governor and then as the 46th Governor . His first term in the U.S...
	1860	1866	Nathaniel Prentice Banks Nathaniel Prentice Banks Nathaniel Prentice Banks was an American politician and soldier, served as the 24th Governor of Massachusetts, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and as a Union general during the American Civil War....
	1882	1885	John Davis Long John Davis Long John Davis Long was a U.S. political figure. He served as the 32nd Governor of Massachusetts between 1880 and 1883. He later served as the Secretary of the Navy from 1897 to 1902....
	1865	1881	John Albion Andrew John Albion Andrew John Albion Andrew was a U.S. political figure. He served as the 25th Governor of Massachusetts between 1861 and 1866 during the American Civil War. He was a guiding force behind the creation of some of the first U.S. Army units of black men—including the famed 54th Massachusetts Infantry.-Early...
	2001
Paul Cellucci Paul Cellucci Argeo Paul Cellucci is an American politician and diplomat who served as the 69th Governor of Massachusetts and US Ambassador to Canada.-Early life and career:...
	1949	1960	Paul A. Dever Paul A. Dever Paul Andrew Dever was a Democratic politician from Boston, Massachusetts. He served as the 58th Governor of Massachusetts.-Biography:...
	1999	2011	Paul Cellucci Paul Cellucci Argeo Paul Cellucci is an American politician and diplomat who served as the 69th Governor of Massachusetts and US Ambassador to Canada.-Early life and career:...
	1937	1944	Charles F. Hurley Charles F. Hurley Charles Francis Hurley was the 54th Governor of the U.S. state of Massachusetts.1937-1939Governor Charles Hurley's administration increased the regulation of labor practices and emphasized individual rights. Hurley was born and raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts...
	1914	1937	David I. Walsh David I. Walsh David Ignatius Walsh was a United States politician from Massachusetts. As a member of the Democratic Party, he served in the state legislature and then as Lieutenant Governor and then as the 46th Governor . His first term in the U.S...
	1852	1853	George S. Boutwell George S. Boutwell George Sewall Boutwell was an American statesman who served as Secretary of the Treasury under President Ulysses S...
	1956	1972	Christian Herter Christian Herter Christian Archibald Herter was an American politician and statesman; 59th governor of Massachusetts from 1953 to 1957, and United States Secretary of State from 1959 to 1961.-Early life:...
	1791	1806	John Hancock John Hancock John Hancock was a merchant, statesman, and prominent Patriot of the American Revolution. He served as president of the Second Continental Congress and was the first and third Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts...
	1792	1802	John Hancock John Hancock John Hancock was a merchant, statesman, and prominent Patriot of the American Revolution. He served as president of the Second Continental Congress and was the first and third Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts...
	1911	1924	Eugene Foss Eugene Foss Eugene Noble Foss, was an American Representative and the 45th Governor of Massachusetts, as well as brother of George Edmund Foss.-Biography:...
	1873 1881	1877	William B. Washburn William B. Washburn William Barrett Washburn was an American politician from Massachusetts who served in the United States House of Representatives and as the 28th Governor of Massachusetts.-Early life:... John D. Long John Davis Long John Davis Long was a U.S. political figure. He served as the 32nd Governor of Massachusetts between 1880 and 1883. He later served as the Secretary of the Navy from 1897 to 1902....
	1814	1815	Caleb Strong Caleb Strong Caleb Strong was Massachusetts lawyer and politician who served as the sixth and tenth Governor of Massachusetts between 1800 and 1807, and again from 1812 until 1816.-Biography:...
	1937	1949	Charles F. Hurley Charles F. Hurley Charles Francis Hurley was the 54th Governor of the U.S. state of Massachusetts.1937-1939Governor Charles Hurley's administration increased the regulation of labor practices and emphasized individual rights. Hurley was born and raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts...
	1932	1944	Joseph B. Ely Joseph B. Ely Joseph Buell Ely was the 52nd Governor of the U.S. state of Massachusetts.Born in Westfield, Massachusetts, Joseph B. Ely graduated from Williams College in 1902, before earning a degree from Harvard Law School in 1905. He returned to Westfield and practiced law as a partner of Ely & Ely and...
