Press Release: 7/3/2025

Chief Justice Budd Receives BBA’s Haskell Cohn Distinguished Judicial Service Award

 

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Saying she was accepting it “on behalf of the SJC and what it stands for,” Chief Justice Kimberly Budd received the BBA’s Haskell Cohn Award for Distinguished Judicial Service last week. The event, held at 16 Beacon Street, brought together distinguished guests that included Chief Justice Budd’s family, fellow justices on the Supreme Judicial Court, and a number of current and former judges—among them retired Chief Justice Roderick Ireland, himself a past recipient of the award.

In her remarks, the Chief Justice called it a validation of the Court’s collective efforts, while emphasizing that her work builds on the enduring legacies of not only Chief Justice Ireland but also the late Chief Justice Ralph Gants, the recently deceased Chief Justice Herbert Wilkins, and Chief Justice Margaret Marshall.

“Chief Justices Wilkins, Marshall, Ireland and Gants each recognized the importance of the Court’s ongoing engagement with other branches of government, with the bar, and with the communities we serve,” she said. “They were willing to take a hard look at the shortcomings in our judicial branch and to try to fix them. And they each strove to make our court system more efficient, more effective, and more responsive to the needs of the people of Massachusetts. In the last four-plus years, I have tried to continue that legacy.”

She cited key areas where she had carried on their work—from new standards for supporting court users facing substance use or mental health challenges, to groundbreaking guidelines for cases with self-represented litigants, modernizing court technology, and new pilot programs on restorative justice.

In bestowing the award, BBA President Matt McTygue praised the Chief Justice’s “leadership during a critical moment and her commitment to a legal system that is just, fair, and rooted in compassion and empathy.” He also lauded both her written opinions—including a landmark decision barring life without parole sentences for young adults and an expansion of defendants’ ability to bring racial-profiling claims—and her broader initiatives, as well as her unflagging efforts to demystify the judicial-appointment process and re-build public trust in the courts.

“Throughout her tenure,” President McTygue said, “Chief Justice Kimberly Budd has sought to demystify the judicial appointment process, encouraging all lawyers to consider applying and reaching out to those who may not have seen themselves reflected in the state bench. With humility and thoughtfulness, she has used her own story to make members of the bar feel welcomed and supported, reinforcing her belief that the process, and the legal system in general, must consider people in their full context.”

The Boston Bar Association is proud to honor Chief Justice Kimberly Budd with the Haskell Cohn Distinguished Judicial Service Award.