A former federal prosecutor is in the running to become Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, the Boston Globe reported ^[1].

^[2]

Ralph Gants (gov)

Ralph D. Gants, currently an Associate Justice on the court, served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Massachusetts U.S. Attorney’s office from 1983 to 1991. He was Chief of the Public Corruption Division from 1988 to 1991 before leaving public service for Palmer & Dodge LLP (now Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP ^[3]). Gants was appointed to the Massachusetts Superior Court in 1997 and elevated to the Supreme Judicial Court in 2009 by Gov. Deval Patrick (D).

According to the  Globe, the govenor’s staff is working with the state’s Judicial Nominating Committee to create a list of names. Gants is one of six candidates reportedly in contention for the top spot, along with two of his colleagues: Justices Margot Botsford and Roderick L. Ireland. The other candidates include U.S. District Judge Patti B. Saris; Massachusetts Appeals Court Justice Fernande R.V. Duffly; and Superior Court Judge Barbara A. Dortch-Okara.

Gants is the newest member of the court, but is liked by Patrick, according to the Globe. Patrick could make his decision as early as next week, but may wait until after the November elections, the paper said.