	2011
Deval Patrick Deval Patrick Deval Laurdine Patrick is the 71st and current Governor of Massachusetts. A member of the Democratic Party, Patrick served as an Assistant United States Attorney General under President Bill Clinton...
	1873	1882	William B. Washburn William B. Washburn William Barrett Washburn was an American politician from Massachusetts who served in the United States House of Representatives and as the 28th Governor of Massachusetts.-Early life:...
	1929	1947	Frank G. Allen Frank G. Allen Frank G. Allen was a Governor of Massachusetts.Allen was born in Lynn, Massachusetts on October 6, 1874. A businessman and executive with the Winslow Brothers & Smith Company from 1893, he rose to become the company's president from 1912 to 1929, and was married to Clara Winslow in 1897.He entered... , Associate/Charles F. Hurley Charles F. Hurley Charles Francis Hurley was the 54th Governor of the U.S. state of Massachusetts.1937-1939Governor Charles Hurley's administration increased the regulation of labor practices and emphasized individual rights. Hurley was born and raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts... , Chief
	1881	1890	John D. Long John Davis Long John Davis Long was a U.S. political figure. He served as the 32nd Governor of Massachusetts between 1880 and 1883. He later served as the Secretary of the Navy from 1897 to 1902....
	1848	1853	George N. Briggs George N. Briggs George Nixon Briggs was a member of the Whig Party and served seven-terms as the 19th Governor of the U.S. state of Massachusetts, serving from 1844 to 1851.-Early life and education:...
	1848	1848	George N. Briggs George N. Briggs George Nixon Briggs was a member of the Whig Party and served seven-terms as the 19th Governor of the U.S. state of Massachusetts, serving from 1844 to 1851.-Early life and education:...
	1866	1869	Alexander H. Bullock Alexander H. Bullock Alexander Hamilton Bullock was the 26th Governor of Massachusetts from 1866 to 1869 and helped create the New England Emigrant Aid Society in 1855.-Education and early career:...
	1995	1999	William Weld William Weld William Floyd Weld is a former governor of the US state of Massachusetts. He served as that state's 68th governor from 1991 to 1997. From 1981 to 1988, he was a federal prosecutor in the United States Justice Department...
	2009
Deval Patrick Deval Patrick Deval Laurdine Patrick is the 71st and current Governor of Massachusetts. A member of the Democratic Party, Patrick served as an Assistant United States Attorney General under President Bill Clinton...
	1885	1887	George D. Robinson George D. Robinson George Dexter Robinson -Biography:He was born in Lexington, Massachusetts. He attended Lexington Academy and Hopkins Classical School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and graduated from Harvard University in 1856. While at Harvard he was admitted to the Zeta Psi fraternity...
	1864	1881	John Albion Andrew John Albion Andrew John Albion Andrew was a U.S. political figure. He served as the 25th Governor of Massachusetts between 1861 and 1866 during the American Civil War. He was a guiding force behind the creation of some of the first U.S. Army units of black men—including the famed 54th Massachusetts Infantry.-Early...
	1989	2008	Michael Dukakis Michael Dukakis Michael Stanley Dukakis served as the 65th and 67th Governor of Massachusetts from 1975–1979 and from 1983–1991, and was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1988. He was born to Greek immigrants in Brookline, Massachusetts, also the birthplace of John F. Kennedy, and was the longest serving...
	1898	1914	Roger Wolcott Roger Wolcott (Massachusetts) Roger Wolcott was the son of Joshua Huntington Wolcott and Cornelia Wolcott, and was the brother of Huntington Frothingham Wolcott. He graduated from Harvard University in 1870, and from Harvard Law School in 1874...
