Massachusetts' highest court gets 1st Latina justice

BOSTON (AP) — Dalila Argaez Wendlandt was unanimously confirmed to a seat on the highest court in Massachusetts on Wednesday.

With her confirmation by the Governor's Council, Wendlandt becomes the first Latina justice on the Supreme Judicial Court, which traces its history to the late 17th century.

“Justice Dalila Argaez Wendlandt is a highly intelligent, accomplished jurist who has served with distinction on the Appeals Court, and I am confident that she will continue to serve with integrity and impartiality on the Supreme Judicial Court,” Republican Gov. Charlie Baker said in a statement.

Wendlandt, 51, has served on the state’s second highest court since 2017.

Born in New Orleans, she is the daughter of Colombian immigrants and has engineering degrees from the University of Illinois and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a law degree from Stanford University.

Wendlandt's confirmation comes about a week after the confirmation of Kimberly Budd as the high court's chief justice, making her the first Black woman to serve in that capacity.