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Judiciary
After more than 200 years, Connecticut nominates Black woman to state supreme court
Judge Melanie L. Cradle, the chief judge of the state appellate court, is the first Black woman nominated to serve on the Connecticut Supreme Court. (Photo from Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont’s June 15 press release)
For the first time, a Black woman has been nominated to the Connecticut Supreme Court.
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont announced Monday that he selected Judge Melanie L. Cradle, the chief judge of the state appellate court, as his appointment. If confirmed, she will replace Justice Joan K. Alexander.
Lamont noted that it was the first time in 250 years that a Black woman was nominated to the Connecticut Supreme Court, the Hartford Courant reports.
The appointment process starts with a list of qualified candidates from the state’s judicial selection committee, then the governor nominates a candidate from the list, with the General Assembly approving the nomination, according to a report by the Connecticut Office of Legislative Research.
Before serving on the appellate court, Cradle was a superior court judge, where she presided over criminal cases. That included a stint as presiding judge of the New Haven geographical area courthouse. Before becoming a judge, she was an assistant state’s attorney, according to a June 15 press release.
According to a report by the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law on state supreme court diversity updated in 2024, 20% of state supreme court seats are occupied by people of color, and 19 states have no justices who identify as people of color.
The CT Mirror also has coverage.
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