Nora Dannehy
Do you have a photo that could go here? Click here to submit it for this profile!
2023 - Present
2031
2
Nora Dannehy is a judge of the Connecticut Supreme Court. She assumed office on September 26, 2023. Her current term ends on September 26, 2031.
Gov. Ned Lamont appointed Dannehy via assisted appointment (governor-controlled commission) in September 2023.[1] To learn more about this vacancy, click here.
Biography
Nora Dannehy was born in Connecticut. She earned a bachelor's degree from the Wellesley College and a law degree from Harvard Law School. Her career experience includes working as an adjunct professor.[2]
Appointments
Governor Ned Lamont (D) appointed Nora Dannehy to the Connecticut Supreme Court through assisted appointment. Justice Maria Araujo Kahn resigned on March 10, 2023 upon her appointment to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Dannehy is Ned Lamont's (D) second nominee to the seven-member supreme court.
At the time of the vacancy under Connecticut law, vacancies on the court were filled via assisted appointment method.
State supreme court judicial selection in Connecticut
- See also: Judicial selection in Connecticut
The seven justices on the Connecticut Supreme Court are selected through the assisted appointment method. The Connecticut Judicial Selection Commission is responsible for screening candidates and submitting a shortlist to the governor. The commission is made up of 12 members: six appointed by the governor and six appointed by leaders in the state legislature. The governor must appoint a justice from the commission's shortlist and the appointee must then be confirmed by a majority vote of the Connecticut General Assembly.[3][4]
Justices serve for eight years after their appointment. To continue to serve on the court, they must be renominated by the governor and reapproved by the General Assembly.[4]
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a judge must be:
- a state resident;
- licensed to practice law in the state; and
- under the age of 70 (retirement at 70 is mandatory).[5]
Chief justice
The chief justice is appointed by the governor and confirmed by a majority vote of the Connecticut General Assembly. In the event of a vacancy, however, the governor may nominate an associate justice to serve as chief without involving the judicial nominating commission. Chief justices appointed this way will serve out the remainder of their predecessor's term rather than a full eight years, which is the typical term length of the chief justice.[3]
Vacancies
If a midterm vacancy occurs on the court, the seat is filled as it normally would be if the vacancy occurred at the end of a judge's term. A judicial nominating commission recommends qualified candidates to the governor and the governor selects a successor from that list with legislative approval. The new appointee serves an eight-year term.[6]
The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ CT Insider, "Lamont nominates Nora Dannehy, a former public corruption prosecutor, to fill Supreme Court vacancy," accessed October 5, 2023
- ↑ Biographies of Supreme Court Justices, "Associate Justice Nora R. Dannehy," accessed March 18, 2025
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Connecticut General Assembly, "Sec. 51-44a. Judicial Selection Commission. Members. Duties. Nomination of judges by Governor.," accessed March 28, 2023
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Connecticut General Assembly, "Article Fifth. of the Judicial Department - Sec. 2.," accessed March 28, 2023
- ↑ State of Connecticut Judicial Branch, "Frequently Asked Media Questions," accessed March 28, 2023
- ↑ Brennan Center for Justice, "Judicial Selection: An Interactive Map," accessed March 23, 2023
Federal courts:
Second Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Connecticut • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Connecticut
State courts:
Connecticut Supreme Court • Connecticut Appellate Court • Connecticut Superior Court • Connecticut Probate Courts
State resources:
Courts in Connecticut • Connecticut judicial elections • Judicial selection in Connecticut