	1971	1989	Francis W. Sargent Francis W. Sargent Francis William Sargent was the 64th Governor of Massachusetts from 1969 to 1975. Born in 1915 in Hamilton, Massachusetts, he was known for his sharp wit and self-deprecating manner... , Associate/Michael Dukakis Michael Dukakis Michael Stanley Dukakis served as the 65th and 67th Governor of Massachusetts from 1975–1979 and from 1983–1991, and was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1988. He was born to Greek immigrants in Brookline, Massachusetts, also the birthplace of John F. Kennedy, and was the longest serving... , Chief
	1859	1869	Nathaniel Prentice Banks Nathaniel Prentice Banks Nathaniel Prentice Banks was an American politician and soldier, served as the 24th Governor of Massachusetts, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and as a Union general during the American Civil War....
	1882	1902	John Davis Long John Davis Long John Davis Long was a U.S. political figure. He served as the 32nd Governor of Massachusetts between 1880 and 1883. He later served as the Secretary of the Navy from 1897 to 1902.... /Associate, Roger Wolcott Roger Wolcott (Massachusetts) Roger Wolcott was the son of Joshua Huntington Wolcott and Cornelia Wolcott, and was the brother of Huntington Frothingham Wolcott. He graduated from Harvard University in 1870, and from Harvard Law School in 1874... /Chief
	1842	1848	John Davis John Davis (Massachusetts Governor) John Davis was an American lawyer, businessman and politician.-Early life:John Davis was born in Northborough, Massachusetts...
	1997
William Weld William Weld William Floyd Weld is a former governor of the US state of Massachusetts. He served as that state's 68th governor from 1991 to 1997. From 1981 to 1988, he was a federal prosecutor in the United States Justice Department... , Associate/Deval Patrick Deval Patrick Deval Laurdine Patrick is the 71st and current Governor of Massachusetts. A member of the Democratic Party, Patrick served as an Assistant United States Attorney General under President Bill Clinton... , Chief
	1813	1823	Caleb Strong Caleb Strong Caleb Strong was Massachusetts lawyer and politician who served as the sixth and tenth Governor of Massachusetts between 1800 and 1807, and again from 1812 until 1816.-Biography:...
	1919	1923	Calvin Coolidge Calvin Coolidge John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. was the 30th President of the United States . A Republican lawyer from Vermont, Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state...
	1972	1981	Francis W. Sargent Francis W. Sargent Francis William Sargent was the 64th Governor of Massachusetts from 1969 to 1975. Born in 1915 in Hamilton, Massachusetts, he was known for his sharp wit and self-deprecating manner...
	1960	1971	Foster Furcolo Foster Furcolo John Foster Furcolo was a member of the Democratic Party who served as the 60th Governor of Massachusetts, a member of the United States House of Representatives, and in other government offices in Massachusetts. He was the first Italian-American governor of Massachusetts.-Life and career:Furcolo...
	1887	1902	Oliver Ames Oliver Ames Oliver Ames was a U.S. political figure and financier. He was the 35th Governor of Massachusetts . He was the son of Oakes Ames , a United States Congressman who was censured in the Credit Mobilier scandal, and the nephew of Oliver Ames, Jr..-Biography:Ames was born in North Easton, Massachusetts...
	1891	1906	William Russell William Russell (governor) William Eustis Russell was a U.S. political figure. He served as the 37th Governor of Massachusetts between 1891 and 1894, becoming the state's youngest ever elected Governor at age 34.-Family:...
	2011
Deval Patrick Deval Patrick Deval Laurdine Patrick is the 71st and current Governor of Massachusetts. A member of the Democratic Party, Patrick served as an Assistant United States Attorney General under President Bill Clinton...
	1976	1996	Michael Dukakis Michael Dukakis Michael Stanley Dukakis served as the 65th and 67th Governor of Massachusetts from 1975–1979 and from 1983–1991, and was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1988. He was born to Greek immigrants in Brookline, Massachusetts, also the birthplace of John F. Kennedy, and was the longest serving... , Associate and Chief
	1824	1825	William Eustis William Eustis William Eustis was an early American statesman.He was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts and studied at the Boston Latin School before he entered Harvard College, from which he graduated in 1772. He studied medicine under Dr. Joseph Warren and helped care for the wounded at the Battle of Bunker...
