Tracy E. Duncan

Springfield attorney Tracey E. Duncan will serve on the Superior Court bench for the four westernmost counties of the state, making her the second Black woman in Western Massachusetts’ history to do so.Duncan, a defense attorney who runs her own practice in Springfield, was unanimously chosen Wednesday by the Governor’s Council to serve as an associate justice.0:02/2:27Keep WatchingVenezuela's exiled opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez visits ArgentinaFor the past three decades, Duncan has primarily worked on criminal defense cases, representing clients in the Hampden Superior Court and U.S. District Court. Her work in defending hundreds of clients, some of which include teenagers has garnered her the Hampden County Lawyers for Justice Inc. 2023 Distinguished Bar Advocate award.Read More: Springfield attorney nominated by Healey for seat on WMass Superior Court benchDuncan’s appointment comes after former justice Tina S. Page retired from the Hampden Superior Court in 2018. Page was the first Black woman appointed to the Western Massachusetts Superior Court bench.Duncan said she applied for the role seeking to “fill the void” of women and people of color who serve on the state’s Superior Court.Her candidacy has sparked a flurry of excitement and support from politicians, attorneys and judges in Western Massachusetts, who were all eager to see the tenured attorney take the Superior Court seat.A long-time colleague of Duncan, Rep. Bud L. Williams, D-Hampden, said that the Springfield attorney’s appointment to an associate judgeship would be a strong step forward in creating a racially diverse judiciary.Read More: ‘Poise, grace and talent’: Deep support for Tracy Duncan for WMass Superior Court seat“There is not a more qualified candidate for this appointment,” he said during a hearing in front of the Governor’s Council last week. “Duncan is fair and fights for what she believes with grace.”James Goodhines, a fellow practicing attorney who’s said he known Duncan for nearly 30 years, described her as one of the finest lawyers he’s ever met, MassLive previously reported.Attorney Adam L. Sisitsky was also unanimously voted to serve as a justice on the Massachusetts Superior Court.RECOMMENDED•masslive.comWorcester teen indicted in connection with April 2024 fatal shootingJan. 2, 2025, 4:05 p.m.Boston Cava worker robbed at gunpoint, suspect fled with cash, police sayDec. 30, 2024, 3:20 p.m.Both attorneys were nominated by Gov. Maura Healey earlier this month for their shared, “commitment to making Massachusetts stronger by upholding justice, equity and the rule of law,” she said in a statement.Read More: ‘End of an era’ as Superior Court judges Tina Page and Mary-Lou Rup retire“I can’t be happier,” Marilyn Petitto Devaney, a member of the state’s Governor’s Council, said. “This is what people want. They want people like Tracy who have life experience, who have the age, and who have helped people who can’t afford a lawyer, those kinds of things. Compassion. That’s what I look for.”