Governor Mills also swears in new and returning members of Maine Superior and District Courts

Governor Janet Mills today swore in the Honorable Julia Lipez as an Associate Justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court.

Justice Lipez joins the Supreme Judicial Court from the Maine Superior Court, where she has served since her nomination by Governor Mills in 2022. Prior to joining the bench, Justice Lipez spent eleven years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for Maine. A resident of Cape Elizabeth, Justice Lipez is a graduate of Stanford Law School and Amherst College.

"Justice Lipez has an exemplary record and a strong commitment to the rule of law. I have no doubt that she will serve with distinction and integrity," said Governor Mills. "She is an excellent addition to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, which is now at full complement."

"I am honored and humbled to serve on the Maine Supreme Judicial Court," said Justice Lipez. "Serving on the Law Court is a profound responsibility, and I will approach every case with an open mind, respect for the law, and a commitment to justice. I look forward to working with my fellow justices to serve the people of Maine."

Governor Mills today also swore in the following new and returning members of the Maine Superior Court and Maine District Court:

• The Honorable Justice Darcie McElwee, Maine Superior Court:McElwee, a native of Caribou, most recently served as U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine. A resident of Scarborough, McElwee is a graduate of Bowdoin College and the University of Maine School of Law.
• The Honorable Judge Amy Dieterich, Maine District Court:Dieterich was most recently a shareholder at Skelton Taintor & Abbott in Lewiston and previously practiced law in New York City. An Auburn resident, Dietrich is a graduate of Bryn Mawr College and Columbia University School of Law.
• The Honorable Judge Matthew Tice, Maine District Court:Maine District Court. Judge Tice has served on the Maine District Court since 2018 and has played a key role in the state's Adult Treatment and Recovery Courts. A graduate of the Syracuse University School of Law and Bethany College, Tice is a resident of Scarborough.

The Governor nominated Justice Lipez, Justice McElwee, Judge Dieterich for appointment, and Judge Tice for reappointment on February 28, 2025.

Justice Lipez is Governor Mills' sixth new appointment to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court since taking office in 2019. Governor Mills also reappointed Associate Justice Andrew Mead in May 2021.