	1875	1882	William Gaston William Gaston (Massachusetts) William Gaston was the 29th Governor of Massachusetts in 1875-1876.William Gaston had established a successful legal practice in the City of Roxbury, Massachusetts before entering politics. He served as a Representative in the State Legislature , as Roxbury's City Solicitor , and as its Mayor...
	1899	1919	Roger Wolcott Roger Wolcott (Massachusetts) Roger Wolcott was the son of Joshua Huntington Wolcott and Cornelia Wolcott, and was the brother of Huntington Frothingham Wolcott. He graduated from Harvard University in 1870, and from Harvard Law School in 1874...
	1932	1955	Joseph B. Ely Joseph B. Ely Joseph Buell Ely was the 52nd Governor of the U.S. state of Massachusetts.Born in Westfield, Massachusetts, Joseph B. Ely graduated from Williams College in 1902, before earning a degree from Harvard Law School in 1905. He returned to Westfield and practiced law as a partner of Ely & Ely and...
	1981	2000	Edward J. King Edward J. King Edward Joseph "Ed" King was the 66th Governor of the U.S. state of Massachusetts from 1979 to 1983.Born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, and a graduate of Boston College and Bentley College, King played professional football as a guard with the All-America Football Conference Buffalo Bisons from 1948 to...
	1996	2010	William Weld William Weld William Floyd Weld is a former governor of the US state of Massachusetts. He served as that state's 68th governor from 1991 to 1997. From 1981 to 1988, he was a federal prosecutor in the United States Justice Department... , Associate/Paul Cellucci Paul Cellucci Argeo Paul Cellucci is an American politician and diplomat who served as the 69th Governor of Massachusetts and US Ambassador to Canada.-Early life and career:... , Chief
	1853	1864	John H. Clifford John H. Clifford John Henry Clifford , U.S. political figure, was the 21st Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for a single term, from 1853 to 1854....
	1848	1865	George N. Briggs George N. Briggs George Nixon Briggs was a member of the Whig Party and served seven-terms as the 19th Governor of the U.S. state of Massachusetts, serving from 1844 to 1851.-Early life and education:...
	1825	1840	Levi Lincoln, Jr. Levi Lincoln, Jr. Levi Lincoln, Jr. was an American lawyer and politician from Worcester, Massachusetts. He was the 13th Governor of Massachusetts and represented the state in the U.S. Congress...
	1869	1890	William Claflin William Claflin William Claflin was an industrialist and philanthropist who served as the 27th Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts from 1869–1872 and as a member of the United States Congress from 1877–1881.... , Associate/John Davis Long John Davis Long John Davis Long was a U.S. political figure. He served as the 32nd Governor of Massachusetts between 1880 and 1883. He later served as the Secretary of the Navy from 1897 to 1902.... , Chief
	1890	1913	John Q. A. Brackett John Q. A. Brackett - Biography :He was born in Bradford, New Hampshire to Ambrose S. Brackett and Nancy Brackett. He was a 1865 graduate of Harvard College and an 1868 graduate of Harvard Law School and a lawyer by profession, holding the post of Judge Advocate of the Massachusetts Militia's First Brigade at one...
	1981	1995	Edward J. King Edward J. King Edward Joseph "Ed" King was the 66th Governor of the U.S. state of Massachusetts from 1979 to 1983.Born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, and a graduate of Boston College and Bentley College, King played professional football as a guard with the All-America Football Conference Buffalo Bisons from 1948 to...
	1806	1830	Caleb Strong Caleb Strong Caleb Strong was Massachusetts lawyer and politician who served as the sixth and tenth Governor of Massachusetts between 1800 and 1807, and again from 1812 until 1816.-Biography:... , Associate and Chief
	1806	1814	Caleb Strong Caleb Strong Caleb Strong was Massachusetts lawyer and politician who served as the sixth and tenth Governor of Massachusetts between 1800 and 1807, and again from 1812 until 1816.-Biography:...
