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United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island

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41°49′33″N 71°24′38″W / 41.825811°N 71.410454°W / 41.825811; -71.410454

United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island
(D.R.I.)
LocationFederal Building
(Providence)
Appeals toFirst Circuit
EstablishedJune 23, 1790
Judges3
Chief JudgeJohn J. McConnell Jr.
Officers of the court
U.S. AttorneyZachary A. Cunha
U.S. MarshalWing Chau
Official website
The courthouse for the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island is located in the Federal Building in Providence.

The United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island (in case citations, D.R.I.) is the federal district court whose jurisdiction is the state of Rhode Island. The District Court was created in 1790 when Rhode Island ratified the Constitution. The Federal Courthouse was built in 1908.

Appeals from the District of Rhode Island are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit).

The United States attorney for the District of Rhode Island represents the United States in civil and criminal litigation in the court. As of December 13, 2021 the United States attorney is Zachary A. Cunha.[1]

Legislative history

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The United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island was established on June 23, 1790, by 1 Stat. 128. Congress authorized one judgeship for the Court, and assigned the district to the Eastern Circuit. On February 13, 1801, the outgoing lame duck Federalist-controlled Congress passed the controversial Judiciary Act of 1801 which reassigned the District of Rhode Island to the First Circuit.

The incoming Congress repealed the Judiciary Act of 1801, but in the Judiciary Act of 1802, Congress again assigned the District of Rhode Island to the First Circuit.

A second seat on the Court was created on March 18, 1966, by 80 Stat. 75. A third seat was added on July 10, 1984, by 98 Stat. 333.

Current judges

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As of March 12, 2024:

# Title Judge Duty station Born Term of service Appointed by
Active Chief Senior
23 Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr. Providence 1958 2011–present 2019–present — Obama
22 District Judge William E. Smith Providence 1959 2002–present 2013–2019 — G.W. Bush
24 District Judge Mary S. McElroy Providence 1965 2019–present — — Trump
25 District Judge Melissa R. DuBose Providence 1968 beg. 2025 — — Biden
21 Senior Judge Mary M. Lisi inactive 1950 1994–2015 2006–2013 2015–present Clinton


Former judges

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# Judge State Born–died Active service Chief Judge Senior status Appointed by Reason for
termination
1 Henry Marchant RI 1741–1796 1790–1796 — — Washington death
2 Benjamin Bourne RI 1755–1808 1796–1801[Note 1] — — Washington elevation to 1st Cir.
3 David Leonard Barnes RI 1760–1812 1801–1812[Note 2] — — Jefferson death
4 David Howell RI 1747–1824 1812–1824 — — Madison death
5 John Pitman RI 1785–1864 1824–1864[Note 3] — — Monroe death
6 J. Russell Bullock RI 1815–1899 1865–1869 — — Lincoln resignation
7 John Power Knowles RI 1808–1887 1869–1881[Note 4] — — Grant retirement
8 LeBaron Bradford Colt RI 1846–1924 1881–1884 — — Garfield elevation to 1st Cir.
9 George Moulton Carpenter Jr. RI 1844–1896 1884–1896 — — Arthur death
10 Arthur Lewis Brown RI 1854–1928 1896–1927[Note 5] — — Cleveland retirement
11 Ira Lloyd Letts RI 1889–1947 1927–1935[Note 6] — — Coolidge resignation
12 John Christopher Mahoney RI 1882–1952 1935–1940 — — F. Roosevelt elevation to 1st Cir.
13 John Patrick Hartigan RI 1887–1968 1940–1951 — — F. Roosevelt elevation to 1st Cir.
14 Edward L. Leahy RI 1886–1953 1951–1953 — — Truman death
15 Edward William Day RI 1901–1985 1953–1976[Note 7] 1966–1971 1976–1985 Eisenhower death
16 Raymond James Pettine RI 1912–2003 1966–1982 1971–1982 1982–2003 L. Johnson death
17 Francis Joseph Boyle RI 1927–2006 1977–1992 1982–1992 1992–2006 Carter death
18 Bruce M. Selya RI 1934–present 1982–1986 — — Reagan elevation to 1st Cir.
19 Ronald Rene Lagueux RI 1931–2023 1986–2001 1992–1999 2001–2023 Reagan death
20 Ernest C. Torres RI 1941–present 1987–2006 1999–2006 2006–2011 Reagan retirement
  1. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 21, 1796, confirmed by the United States Senate on December 22, 1796, and received commission the same day.
  2. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 6, 1802, confirmed by the Senate on January 26, 1802, and received commission the same day.
  3. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 16, 1824, confirmed by the Senate on January 3, 1825, and received commission the same day.
  4. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 6, 1869, confirmed by the Senate on January 24, 1870, and received commission the same day.
  5. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 8, 1896, confirmed by the Senate on December 15, 1896, and received commission the same day.
  6. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on December 6, 1927, confirmed by the Senate on January 4, 1928, and received commission the same day.
  7. ^ Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 11, 1954, confirmed by the Senate on February 9, 1954, and received commission the same day.

Chief judges

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Chief Judge
Day 1966–1971
Pettine 1971–1982
Boyle 1982–1992
Lagueux 1992–1999
Torres 1999–2006
Lisi 2006–2013
Smith 2013–2019
McConnell 2019–present

Chief judges have administrative responsibilities with respect to their district court. Unlike the Supreme Court, where one justice is specifically nominated to be chief, the office of chief judge rotates among the district court judges. To be chief, a judge must have been in active service on the court for at least one year, be under the age of 65, and have not previously served as chief judge.

A vacancy is filled by the judge highest in seniority among the group of qualified judges. The chief judge serves for a term of seven years, or until age 70, whichever occurs first. The age restrictions are waived if no members of the court would otherwise be qualified for the position.

When the office was created in 1948, the chief judge was the longest-serving judge who had not elected to retire, on what has since 1958 been known as senior status, or declined to serve as chief judge. After August 6, 1959, judges could not become or remain chief after turning 70 years old. The current rules have been in operation since October 1, 1982.

Succession of seats

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Notable cases

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  • West v. Barnes (1791), the first case appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court
  • Fricke v. Lynch (1980), case involving government gender limits on prom dates
  • Lee v. Weisman (1992), case involving clergy-led prayer at public school graduation ceremonies

United States attorneys for the District of Rhode Island

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Some of the U.S. attorneys for Rhode Island

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Zachary A. Cunha Sworn in as U.S. Attorney for the District of Rhode Island" (Press release). Providence, Rhode Island: U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island. December 13, 2021. Retrieved December 25, 2021.
  2. ^ "The Political Graveyard: U.S. District Attorneys in Rhode Island". politicalgraveyard.com.
  3. ^ "Acting United States Attorney Richard B. Myrus". www.justice.gov. March 1, 2021. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
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