Ralph Gants
Ralph Gants | |
|---|---|
| Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court | |
| Assumed office July 28, 2014 | |
| Appointed by | Deval Patrick |
| Preceded by | Roderick L. Ireland |
| Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court | |
| In office January 29, 2009 – July 28, 2014 | |
| Appointed by | Deval Patrick |
| Preceded by | John Greaney |
| Succeeded by | Geraldine Hines |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1954 (age 69–70) New Rochelle, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Harvard University (BA, JD) University of Cambridge |
Ralph D. Gants (born 1954) is the Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. He was sworn in on July 28, 2014.[1] Gants, a New York native, is a former Assistant United States Attorney and has served as a Massachusetts judge since 1997.
Early life and career
Gants was born in New Rochelle, New York in 1954. He received his Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude from Harvard College in 1976, graduating Phi Beta Kappa. The following year he completed a Diploma in Criminology at Cambridge University in England. In 1980, he earned a Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School where he was notes editor of the Harvard Law Review. After graduation from law school, he served as law clerk to United States District Court Judge Eugene H. Nickerson. From 1981 to 1983, he was Special Assistant to Judge William H. Webster, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In 1983, he was appointed Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, serving as Chief of Public Corruption Division from 1988 to 1991. In 1991, he joined the Boston law firm of Palmer & Dodge LLP, becoming a partner in 1994. He has taught at Harvard Law School, New England School of Law, and Northeastern University School of Law.[dead link][2]
Judicial career
He was appointed as a Judge of the Massachusetts Superior Court in 1997 by Governor William Weld. In 2008, he served as Administrative Justice of the Superior Court's Business Litigation Session. Governor Deval Patrick appointed Justice Gants to the Supreme Judicial Court in December 2008 and he took office in January 2009[2] after being confirmed by the Governor's Council.[2][3] On April 17, 2014, he was nominated by Governor Patrick to replace Roderick L. Ireland as Chief Justice after his retirement; he was confirmed by the Governor's Council and was sworn in on July 28, 2014.
Personal
Justice Gants is married with two children.[2]
References
- ^ "Honorable Ralph D. Gants of the Supreme Judicial Court Administered Oath of Office". Public Information Office, Supreme Judicial Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 2014-07-28. Archived from the original on July 28, 2014. Retrieved 2014-07-28.
- ^ a b c d "Calif. Democrats express optimism, poised for 2012". Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved 2011-08-11.
- ^ http://news.bostonherald.com/news/politics/view.bg?articleid%3D1135988%26srvc%3Dnext_article. Retrieved August 12, 2011.
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Statewide government officials of Massachusetts | ||
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| U.S. senators |  | |
| State government | ||
| State Senate |
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| State House |
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| Supreme Judicial Court |
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- 1954 births
- 21st-century American judges
- Alumni of the University of Cambridge
- Assistant United States Attorneys
- Chief Justices of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
- Harvard Law School alumni
- Lawyers from New Rochelle, New York
- Living people
- Massachusetts Superior Court justices
- Politicians from New Rochelle, New York
- Harvard College alumni