Margaret Hilary Marshall (born September 1, 1944) is an American jurist who served as the 24th chief justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, the first woman to hold the position.

[4] Margaret was educated at the University of the Witwatersrand where she was active in student and anti apartheid politics.

Marshall was appointed to be an associate justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court in 1996 by Republican governor William F. Weld.

She was named as chief justice in September 1999 by Republican governor Paul Cellucci, to begin her term on October 14, 1999.

Marshall wrote the ground-breaking decision in Goodridge v. Department of Public Health that declared that the Massachusetts constitution does not permit the state to deny citizens the right to same-sex marriage.

[11] On July 21, 2010, Marshall announced her decision to retire from the court, effective at the end of October.

Marshall said her decision was prompted by a desire to spend more time with her husband Anthony Lewis, who was suffering from Parkinson's disease.