Tejal Mehta, an Indian-American woman judge who promised to make a real impact to the community and treat people with compassion, has taken oath as the first justice of a district court in the US state of Massachusetts.

Mehta will serve as the first justice of the Ayer District Court. Her swearing-in took place on Thursday. She has served as an associate justice with the same court and was unanimously selected and sworn in by Judge Stacey Fortes, chief justice of the District Court, on 02nd March March.

The ceremony was attended by several members of Mehta's family, including his 14-year-old daughter Meena Sheth, who was among the speakers at the ceremony. On this occasion, Mehta said that as a lawyer you can help people, but you can only help them up to a point. As a judge, there is a lot you can do and get to the root of issues and talk to people in a way that really reaches out to them.

Mehta said her goal is to positively impact the community she grew up with. I have seen hope and despair in every courtroom I have sat in as a judge. But when you're a first judge, you can really get to know the community and make a real impact.

Born to a chemist father and a hospital worker mother, Mehta graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1997 with a bachelor's degree in English. Thereafter, she completed a JD at Boston University School of Law in 2000. After graduating from law school, Mehta began her legal career as an assistant clerk for the Suffolk County Superior Court. In 2005, the Indian-American judge joined the Middlesex County District Attorney's office as an assistant district attorney.

Her memberships include the Massachusetts Bar Association and the South Asian Bar Association. She also sat on the Board of Bar Overseers and the Executive Board of the Bedford Montessori School. There are 94 district courts, 13 circuit courts and one Supreme Court across the country. She will handle cases within the federal court system, both civil and criminal.