List of justices of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court

The following is a list of justices of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court which are broken down by pre- and post-statehood appointments. Historically, only three individuals have declined appointment to the Court which all occurred during the Provincial Congress period: William Reed in 1775, Robert Treat Paine in 1776, and James Warren in 1777. Justices initially served a lifetime role until (in most cases) they either died or resigned. In the modern era, mandatory retirement has been a requirement when a given justice reaches the age of 70. This practice has been in place since 1976 when Chief Justice G. Joseph Tauro stepped down.

Current justices TitleNameBegan active serviceAppointed byReaches age 70Chief Justice2020 (2016 as Associate Justice)Charlie Baker2036Associate Justice20162034Associate Justice20172029Associate Justice20202039Associate Justice20202038Associate Justice2024Maura Healey2050Associate Justice20242030

Superior Court of Judicature (1692–1780)

Chief justices # Image Justice Succeeded Tenure Appointed by 1 William Stoughton(1631–1701) Inaugural 1692–July 7, 1701(Died) Sir William Phips 2 Wait Winthrop(1642–1717) W. Stoughton 1701–1701(Resigned) Governor's Council 3 Isaac Addington(1645–1719) W. Winthrop 1702–1703(Resigned) Joseph Dudley 4 Wait Winthrop(1642–1717) I. Addington 1708–November 7, 1717(Died) 5 Samuel Sewall(1652–1730) W. Winthrop 1718–1728(Resigned) Samuel Shute 6 Benjamin Lynde Sr.(1666–1745) Sa. Sewall 1729–January 28, 1745(Died) William Burnet 7 Paul Dudley(1675–1751) B. Lynde Sr. 1745–January 25, 1751(Died) William Shirley 8 Stephen Sewall(1702–1760) P. Dudley 1751–September 10, 1760(Died) 9 Thomas Hutchinson(1711–1780) St. Sewall 1761–1769(Became Acting Governor) Francis Bernard 10 Benjamin Lynde Jr.(1700–1781) T. Hutchinson 1769–1771(Resigned) Thomas Hutchinson 11 Peter Oliver(1713–1791) B. Lynde Jr. 1772–1775(Removed from office) 12 John Adams(1735–1826) Inaugural 1775–1777(Never presided, resigned) Provincial Congress 13 William Cushing(1732–1810) J. Adams 1777–1780(Constitution of 1780)

Associate justices # Image Justice Succeeded Tenure Appointed by 1 Thomas Danforth(1623–1699) Inaugural 1692–November 5, 1699(Died)Sir William Phips 2 Wait Winthrop(1642–1717) Inaugural 1692–1701(Continued as Chief Justice) 3 John Richards(d. 1694) Inaugural 1692–April 2, 1694(Died) 4 Samuel Sewall(1652–1730) Inaugural 1692–1718(Continued as Chief Justice) 5 Elisha Cooke Sr.(1637–1715) J. Richards 1695–1702(Resigned) 6 John Walley(d. 1712) T. Danforth 1700–1712(Died) 7 John Saffin(bapt. 1626–1710) W. Winthrop 1701–1702(Appointment not renewed) Governor's Council 8 John Hathorne(1641–1717) E. Cooke 1702–1712(Resigned)Joseph Dudley 9 John Leverett(1662–1724) J. Saffin 1702–1708(Resigned) 10 Jonathan Corwin(1640–1718) J. Leverett 1708–1717(Appointment not renewed) 11 Benjamin Lynde Sr.(1666–1745) Vacant 1712–1729(Continued as Chief Justice) 12 Nathaniel Thomas(1643–1718) 1712–October 22, 1718(Died) 13 Addington Davenport(1670–1736) J. Corwin December 9, 1715–April 3, 1736(Died) William Tailer 14 Edmund Quincy III(1681–1737) Vacant 1718–February 23, 1737(Died)Samuel Shute 15 Paul Dudley(1675–1751) 1718–1751(Continued as Chief Justice) 16 John Cushing(1662–1738) B. Lynde Sr. 1728–1733(Resigned) William Burnet 17 Jonathan Remington(1677–1745) J. Cushing 1733–September 20, 1745(Died) 18 Richard Saltonstall(1703–1756) A. Davenport 1736–1756(Resigned) 19 Thomas Graves E. Quincy 1737–1738(Resigned) 20 Stephen Sewall(1702–1760) T. Graves 1739–1745(Continued as Chief Justice) 21 Nathaniel Hubbard P. Dudley 1745–1746William Shirley 22 Benjamin Lynde Jr. J. Remington 1747–1769(Continued as Chief Justice) 23 John Cushing Jr. N. Hubbard 1747–1771(Resigned) 24 Chambers Russell(1713–1766) St. Sewall 1752–1766(Died) 25 Peter Oliver(1713–1791) R. Saltonstall 1756–1772(Continued as Chief Justice) 26 Edmund Trowbridge(1709–1793) C. Russell 1767–1775(Removed from office) Francis Bernard 27 Foster Hutchinson(1724–1799) B. Lynde Jr. 1771–1775(Removed from office)Thomas Hutchinson 28 Nathaniel Ropes(1726–1774) Vacant 1772–1774(Died) 29 William Cushing(1732–1810) 1772–1775(Reorganization of Court) 30 William Brown(1737–1802) N. Ropes 1774–1775(Removed from office) 31 William Cushing(1732–1810) Inaugural 1775–1776(Continued as Chief Justice) Provincial Congress 32 Nathaniel Sargent(1731–1791) Inaugural 1775–1780(Constitution of 1780) 33 Jedediah Foster(1726–1779) Inaugural 1776–October 17, 1779(Died) 34 James Sullivan(1744–1808) Inaugural March 1776–1780(Constitution of 1780) 35 David Sewall(1735–1825) W. Cushing 1777–1780(Constitution of 1780)

