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Elspeth B. Cypher

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Elspeth B. Cypher
Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
In office
March 31, 2017 – January 12, 2024
Appointed byCharlie Baker
Preceded byMargot Botsford
Succeeded byBessie Dewar
Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Appeals Court
In office
December 27, 2000 – March 31, 2017
Appointed byPaul Cellucci
Succeeded byDalila Argaez Wendlandt
Personal details
Born (1959-02-26) February 26, 1959 (age 65)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseSharon Levesque
EducationEmerson College (BA)
Suffolk University (JD)

Elspeth B. Cypher (born February 26, 1959) is a former justice of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts who served from 2017 to 2024. She is also a former justice of the Massachusetts Appeals Court, where she served from 2000 to 2017.

Biography

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Cypher was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on February 26, 1959.[1] She earned her Bachelor of Arts from Emerson College in 1980 and her Juris Doctor from Suffolk University Law School in 1986. She began her legal career as an associate with the law firm Grayer, Brown and Dilday. She left the firm in 1988 to become an assistant district attorney in Bristol County. In 1993, she became the chief of the appellate division of this office and served in this capacity until her appointment to the appeals court.[1]

Cypher and her wife, Sharon Levesque, live in Assonet, Massachusetts, and have one son.[2]

Judicial career

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Massachusetts Appeals Court

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Cypher was an associate justice on the Massachusetts Appeals Court. She was appointed to by Governor Paul Cellucci and took the bench on December 27, 2000.[1] She served in that capacity until her elevation to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court on March 31, 2017.[3]

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court

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She was appointed to the Supreme Judicial Court in February 2017 by Governor Charlie Baker to succeed retiring Justice Margot Botsford. She was confirmed by the Governor's Council on March 8, 2017.[4][5] She was sworn into office on March 31, 2017.[3] She was ceremonially sworn in on May 18, 2017.[6] She retired from active service on January 12, 2024.[7]

Academic career

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Cypher was an adjunct professor at Southern New England School of Law (now the University of Massachusetts School of Law - Dartmouth), where she taught courses on legal writing; criminal procedure; criminal law; and women, law, and the legal system.[1]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Associate Justice Elspeth B. Cypher". Retrieved April 5, 2018.
  2. ^ "Newly Confirmed SJC Justice Cypher '80 to Speak at Emerson". Emerson News & Events. Emerson College. March 15, 2017. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Supreme Judicial Court Justices".
  4. ^ Lannan, Katie (March 8, 2017). "Former Bristol County prosecutor confirmed to state supreme court". The Patriot Ledger. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
  5. ^ Towne, Shaun (February 8, 2017). "Gov. Baker nominates appeals judge to state's highest court". wpri.com. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
  6. ^ "At Ceremonial Swearing In, Supreme Judicial Court Justice Cypher Says, "I am grateful to the women before me who broke down those barriers"". May 19, 2017.
  7. ^ Lisinski, Chris (June 12, 2023). "Mass. SJC Justice Cypher's surprise retirement gives Healey first high court pick". www.wbur.org. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
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Legal offices
Preceded by Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
2017–2024 		Succeeded by
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