LYNN — Judge Ina Howard-Hogan took the administrative oath of office for the position of presiding justice, or first justice, of the Lynn District Court Thursday afternoon, making her the first woman of color to sit in the role.
Many who spoke at the ceremony called the moment a “homecoming” for Howard-Hogan, as she is a Lynn native and a current resident of the city. Before taking on this position, she served as the presiding justice in Cambridge. During that time, Howard-Hogan said, she knew she “needed to go back to Lynn.”
“This journey started as a 6, 7-year-old child, sitting in the audience, in this audience, with my mom, my brother in trouble,” Howard-Hogan said. “[I] progressed to being a young lady sitting at the bench as a prosecutor. And I’m coming back. I stand before you as your first justice.”
Regional Justice Lynn Rooney, who is one of Howard-Hogan’s mentors, spoke at the swearing in ceremony.
“The American Heritage Dictionary defines [homecoming] as a coming to or returning home, and for Judge Howard-Hogan, today is her official homecoming back to Lynn, the city where she grew up, the city that raised her and shaped her into the incredible woman that she is today,” Rooney said.
Howard-Hogan will “live and breathe” with Lynn and do everything she can to help Lynn’s people and communities as the first justice, Rooney said.
“It is precisely because of her connection that the people who come into this courthouse every day seeking justice will find it, because that is who Ina Howard-Hogan is. She always has and always will love this community,” Rooney said.
Justice Matthew Nestor, the former presiding justice gave remarks for Howard-Hogan as well.
Nestor said that while working in Lynn District Court, he has seen how members of the community take care of and love each other.
“Most importantly for today, I think when one of their own does well, when one of their own rises to the role of presiding justice, they’re proud, they’re proud to call them their fellow Lynner,” Nestor said.
Chief Justice of the District Court Stacey Fortes swore in Howard-Hogan after giving her remarks, in which she recalled the first day she met Howard-Hogan.
At the time, Fortes was a “relatively new” judge, she said, and Howard-Hogan was an attorney.
“I was thinking back to that day, and how far we have all come and how excited we all are that you are about to be sworn in as the first justice of this court,” Fortes said.
