Boston Bar Association President Donald R. Frederico issued the following
statement regarding Governor Deval Patrick's nomination of Roderick Ireland as
Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court:
"The Boston Bar Association commends Governor Patrick for his excellent
choice in nominating Roderick L. Ireland. The Supreme Judicial Court is a court
of last resort that makes decisions touching on family law, criminal matters,
civil rights, and commercial and financial conflicts. Those decisions affect the
lives of all of us in Massachusetts, and beyond. Justice Ireland has had a long
and distinguished career on the bench, and we look forward to his well-deserved
confirmation."
Justice Ireland was nominated to the state's highest court in 1997 and is now
the senior justice. Before that appointment, he served on the Juvenile
Court and was elevated to the Appeals Court in 1990. Justice Ireland was
awarded the Haskell Cohn Award for Distinguished Judicial Service by the Boston
Bar Association in 1990.