State's First Black Chief Justice To Be Sworn In

BOSTON (AP) -- Massachusetts is about to get its first black chief justice of the Supreme Judicial Court.

Gov. Deval Patrick is scheduled to swear in Roderick Ireland at 10 a.m. Monday at the John Adams Courthouse in downtown Boston.

Ireland is already the longest-serving member of the court and will replace Margaret Marshall as its chief justice. Marshall retired to care for her husband, who has Parkinson's disease.

The chief justice runs the court, decides which justice writes each opinion and oversees the Massachusetts court system. Patrick will nominate a new associate justice to replace Ireland.

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