Branford Attorney, A New Haven Judicial District Public Defender, Is Gov. Nominee For Superior Court Judge

HARTFORD, CT—Tuesday, Gov. Ned Lamont named his 14 Connecticut Superior Court nominees.

Justine Whalen, 41, of Branford, is among them.

The nominees are each being selected to fill one of 20 vacancies that currently exist on the court.

"Selecting nominees to become judges is one of the most important duties of a governor, and this class of nominees have the qualifications and meet the high standards the people of Connecticut deserve on the bench," Lamont was quoted as saying in a news release.

"I am proud that our administration has a record of selecting nominees who’ve expanded the diversity, backgrounds, and professional experiences of those who serve our court system," he said.

According to the Office of the Governor, Lamont is "immediately forwarding notification of these nominations to the Connecticut General Assembly for its advice and consent."

Justine Whalen, 41, of Branford

Whalen graduated from the University of Connecticut and obtained her Juris Doctor degree from Northeastern University School of Law. She is currently an assistant public defender for the New Haven Judicial District. She has worked in the Connecticut Division of Public Defender Services for the past seven years. She previously served as a public defender with the Committee for Public Counsel Services in Boston for eight years. Before beginning her career as a public defender, she served as a law clerk to the Honorable William Meade at the Massachusetts Appeals Court.