Mass. Judge Honored Nationally

Justice James McHugh of the Massachusetts Appeals Court is the recipient of the 2011 William H. Rehnquist Award for Judicial Excellence.

The prestigious award from the National Center for State Courts is presented annually to a state court judge who exemplifies the highest level of judicial excellence, integrity, fairness, and professional ethics.

McHugh received a unanimous nomination for the award from the justices of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court together with letters of support from chief justices and community leaders.

U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. will present the award at a Nov. 17 ceremony at the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington.

McHugh has served as an associate justice on the Massachusetts Appeals Courts since 2001. He was an associate justice on the Massachusetts Superior Court from 1985 through 2001.