| Beth Robinson | |
|---|---|
| Associate Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court (interim until confirmed by the Senate) |
|
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office November 28, 2011 |
|
| Appointed by | Peter Shumlin |
| Preceded by | Denise Johnson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Indiana |
| Spouse(s) | Kym Boyman |
| Residence | Ferrisburgh, Vermont |
| Alma mater | Dartmouth College, University of Chicago Law School |
Beth Robinson is an American lawyer from Vermont who was appointed in October 2011 to the Vermont Supreme Court. Her nomination, made by Governor Peter Shumlin, requires confirmation from the Vermont Senate although, according to the Burlington Free Press, this is "seen as assured".[1] In the meantime, she serves as an interim member of the court, having been sworn in on November 28, 2011.[2]
Born in Indiana, Robinson graduated from Dartmouth College in 1986 and the University of Chicago Law School in 1989.[3] Prior to her appointment, Robinson served as Shumlin's general counsel and had a varied legal career, including 18 years at Langrock, Sperry & Wool, a law firm with offices in Burlington and Middlebury. While there, she worked on issues of workers' compensation, personal injury, constitutional law and, most prominently, gay and lesbian rights.[4] Robinson served as co-counsel in the case of Baker v. State, the landmark 1999 decision that led to Vermont becoming the first state to enact civil unions.[5] She was subsequently involved in the 2009 legislative battle to enact same-sex marriage, chairing Vermont Freedom to Marry and working closely with Shumlin, a prominent supporter of same-sex marriage, who was then president pro tempore of the Vermont Senate.[6] Robinson was also involved in Shumlin's gubernatorial campaign.
Shumlin announced on October 18, 2011 that he was appointing Robinson to fill the seat vacated by Justice Denise Johnson, who announced her retirement in August 2011. Since the Senate was not in session at the time, Robinson's appointment is considered interim until the Senate convenes and acts upon her nomination.[7]
Robinson, a resident of Ferrisburgh, is a lesbian.[8] She and her partner Kym Boyman entered into a civil union in 2001 and got married in 2010.[2] Robinson is one of six openly LGBT judges serving on state supreme courts, along with Barbara Lenk of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, Sabrina McKenna of the Hawaii Supreme Court, Monica Márquez of the Colorado Supreme Court and two Oregon Supreme Court justices, Rives Kistler and Virginia Linder.