Ralph D. Gants (born 1954) is an Associate Justice on the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. In December 2008, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick nominated him to to that position and he was confirmed by the Governor's Council.^[1][2]

Early life and career[link]

Ralph D. Gants was born in New Rochelle, New York in 1954. He received his A.B., summa cum laude from Harvard College in 1976, graduating Phi Beta Kappa. The following year he completed a Diploma in Criminology at Cambridge University in England. In 1980, he earned a J.D., magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School where he was notes editor of the Harvard Law Review. After graduation from law school, Justice Gants served as law clerk to United States District Court Judge Eugene H. Nickerson. From 1981 to 1983, he was Special Assistant to Judge William H. Webster, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In 1983, he was appointed Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, serving as Chief of Public Corruption Division from 1988 to 1991. In 1991, he joined the Boston law firm of Palmer & Dodge LLP, becoming a partner in 1994. He has taught at Harvard Law School, New England School of Law, and Northeastern University School of Law.^[2]

Judicial career[link]

He was appointed as a Judge of the Massachusetts Superior Court in 1997 by Governor William Weld. In 2008, he served as Administrative Justice of the Superior Court's Business Litigation Session. Governor Deval Patrick appointed Justice Gants to the Supreme Judicial Court in December 2008 and he took office in January 2009.^[2]

Personal[link]

Justice Gants is married with two children.^[2]

References[link]