The Bay State’s newest Supreme Judicial Court Associate Justice was ceremonially sworn into office by her ex-girlfriend on Monday.
Justice Gabrielle Wolohojian was officially sworn into office on April 22 and has already been filling the seat vacated by now-former Justice David Lowy, who retired from the court in February to take a job as UMass’s chief counsel.
Gov. Maura Healey’s appointment of Wolohojian, a 16-year veteran of the state’s appeals court was met with high praise from both legal professionals and the Governor’s Council — the elected body tasked with approving the governor’s court picks — but her much-lauded legal career and the accolades of countless colleagues weren’t quiet enough to eliminate acknowledgement of her years-long romantic relationship with the governor.
In making the appointment, Healey said a past relationship with her should not deprive the Commonwealth of Wolohojian’s experience as a judge.
“Through her work, she earned a place as one of our state’s most highly esteemed judged,” Healey said during Monday’s ceremonial event, before re-administering Wolohojian’s oath of office.
Wolohojian, first nominated to the appeals court by former Gov. Deval Patrick, received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rutgers University in 1982, a Ph.D. in English language and literature from the University of Oxford in 1987, and a J.D. from Columbia Law School in 1989.