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (1780–present) Image Justice Position Succeeded Tenure Appointed by William Cushing Inaugural 1780–1789 Provincial Congress Nathaniel Sargent Inaugural 1780–1791 David Sewall Inaugural 1780–1789 James Sullivan Inaugural 1780–1782 Francis Dana J. Foster 1785–1806 Increase Sumner J. Sullivan 1782–1787John Hancock Nathaniel Sargent W. Cushing 1790–October 2, 1791 Robert Treat Paine D. Sewall 1790–1804 Nathan Cushing N. Sargent 1790–1800 Francis Dana N. Sargent 1791–1806 Thomas Dawes F. Dana 1792–1802 Theophilus Bradbury I. Sumner 1797–July 1803 Samuel Sewall N. Cushing 1800–1814Caleb Strong Theodore Sedgwick T. Dawes 1802–January 24, 1813 Simeon Strong Inaugural 1801–1805 George Thatcher Inaugural 1801–January 1824 Theophilus Parsons F. Dana 1806–October 13, 1813 Isaac Parker S. Strong 1806–1814 Charles Jackson T. Sedgwick 1813–1823 Samuel Sewall T. Parsons 1814–June 8, 1814 Daniel Dewey S. Sewall 1814–May 26, 1815 Samuel Putnam I. Parker 1814–1842 Isaac Parker S. Sewall 1814–July 25, 1830 Samuel Wilde D. Dewey 1815–1850 Levi Lincoln Jr. G. Thatcher 1824–1825 William Eustis Marcus Morton L. Lincoln Jr. 1825–1840Levi Lincoln Jr. Lemuel Shaw I. Parker August 30, 1830–August 21, 1860 Charles Augustus Dewey C. Jackson 1837–1866 Edward Everett Samuel Hubbard S. Putnam 1842–1847 John Davis Theron Metcalf M. Morton I 1848–1865George N. Briggs Charles E. Forbes S. Hubbard 1848–1848 Richard Fletcher C. Forbes 1848–1853 George Tyler Bigelow S. Wilde 1850–1860 Caleb Cushing Inaugural 1852–1853 George S. Boutwell Benjamin Thomas R. Fletcher 1853–1859John H. Clifford Pliny Merrick C. Cushing 1853–1864 Ebenezer R. Hoar B. Thomas 1859–1869Nathaniel Prentice Banks George Tyler Bigelow L. Shaw 1860–1867 Reuben Atwater Chapman G. T. Bigelow 1860–1868 Horace Gray P. Merrick 1864–September 15, 1873John Albion Andrew James Denison Colt T. Metcalf 1865–1866 Dwight Foster J. Colt 1866–1869Alexander H. Bullock John Wells C. Dewey 1866–1875 Reuben Atwater Chapman G. T. Bigelow 1868–June 28, 1873 James Denison Colt R. A. Chapman 1868–1881 Marcus Morton II E. Hoar 1869–1882William Claflin Seth Ames D. Foster 1869–1881 Horace Gray R. A. Chapman September 15, 1873–January 9, 1882William B. Washburn Charles Devens H. Gray 1873–1877 William Endicott Inaugural 1873–1882 Otis Lord J. Wells 1875–1882 William Gaston Augustus Soule C. Devens March 27, 1877–April 11, 1881 Alexander H. Rice Walbridge A. Field S. Ames 1881–September 4, 1890John D. Long William Allen J. Colt 1881–1891 Charles Devens A. Soule 1881–1891 Marcus Morton II H. Gray 1882–1890 Waldo Colburn W. Endicott November 10, 1882–September 26, 1885 Charles Allen M. Morton II 1882–1898 Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. O. Lord 1882–1899 William Gardner W. Colburn 1885–1887 George D. Robinson Marcus Perrin Knowlton W. Gardner 1887–1902 Oliver Ames Walbridge A. Field M. Morton II September 4, 1890–July 15, 1899 John Q. A. Brackett James Madison Morton Sr. W. A. Field 1890–1913 James Barker W. Allen 1891–October 2, 1905 William Russell John Lathrop C. Devens 1891–1906 John Wilkes Hammond C. Allen 1898–1914Roger Wolcott Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. W. A. Field August 2, 1899–December 4, 1902 William Loring O. W. Holmes September 7, 1899–September 16, 1919 Henry Braley M. P. Knowlton 1902–1929Winthrop M. Crane Marcus Perrin Knowlton O. W. Holmes 1902–September 7, 1911 Henry Newton Sheldon J. Barker 1905–1915 William Lewis Douglas Arthur Prentice Rugg J. Lathrop 1906–1911 Curtis Guild Jr. Arthur