Joseph Richard NolanBoston College Bulletin, Law, 1955 (June 14, 1925 – April 23, 2013)Judge Joseph R. Nolan (1925-2013) was an American jurist.
Early life and education He was born in the Mattapan neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts.Joseph R. Nolan; SJC justice known as social conservativeObituary: Joseph R. Nolan, Five-decade long resident, "Triple Eagle" served on the state's highest courtJoseph R. Nolan memorial addresses He was the younger of two sons whose father was a school custodian and whose mother cleaned houses. He graduated from Boston College High School in 1942. He would later graduate from Boston College with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1950 and from Boston College Law School with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1954.
Military service He served in the United States Navy during World War II reaching the rank of Pharmacist's Mate Third Class. He served in the Pacific Theater.
Legal & academic career He started his legal career in private practice and later became an assistant district attorney for Suffolk County. He served as the general counsel for the Massachusetts Lottery Commission. From 1965 to 2011 he was a professor of law at Suffolk University Law School.
Judicial career From 1973 to 1978 he was a special justice for the Brighton District of the Boston Municipal Court.A manual for the use of the General Court (1973-1976)A manual for the use of the General Court (1979-1980) From 1978 to 1980 he was a judge on the Massachusetts Superior Court. From 1980 to 1981 he was an associate justice on the Massachusetts Appeals Court. From 1981 to 1995 he was an associate justice on the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.Judge Joseph Nolan, Massachusetts Appeals Court-1980-1981'Joseph Nolan, SJC justice known as social conservative,' Boston Globe, Bryan Marquard, April 24, 2013 He retired from judicial service in 1995.
Later life He served as President of the Catholic Lawyers Guild from 1995 until his death in 2013.
Personal life He married Margaret M. “Peggy” Kelly in 1947. They had seven children. She died in 2014.
Death He died on April 23, 2013, in St. Elizabeth‟s Medical Center in Brighton from complications of a broken hip he suffered a couple days prior.
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