Steven D. Pierce is a Massachusetts jurist and politician who currently serves as Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Housing Court.

A graduate of Union College

Union College

Union College is a private, non-denominational liberal arts college located in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. In the 19th century, it became the "Mother of Fraternities", as...

 and the Duke University School of Law

Duke University School of Law

The Duke University School of Law is the law school and a constituent academic unit of Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States. One of Duke's 10 schools and colleges, the School of Law began as the Trinity College School of Law in 1868. In 1924, following the renaming of Trinity...

, Pierce worked as an attorney before being elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives

Massachusetts House of Representatives

The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...

 in 1978. He was the House Minority Whip from 1983–87 and from 1987-1991 he was the House Minority Leader.

Pierce sought the Republican nomination for Governor in 1990

Massachusetts gubernatorial election, 1990

The 1990 Massachusetts gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1990. Republican William Weld was elected Governor of Massachusetts for the first time. He beat Democrat John Silber to become the first Republican Governor of Massachusetts since 1975....

. Pierce was considered the favorite to win the nomination. He won the vote at the State Convention and led his opponent William Weld

William Weld

William Floyd Weld is a former governor of the US state of Massachusetts. He served as that state's 68th governor from 1991 to 1997. From 1981 to 1988, he was a federal prosecutor in the United States Justice Department...

 in opinion polls by as much as 25%. However, on September 18, he lost the Republican Primary to Weld 61%-39%. Weld later appointed Pierce to the position of Secretary of Communities and Development.

In 1991, Pierce ran in a special election for the Massachusetts's 1st congressional seat

Massachusetts's 1st congressional district

Massachusetts's 1st congressional district is in western and central Massachusetts. The largest Massachusetts district in area, it covers about one-third of the state and is more rural than the rest. It has the state's highest point, Mount Greylock...

. He won the Republican nomination, but lost in the general election to Democrat John Olver

John Olver

John Walter Olver is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1991. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Early in his career, he was a chemistry professor and served in both chambers of the Massachusetts General Court....

.

Pierce rejoined the Weld administration in 1993 as a senior adviser to the governor. In 1994, he was appointed Executive Director of the Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency (later known as MassHousing). He left MassHousing in 2001 to serve as chief legal counsel to acting governor Jane M. Swift

Jane M. Swift

Jane Maria Swift is an American politician, who served as the 69th lieutenant governor from 1999 to 2003 and acting governor of Massachusetts from 2001 to 2003. She is the only woman to perform the duties of governor of Massachusetts, doing so from April 2001 to January 2003...

.

Shortly before her term expired, Swift nominated Pierce to be the Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Housing Court. He was confirmed by the Massachusetts Governor's Council

Massachusetts Governor's Council

The Massachusetts Governor's Council is a governmental body that provides advice and consent in certain matters such as judicial nominations, pardons, and commutations to the Governor of Massachusetts...

6-2.