In another first in his short tenure in office, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said state Judge Lubbie Harper Jr. of North Haven is his choice to fill the vacancy on the Connecticut Supreme Court.
Harper, who must be confirmed General Assembly, would take the place of Justice Joette Katz, who was Malloy’s choice as commissioner of the Department of Children and Families.
If confirmed, Harper would join Justice Fleming L. Norcott as the second African-American currently sitting on the high court.
“Judge Harper is an experienced, talented and fair jurist, and he will be a welcomed addition to the court,” Malloy said. “In his personal time, Judge Harper has given back extensively to his community and the state, and he is well respected both inside the legal community and out.”
“I have the greatest respect for the justices on the court and will be deeply honored to join them in their efforts to ensure fairness and justice in our legal system,” Harper said in a statement.
Harper was nominated to the state appellate court in 2005 by former Gov. M. Jodi Rell.
He chairs the Commission on Racial and Ethnic Disparity in the Criminal Justice System, and is the state’s representative to the National Consortium on Racial and Ethnic Fairness in the Courts.
Before becoming a judge, Harper practiced privately in litigation, municipal finance, labor law, education and administrative law, arbitration and contract negotiations.
He graduated from the University of New Haven, received his masters from the University of Connecticut School of Social Work, and his law degree from UConn.
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