	1981	1997	Edward J. King Edward J. King Edward Joseph "Ed" King was the 66th Governor of the U.S. state of Massachusetts from 1979 to 1983.Born in Chelsea, Massachusetts, and a graduate of Boston College and Bentley College, King played professional football as a guard with the All-America Football Conference Buffalo Bisons from 1948 to...
	1914	1937	Caleb Strong Caleb Strong Caleb Strong was Massachusetts lawyer and politician who served as the sixth and tenth Governor of Massachusetts between 1800 and 1807, and again from 1812 until 1816.-Biography:...
	1814	1842	Caleb Strong Caleb Strong Caleb Strong was Massachusetts lawyer and politician who served as the sixth and tenth Governor of Massachusetts between 1800 and 1807, and again from 1812 until 1816.-Biography:...
	1934	1956	Joseph B. Ely Joseph B. Ely Joseph Buell Ely was the 52nd Governor of the U.S. state of Massachusetts.Born in Westfield, Massachusetts, Joseph B. Ely graduated from Williams College in 1902, before earning a degree from Harvard Law School in 1905. He returned to Westfield and practiced law as a partner of Ely & Ely and... , Associate/Robert F. Bradford Robert F. Bradford Robert Fiske Bradford was an American politician who served one term as the 57th Governor of Massachusetts, from 1947 to 1949.-Biography:... , Chief
	1969	1981	Francis W. Sargent Francis W. Sargent Francis William Sargent was the 64th Governor of Massachusetts from 1969 to 1975. Born in 1915 in Hamilton, Massachusetts, he was known for his sharp wit and self-deprecating manner...
	1962	1977	John A. Volpe John A. Volpe John Anthony Volpe was the 61st and 63rd Governor of Massachusetts and a U.S. Secretary of Transportation.-Early life and education:Volpe was born in 1908 in Wakefield, Massachusetts. He was the son of Italian immigrants Vito and Filomena , who had come from Abruzzo to Boston's North End in 1905;...
	1938	1960	Charles F. Hurley Charles F. Hurley Charles Francis Hurley was the 54th Governor of the U.S. state of Massachusetts.1937-1939Governor Charles Hurley's administration increased the regulation of labor practices and emphasized individual rights. Hurley was born and raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts...
	1906	1911	Curtis Guild, Jr. Curtis Guild, Jr. Curtis Guild, Jr. was the 43rd Governor of Massachusetts in the United States. He served from 1906 to 1909.-Early life and education:...
	1924	1932	Channing H. Cox Channing H. Cox Channing Harris Cox was a Massachusetts Republican politician and the 49th Governor of Massachusetts born in Manchester, New Hampshire....
	1802	1813	Caleb Strong Caleb Strong Caleb Strong was Massachusetts lawyer and politician who served as the sixth and tenth Governor of Massachusetts between 1800 and 1807, and again from 1812 until 1816.-Biography:...
	1800	1814	Caleb Strong Caleb Strong Caleb Strong was Massachusetts lawyer and politician who served as the sixth and tenth Governor of Massachusetts between 1800 and 1807, and again from 1812 until 1816.-Biography:...
	1830	1860	Levi Lincoln, Jr. Levi Lincoln, Jr. Levi Lincoln, Jr. was an American lawyer and politician from Worcester, Massachusetts. He was the 13th Governor of Massachusetts and represented the state in the U.S. Congress...
	1905	1915	William Lewis Douglas William Lewis Douglas William Lewis Douglas was a U.S. political figure. He served as the 42nd Governor of Massachusetts from 1905 until 1906....
	2000	2007	Paul Cellucci Paul Cellucci Argeo Paul Cellucci is an American politician and diplomat who served as the 69th Governor of Massachusetts and US Ambassador to Canada.-Early life and career:...
	1877	1881	Alexander H. Rice Alexander H. Rice Alexander Hamilton Rice was Mayor of Boston, Massachusetts from 1856–1857, a U.S. Congressman during the American Civil War, and the 30th Governor of Massachusetts from 1876–78.-Biography:...