Prentice Rugg M. P. Knowlton 1911–June 12, 1938Eugene Foss Charles DeCourcy A. P. Rugg 1911–1924 John C. Crosby J. Morton December 31, 1913–October 1, 1937David I. Walsh Edward Pierce J. Hammond 1914–1937 James B. Carroll H. Sheldon 1915–1932 Charles Jenney W. Loring 1919–November 29, 1923 Calvin Coolidge William C. Wait C. Jenney 1923–1934Channing H. Cox George A. Sanderson C. DeCourcy 1924–1932 Fred Tarbell Field H. Braley January 30, 1929–June 30, 1938 Frank G. Allen Charles Donahue J. B. Carroll March 17, 1932–April 26, 1944Joseph B. Ely Henry T. Lummus G. A. Sanderson 1932–1955 Stanley Elroy Qua W. Wait 1934–1947 Arthur Dolan J. C. Crosby 1937–August 20, 1949Charles F. Hurley Louis Cox E. Pierce 1937–1944 Fred Tarbell Field A. P. Rugg June 30, 1938–July 24, 1947 James Ronan F. T. Field 1938–1959 Raymond Sanger Wilkins L. Cox 1944–1956Leverett Saltonstall John Spalding C. Donahue 1944–1971 Stanley Elroy Qua F. T. Field 1947–1956Robert F. Bradford Harold P. Williams S. Qua 1947–1962 Edward Counihan A. Dolan 1949–1960 Paul A. Dever Arthur Whittemore H. Lummus October 1955–October 1, 1969Christian Herter Raymond Sanger Wilkins S. Qua 1956–1970 R. Ammi Cutter R. S. Wilkins 1956–1972 Paul G. Kirk Sr. J. Ronan November 23, 1960–December 15, 1970Foster Furcolo Jacob Spiegel E. Counihan 1960–1972 G. Joseph Tauro 1961–1970John Volpe Paul Reardon H. P. Williams 1962–1977 G. Joseph Tauro R. S. Wilkins 1970–1976 Francis J. Quirico A. Whittemore 1969–1981Francis W. Sargent Robert Braucher P. Kirk January 18, 1971–August 26, 1981 Edward F. Hennessey J. Spalding 1971–1976 Benjamin Kaplan R. A. Cutter 1972–1981 Herbert P. Wilkins J. Spiegel 1972–1996 Edward F. Hennessey G. J. Tauro 1976–1989Michael Dukakis Paul J. Liacos E. Hennessey 1976–June 20, 1986 Ruth Abrams P. Reardon 1978–2000 Joseph R. Nolan F. Quirico 1981–1995Edward J. King Neil L. Lynch B. Kaplan 1981–2000 Francis Patrick O'Connor R. Braucher 1981–1997 Paul J. Liacos E. Hennessey June 20, 1986–September 30, 1996Michael Dukakis John M. Greaney P. Liacos 1989–2008 Charles Fried J. Nolan September 1995–June 1999William Weld Margaret H. Marshall H. Wilkins 1996–October 14, 1999 Herbert P. Wilkins P. Liacos 1996–October 13, 1999 Roderick L. Ireland F. O'Connor 1997–December 20, 2010 Margaret H. Marshall H. Wilkins October 14, 1999–October 31, 2010Paul Cellucci Judith Cowin C. Fried 1999–2011 Francis X. Spina M. Marshall 1999–August 12, 2016 Martha B. Sosman N. Lynch 2000–March 10, 2007 Robert J. Cordy R. Abrams 2001–August 12, 2016 Margot Botsford M. Sosman September 4, 2007–March 15, 2017Deval Patrick Ralph Gants J. Greaney January 29, 2009–July 28, 2014 Roderick L. Ireland M. Marshall December 20, 2010–July 25, 2014 Barbara Lenk J. Cowin June 8, 2011–December 1, 2020 Fernande R.V. Duffly R. Ireland February 1, 2011–July 12, 2016 Ralph Gants R. Ireland July 28, 2014–September 14, 2020 Geraldine Hines R. Gants July 31, 2014–August 18, 2017 Frank Gaziano F. Spina August 18, 2016–IncumbentCharlie Baker Kimberly S. Budd F. Duffly August 24, 2016–December 1, 2020 David A. Lowy R. Cordy August 24, 2016–February 3, 2024 Elspeth B. Cypher M. Botsford March 31, 2017–January 12, 2024 Scott Kafker G. Hines August 21, 2017–Incumbent Kimberly S. Budd R. Gants December 1, 2020–Incumbent Dalila Argaez Wendlandt K. Budd December 4, 2020–Incumbent Serge Georges Jr. B. Lenk December 16, 2020–Incumbent Bessie Dewar E. Cypher January 16, 2024–IncumbentMaura Healey Gabrielle Wolohojian D. Lowy April 22, 2024–Incumbent

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Further reading