Nancy Waples

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Nancy Waples

|image = Waples Portrait.jpg

|office = Associate Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court

|appointer = Phil Scott

|term_start = April 15, 2022

|term_end =

|predecessor = Beth Robinson

|successor =

|birth_name = Nancy Jear

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1960|10|7}}

|birth_place = Toronto, Canada

|death_date =

|death_place =

|spouse = Gregory Waples

|children = 2

|education = {{ubl|College of William and Mary (BA)|St. John's University (JD)}}

}}

Nancy Jear Waples (born October 7, 1960) is an American lawyer who has served as an associate justice of the Vermont Supreme Court since 2022.

Early life and education

Waples is the daughter of Chinese immigrants So Kam "Susie" Jear and Yee Roy Jear;{{cite news |date=May 6, 2019 |title=Obituary, So Kam Jear August 2, 1932 ~ May 5, 2019 |url=https://www.ballarddurand.com/obituary/So-Jear |work=Ballard-Durand Funeral & Cremation Service |location=White Plains, NY |access-date=April 15, 2022}} she was born in Toronto, Canada and became a U.S. citizen in 1977.{{Cite web |last=Donoghue |first=Mike |date=December 29, 2014 |title=Waples named Vermont's newest judge |url=https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/local/2014/12/29/waples-named-vermonts-newest-judge/21011717/ |access-date=March 7, 2022 |website=The Burlington Free Press |language=en-US}} She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the College of William & Mary in 1982, and she earned a Juris Doctor from St. John's University School of Law in 1987.{{Cite press release |title=Governor Phil Scott Appoints Nancy Waples To The Vermont Supreme Court |date=February 25, 2022 |publisher=Office of Governor Phil Scott |url=https://governor.vermont.gov/press-release/governor-phil-scott-appoints-nancy-waples-vermont-supreme-court |access-date=March 7, 2022}}{{Cite web |title=Nancy J. Waples Profile |url=https://www.martindale.com/attorney/nancy-j-waples-433144/ |access-date=March 7, 2022 |website=www.martindale.com}}

Legal career

Waples started her legal career serving as a prosecutor in the Manhattan District Attorney's office, working in the appeals bureau and trial division under well-known District Attorney Robert Morgenthau.{{Cite web |last=Duffort |first=Riley Robinson, Sarah Mearhoff, Lola |date=2022-04-15 |title=Final Reading: Waples takes the bench |url=http://vtdigger.org/2022/04/15/final-reading-waples-takes-the-bench/ |access-date=2023-10-31 |website=VTDigger |language=en-US}} She later served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney's office in the District of Vermont, where she served in the criminal division. Prior to her appointment as a judge she worked as a lawyer with the law firm Hoff Curtis where she focused on criminal defense.

Vermont judicial service

= Superior court =

On December 29, 2014, Governor Peter Shumlin appointed Waples to the Vermont Superior Court to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of judge Geoffrey W. Crawford, who was appointed to the Vermont Supreme Court.

= Supreme Court =

On February 25, 2022, Governor Phil Scott announced the appointment of Waples as an associate justice of the Vermont Supreme Court, filling the seat vacated by the resignation of Justice Beth Robinson on November 5, 2021, after Robinson was appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Waples is the first woman of color to serve on the Vermont Supreme Court.{{Cite web |last=Keays |first=Alan J. |date=February 25, 2022 |title=Scott appoints Nancy Waples to the Vermont Supreme Court |url=https://vtdigger.org/2022/02/25/scott-appoints-nancy-waples-to-the-vermont-supreme-court/ |access-date=March 7, 2022 |website=VTDigger |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Soga |first=Aki |date=February 25, 2022 |title=Gov. Scott appointment makes Nancy Waples first woman of color on Vermont Supreme Court |url=https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/2022/02/25/nancy-waples-becomes-first-woman-color-vermont-supreme-court/6941875001/ |access-date=March 7, 2022 |website=The Burlington Free Press |language=en-US}}

The Vermont Senate confirmed Waples' appointment on March 25, 2022.{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |date=March 26, 2022 |title=Senate confirms 1st woman of color to Vermont Supreme Court |url=https://www.timesargus.com/news/vermont_wire/senate-confirms-1st-woman-of-color-to-vermont-supreme-court/article_2ddd8778-8089-537a-8540-99298d59c9e3.html |work=Barre Montpelier Times Argus |location=Barre, VT}} She was sworn into office on April 15, 2022.{{cite news |date=April 15, 2022 |title=First woman of color to be sworn in on Vermont's high court |url=https://www.wcax.com/2022/04/15/first-woman-color-be-sworn-vermonts-high-court/ |work=WCAX-TV |location=South Burlington, VT}}{{Cite press release |title=Judge Nancy Waples to be Sworn in as Vermont's Next Associate Justice |date=April 11, 2022 |publisher=Vermont Judiciary |url=https://www.vermontjudiciary.org/news/judge-nancy-waples-be-sworn-vermonts-next-associate-justice |access-date=April 22, 2022}}

Family

Waples is married to attorney Gregory L. Waples.{{cite news |last=Donoghue |first=Mike |date=December 30, 2014 |title=Nancy Waples gets nod as state's newest judge |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-burlington-free-press-newest/127515177/ |work=The Burlington Free Press |location=Burlington, VT |page=A7 |via=Newspapers.com}} They are the parents of two sons, one of whom practices as an attorney in New York City, while the other serves as a law clerk to the Court of International Trade.{{Cite web |title=Judge Claire R. Kelly {{!}} Court of International Trade {{!}} United States |url=https://www.cit.uscourts.gov/content/judge-claire-r-kelly |access-date=2023-10-31 |website=www.cit.uscourts.gov}}{{Cite web |date=2023-10-31 |title=Professionals |url=https://www.friedfrank.com/professionals/lane-waples |website=Fried Frank}}