Governor Patrick Nominates Justice Gants as Chief Justice of the SJC

Governor Patrick has announced the nomination of Justice Ralph D. Gants to serve as Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court. Justice Gants, a former Superior Court judge, is slated to fill the vacancy to be created by the retirement of Chief Justice Roderick L. Ireland on July 25, 2014.

Justice Gants was first appointed to the SJC in 2009. While serving on the SJC, Justice Gants has been co-chair of the Massachusetts Access to the Justice Commission and Chair of the SJC Standing Committee on Model Jury Instructions on Homicide. Prior to his appoint to the SJC, Justice Gants served as Associate Justice of the Superior Court since 1997, and as Administrative Justice of the Superior Court Business Litigation Section since 2008. Prior to his nomination to the Superior Court, Justice Gants practiced law at the Boston firm of Palmer & Dodge LLP, specializing in white collar criminal defense, internal investigation, complex civil litigation and employment law.

For more details, see the Governor's Press Release.