Gov. Dannel P. Malloy nominated 11 Connecticut attorneys as Superior Court judges Tuesday, including former Essex state Rep. James F. Spallone.

The governor said there are 42 vacancies on the state bench and he plans to announce additional nominations soon. State law authorizes the appointment of 201 judges and justices to the Superior, Appellate and Supreme courts. According to the Judicial Branch, 157 judges are seated.

Malloy also nominated a sitting Superior Court judge, Ingrid L. Moll, to fill a vacancy on the state Appellate Court. Malloy had named Moll to the bench in 2014 and said Tuesday that she has "proven to be a keenly intelligent and insightful jurist."

The governor said he would be nominating someone from the Connecticut bench to fill the vacant role of Chief Justice of the state Supreme Court before the legislative session ends on May 9. His first pick for the head of the state Supreme Court and Judicial Branch failed last week when the state Senate blocked nomination of Justice Andrew McDonald with a 19-16 vote.

"Selecting nominees to fill vacancies in our court system is one of the most important duties that a governor performs — they must possess the qualities that build a stronger, fairer Connecticut for everyone in the long-run," Malloy said in a statement.  "I believe that each of these women and men will bring to the bench the diverse qualities that mirror the people of our state while also meeting the high principles and integrity that our citizens deserve."

All of the nominees face confirmation hearings before the General Assembly.

The Superior Court nominees are:  

• James Field Spallone, 52, of Centerbrook, served as Democratic state representative for the 36th District towns of Chester, Deep River, Essex and Haddam from 2001 to 2011. Since 2017, he has served as chief legal counsel in the Connecticut General Assembly's House Democratic Caucus. Prior to that, he was deputy secretary of the state for six years. Spallone is the son of the late Judge Daniel F. Spallone and Jean Field Spallone, who served one term as a state representative and also was a probate judge. Spallone is married to attorney Alix Walmsley, head of the assigned counsel section of the Division of Public Services. Spallone also worked for nearly 20 years in private practice, specializing in civil and criminal litigation, family law, probate and real estate.

• Barbara D. Aaron of West Hartford, a partner at Berman, Bourns, Aaron & Dembo LLC in Hartford.

• Eugene R. Calistro Jr. of Guilford, senior assistant state's attorney and special assistant to the U.S. attorney for the state Division of Criminal Justice.

• Suzanne E. Caron of Bloomfield, a partner with Caron & Parris LLC in Vernon.

• Courtney M. Chaplin of Manchester, a deputy assistant state's attorney for the state Division of Criminal Justice.

• Robert W. Clark of Durham, special counsel to the state attorney general.

• Tracy Lee Dayton of Weston, a partner with Levine Lee LLP.

• Stephanie A. McLaughlin of Stamford, executive director of the Stamford Hospital Foundation.

• Maureen Price-Boreland of Durham, executive director of Community Partners in Action.

• Stuart D. Rosen of Avon, a partner in the litigation department of Robinson & Cole LLP in Hartford.

• Joseph B. Schwartz of West Hartford, a partner with Murtha Cullina LLP in Hartford.