Kimberly S. Budd Nominated as Chief Justice of MA SJC

Wednesday, October 28, 2020

Justice Kimberly S. Budd will replace the late Ralph D. Gants as the first black Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court in the court’s 328-year history.

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Governor Charlie Baker of Massachusetts has nominated Kimberly S. Budd as Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court. During his scheduled 11:30 a.m. press conference, Baker announced his decision to elevate Budd to Chief Justice. Justice Kimberly S. Budd will replace the late Ralph D. Gants as Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court (“SJC”).

Additionally, the Boston Bar Association has released its own press release showing support for Governor Baker’s selection. If (and when) confirmed, Justice Budd will become the first female to lead the state’s high court in its 328-year history.

The 54-year-old judge will also be the youngest chief justice to sit on the court in 150 years. Budd is the second woman to hold a seat in the court, after Margaret H. Marshall, who retired in 2010. She is the second black person of color to serve on the post after Roderick L. Ireland, who served from 2010 to 2014.

The SJC is Massachusetts’ highest state court and the commonwealth’s oldest appellate court in continuous existence in all of the Western Hemisphere. Budd’s career is extraordinary to say the least. Justice Budd has served 11 years on the bench and has demonstrated her extraordinary legal acumen, deep commitment to justice, and careful attention to every case before her.

Budd received her bachelor’s degree in English from Georgetown University in 1988, graduating magna cum laude. She received her J.D. degree from Harvard Law School in 1991.

That same year, she began her legal career as a law clerk for Chief Justice Warner of the Massachusetts Appeals Court. She also worked as a litigation associate at Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo. Later on, she served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts and as a university attorney for Harvard University in the General Counsel’s office.

Budd has also served as Director of the Community Values program at Harvard Business School.

Budd was nominated by Governor Deval Patrick in 2009 to become an Associate Justice for the Massachusetts Superior Court, and began her active service in September 2009, filling the seat formerly held by the previously mentioned Ralph D. Gants. Budd is married with two sons of her own. Wayne Budd, senior counsel at Goodwin Procter and former United States Attorney, is her father.

We here at Lawwly knows she will serve well and excellently as chief justice of the SJC. We look forward to the Governor’s Council’s review of her nomination and her subsequent confirmation thereafter.

We wish her the best of luck. Congratulations!

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