Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court is the highest court in Massachusetts. Its justices are chosen by gubernatorial appointment. This page lists every justice to serve on the court, current and former, with when they joined the bench and whom they succeeded.
| Justice | Since |
|---|---|
| Roderick L. Ireland | 1997 |
| Francis X. Spina | 1999 |
| Robert J. Cordy | 2001 |
| Margot Botsford | 2007 |
| Ralph D. Gants | 2009 |
| Frenande R.V. Duffly | 2011 |
| Barbara A. Lenk | 2011 |
| Geraldine Hines | 2014 |
| Justice | Years |
|---|---|
| Martha B. Sosman | 2000–2007 |
| Judith Cathy Arnold Cowin | 1999–2011 |
| Margaret H. Marshall | 1996–2010 |
| Charles Fried | 1995–1999 |
| John M. Greaney | 1989–2008 |
| Neil L. Lynch | 1981–2000 |
| Joseph R. Nolan | 1981–1995 |
| Francis Patrick O'Connor | 1981–1997 |
| Ruth Abrams | 1977–2000 |
| Paul J. Liacos | 1976–1996 |
| Benjamin Kaplan | 1972–1981 |
| Herbert P. Wilkins | 1972–1999 |
| Robert Braucher | 1971–1981 |
| Edward F. Hennessey | 1971–1989 |
| G Joseph Tauro | 1970–1976 |
| Francis Quirico | 1969–1981 |
| Paul Cashman Reardon | 1962–1977 |
| Jacob Spiegel | 1961–1972 |
| Paul Grattan Kirk Sr. | 1960–1970 |
| Richard Amni Cutter | 1956–1972 |
| Arthur Easterbrook Whittemore | 1955–1969 |
| Edward Augustine Counihan Jr. | 1949–1960 |
| Harold P. Williams | 1947–1962 |
| John Spalding | 1944–1971 |
| Raymond Sanger Wilkins | 1944–1970 |
| James Ronan | 1938–1959 |
| Louis Cox | 1937–1944 |
| Arthur Dolan | 1937–1949 |
| Stanley Elroy Qua | 1934–1956 |
| Charles Donahue | 1932–1944 |
| Henry Lummus | 1932–1955 |
| Fred Tarbell Field | 1929–1947 |
How a justice reaches this court. Justices of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court are appointed by the governor. The governor appoints with the consent of the elected Governor’s Council, after which justices serve until mandatory retirement at age 70. Selection methods vary by jurisdiction and have changed over time; this page reflects the court’s current method (source: National Center for State Courts). Open any justice to see their tenure and whom they succeeded.
Source: CourtListener / Free Law Project; selection method from the National Center for State Courts. Data last verified 2026-06-30. Verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).