	1944	1971	Leverett Saltonstall Leverett Saltonstall Leverett A. Saltonstall was an American Republican politician who served as the 55th Governor of Massachusetts and as a United States Senator .-Biography:...
	1960	1972	Foster Furcolo Foster Furcolo John Foster Furcolo was a member of the Democratic Party who served as the 60th Governor of Massachusetts, a member of the United States House of Representatives, and in other government offices in Massachusetts. He was the first Italian-American governor of Massachusetts.-Life and career:Furcolo...
	1999
Paul Cellucci Paul Cellucci Argeo Paul Cellucci is an American politician and diplomat who served as the 69th Governor of Massachusetts and US Ambassador to Canada.-Early life and career:...
	1801	1805	Caleb Strong Caleb Strong Caleb Strong was Massachusetts lawyer and politician who served as the sixth and tenth Governor of Massachusetts between 1800 and 1807, and again from 1812 until 1816.-Biography:...
	1970	1976	Francis W. Sargent Francis W. Sargent Francis William Sargent was the 64th Governor of Massachusetts from 1969 to 1975. Born in 1915 in Hamilton, Massachusetts, he was known for his sharp wit and self-deprecating manner...
	1801	1824	Caleb Strong Caleb Strong Caleb Strong was Massachusetts lawyer and politician who served as the sixth and tenth Governor of Massachusetts between 1800 and 1807, and again from 1812 until 1816.-Biography:...
	1853	1859	John H. Clifford John H. Clifford John Henry Clifford , U.S. political figure, was the 21st Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for a single term, from 1853 to 1854....
	1923	1934	Channing H. Cox Channing H. Cox Channing Harris Cox was a Massachusetts Republican politician and the 49th Governor of Massachusetts born in Manchester, New Hampshire....
	1866	1875	Alexander H. Bullock Alexander H. Bullock Alexander Hamilton Bullock was the 26th Governor of Massachusetts from 1866 to 1869 and helped create the New England Emigrant Aid Society in 1855.-Education and early career:...
	1955	1969	Christian Herter Christian Herter Christian Archibald Herter was an American politician and statesman; 59th governor of Massachusetts from 1953 to 1957, and United States Secretary of State from 1959 to 1961.-Early life:...
	1815	1850	Caleb Strong Caleb Strong Caleb Strong was Massachusetts lawyer and politician who served as the sixth and tenth Governor of Massachusetts between 1800 and 1807, and again from 1812 until 1816.-Biography:...
	1972	1999	Francis W. Sargent Francis W. Sargent Francis William Sargent was the 64th Governor of Massachusetts from 1969 to 1975. Born in 1915 in Hamilton, Massachusetts, he was known for his sharp wit and self-deprecating manner... , Associate/William Weld William Weld William Floyd Weld is a former governor of the US state of Massachusetts. He served as that state's 68th governor from 1991 to 1997. From 1981 to 1988, he was a federal prosecutor in the United States Justice Department... , Chief
	1944	1970	Leverett Saltonstall Leverett Saltonstall Leverett A. Saltonstall was an American Republican politician who served as the 55th Governor of Massachusetts and as a United States Senator .-Biography:... , Associate/Christian Herter Christian Herter Christian Archibald Herter was an American politician and statesman; 59th governor of Massachusetts from 1953 to 1957, and United States Secretary of State from 1959 to 1961.-Early life:... , Chief

}||1947||1962||Robert F. Bradford

Robert F. Bradford

Robert Fiske Bradford was an American politician who served one term as the 57th Governor of Massachusetts, from 1947 to 1949.-Biography:...

|}

External links

• Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts
• List of Chief Justices of the Supreme Judicial Court
• Supreme Judicial Court, Office of the Reporter of Decisions

Resources

• About the Supreme Court
• Supreme Judicial Court Historical Society
• Gay-Marriage Decision: Just the Beginning of the Debate
• Memoirs v. Massachusetts
• Simpson's Contemporary Quotations