Ralph Gants facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ralph Gants
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Official portrait, 2014
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| Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court | |
| In office July 28, 2014 – September 14, 2020 |
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| Appointed by | Deval Patrick |
| Preceded by | Roderick L. Ireland |
| Succeeded by | Kimberly S. Budd |
| Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court | |
| In office January 29, 2009 – July 28, 2014 |
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| Appointed by | Deval Patrick |
| Preceded by | John Greaney |
| Succeeded by | Geraldine Hines |
| Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Superior Court | |
| In office 1997 – January 29, 2009 |
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| Appointed by | Bill Weld |
| Succeeded by | Kimberly S. Budd |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 29, 1954 New Rochelle, New York, U.S. |
| Died | September 14, 2020 (aged 65) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Harvard University (BA, JD) University of Cambridge |
Ralph D. Gants (born September 29, 1954 – died September 14, 2020) was an American lawyer and judge. He became the top judge, called the Chief Justice, of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. This is the highest court in the state of Massachusetts. He started this important role on July 28, 2014. Before becoming a judge, Gants worked as a lawyer for the government.
Early Life and Education
Ralph Gants was born in New Rochelle, New York, in 1954. He was a very good student. In 1976, he earned his first degree, a Bachelor of Arts, from Harvard College. He graduated with the highest honors, called summa cum laude. He was also part of Phi Beta Kappa, which is a special honor society for top students.
The next year, he studied Criminology at Cambridge University in England. Criminology is the study of crime and how it is prevented. In 1980, he earned his law degree, called a Juris Doctor, from Harvard Law School. He also graduated with high honors, magna cum laude. While there, he worked on the Harvard Law Review, a respected legal magazine.
A Career in Law
After finishing law school, Ralph Gants worked for a judge named Eugene H. Nickerson. This job is called a law clerk. From 1981 to 1983, he worked for Judge William H. Webster. Judge Webster was the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
In 1983, Gants became a lawyer for the United States government. He was an Assistant United States Attorney for Massachusetts. From 1988 to 1991, he led a special group that dealt with public corruption cases. This means he worked on cases where government officials might have done something wrong.
Later, in 1991, he joined a law firm in Boston. He became a partner there in 1994. He also taught law at several universities. These included Harvard Law School and Northeastern University School of Law.
Ralph Gants cared a lot about making the justice system better. He worked to improve laws about crime. He helped the Massachusetts government pass a new law in 2018. This law aimed to make the criminal justice system more fair.
Becoming a Judge
In 1997, Governor Bill Weld chose Ralph Gants to be a judge. He became an associate justice for the Massachusetts Superior Court. This court handles many different types of cases. In 2008, he oversaw cases about business disagreements.
In December 2008, Governor Deval Patrick appointed him to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. This is the highest court in Massachusetts. He started this new role in January 2009. Other officials, called the Governor's Council, approved his appointment.
On April 17, 2014, Governor Patrick nominated Gants for an even bigger role. He was chosen to become the Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court. This meant he would lead the entire court. He was approved and sworn in on July 28, 2014.
Personal Life and Passing
Justice Gants was married and had two children. He passed away on September 14, 2020, when he was 65 years old. He had suffered a heart attack. To honor him, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts closed all courts on Friday, September 18, 2020.
