Known for his easy temperament and asking pointed questions during oral arguments, state Supreme Court Justice Richard Robinson has been elevated to the state’s chief justice.

The no-nonsense jurist, who is known for being approachable and active in recruiting people of color into the legal profession, became the state’s first black chief justice when the state Senate approved his nomination 36-0 Thursday. The vote followed an earlier 146-0 tally in the state House of Representatives.