In wake of Justice Judith Cowin’s announcement of her upcoming retirement from the court in May, Gov. Deval Patrick will pick a candidate for the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court to take over in Spring.
Cowin, 68, served on the court since 1999 and was the third women to be appointed to the Court. She is the fourth judge to leave the bench during Patrick’s time in office.
“I have been privileged to serve the people of Massachusetts,” Cowin said in a press release. “I will remember these years with a conviction that the work is of great importance and with an abiding affection for the colleagues with whom I shared it.”
Cowin is leaving a year earlier than expected as she does not reach the mandatory retirement age of 70 for judges until April of 2012.
“Everything has a season,” she said. “It’s time to do those things with family and friends that I have had to postpone or reduce because of the demands of the office.”
After her retirement, Patrick will elect his fourth judge to the seven-member court and will elevate Roderick Ireland to chief justice. Ireland will be the first African-American to lead the court.
Patrick’s predecessor, Mitt Romney, never appointed a judge to the court.
“After nearly 20 years of service, Justice Cowin leaves a distinguished record,’’ Patrick said in a press release. “I appreciate her work for the people of the Commonwealth. Her replacement will have a big hole to fill.’’
Patrick will have at least one more chance to elect another judge before his term ends, as Ireland turns the mandatory retirement age in December 2014. If so, Patrick will have appointed five out of the seven member court.
Cowin, who was appointed by Gov. Paul Cellucci, is best known for her conservative judicial proceedings and her 4-3 majority vote in the 2003 ruling allowing gays and lesbians the right to marry.
“My colleagues and I are grateful to Justice Cowin for her many years of service and for her numerous accomplishments,” Ireland said in a press release. “She has been an excellent Justice and a most congenial and considerate member of the Court. She will be greatly missed by her colleagues at the Supreme Judicial Court and on other courts.”
Born in Boston, Cowin received her undergraduate degree from Wellesley College, her judicial degree from Harvard Law School and served on the Superior Court for eight years prior to her spot on the Supreme Judicial Court.
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