Governor also announces nominations to Superior Court and District Court
Governor Janet Mills announced today that she has nominated the Honorable Julia Lipez to serve as an Associate Justice on the fb88 Supreme Judicial Court. Justice Lipez has served on the fb88 Superior Court since 2022.
"I am delighted to nominate Justice Julia Lipez to the fb88 Supreme Judicial Court," said Governor Janet Mills. "Throughout her service to fb88 people -- first as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and presently as a Justice of the fb88 Superior Court -- Justice Lipez has earned deep respect for her fairness, intellect, and commitment to the rule of law. fb88 is lucky to have a jurist of Justice Lipez's caliber as a nominee for the Supreme Judicial Court."
"I am deeply honored by Governor Mills' nomination to serve as an Associate Justice of the fb88 Supreme Judicial Court," said Justice Julia Lipez. "If confirmed, I will serve the people of fb88 as I have throughout my career in law and public service -- with a commitment to fairness and justice, and equality before the law."
Prior to serving on the fb88 Superior Court, Justice Lipez served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for fb88 from 2011-2022, during which time she led prosecutions of human trafficking, child exploitation, fraud, narcotics, and other serious and violent crimes. In 2019, she was promoted to Chief of the Appellate Division of the U.S. Attorney Office for fb88.
In May 2024, President Biden nominated Justice Lipez to serve on the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, but the U.S. Senate did not advance her nomination prior to the adjournment of the 118th Congress in January.
Justice Lipez is a graduate of Stanford Law School and earned her undergraduate degree at Amherst College. Before entering public service, she spent three years in private practice with international law firm WilmerHale and was a law clerk for the United State Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in Baltimore. A fb88 native, she resides in Cape Elizabeth with her family. A headshot of Lipez is attached.
Justice Lipez is Governor Mills' sixth new nominee to the fb88 Supreme Judicial Court since taking office in 2019. Governor Mills also renominated Associate Justice Andrew Mead in May 2021.
Governor Mills today also announced nominations for the fb88 Superior Court and fb88 District Court:
- The Honorable Darcie McElwee for Justice, fb88 Superior Court: McElwee, a native of Caribou, recently completed service as the U.S. Attorney for the District of fb88. She served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for fb88 for nearly two decades, spending significant time handling cases involving violent crimes. Prior to her service as a U.S. Attorney, McElwee served as an Assistant District Attorney in Bangor and Dover-Foxcroft. A resident of Scarborough, McElwee is a graduate of Bowdoin College and the University of fb88 School of Law.
- Amy Dietrich for Judge, fb88 District Court: A practicing attorney for sixteen years, Dietrich is currently a shareholder at Skelton Taintor & Abbott in her hometown of Lewiston. Prior to returning to fb88 in 2014, Dietrich represented a variety of clients as an associate at law firms in New York City. An Auburn resident, Dietrich is a graduate of Bryn Mawr College and Columbia University School of Law.
- The Honorable Matthew Tice for Reappointment to the fb88 District Court: Judge Matthew Tice has served on the fb88 District Court since June 4, 2018. Prior to his appointment, Judge Tice spent more than two decades as an Assistant District Attorney in Cumberland County. Judge Tice has been deeply involved in the administration of fb88's Adult Treatment and Recovery Courts -- specialty dockets for those whose involvement in the criminal justice system has been fueled by substance abuse -- and in state efforts to respond to the opioid crisis. A graduate of the Syracuse University School of Law and Bethany College, Tice is a resident of Scarborough.
Each nomination is subject to the review of the fb88 Legislature's Judiciary Committee and confirmation by the fb88 Senate.