Massachusetts governor's former romantic partner approved to join state's highest court
By Sam Doran, State House News Service
STATE HOUSE, BOSTON, FEBRUARY 28, 2024 (State House News Service) - The Governor's Council on Wednesday confirmed Supreme Judicial Court nominee Gabrielle Wolohojian, approving Gov. Maura Healey's second appointee to the state's highest court.
The council voted 6-1 to confirm the nomination, with Councilor Tara Jacobs of North Adams casting the lone vote of dissent.
An accomplished Appeals Court jurist of 16 years and former partner at the firm now known as WilmerHale, Wolohojian's nomination has drawn public scrutiny because of her past personal relationship with the governor. Healey and the judge shared a home in Charlestown for several years.
Members of the Governor's Council, an elected panel with final approval power over judgeships, heaped praise on Wolohojian's professional track record at a public interview on Feb. 21 and largely avoided delving into the personal past between Healey and Wolohojian.
At 63 years old, Wolohojian is eligible to serve on the bench until Dec. 16, 2030 when she reaches the state's mandatory judicial retirement age of 70.
"A good judge listens. A good judge is fair. A good judge is prepared. And I learned that when you walk away from a good judge's courtroom, your confidence in the justice system is renewed, even if you lost your cause on that particular day," she said at her pre-confirmation hearing last week.