Melissa Austin Long^[1] (born 1970 or 1971)^[2] is an American lawyer who has served as anassociate justice of theRhode Island Supreme Court since 2021.^[3] She previously served as an associate justice of theRhode Island Superior Court from 2017 to 2021.

Long received aBachelor of Arts from theUniversity of Virginia in 1992 and herJuris Doctor from theGeorge Mason University School of Law in 1995.^[4] After law school, she served ascontract attorney in thePublic Defenders office representingindigent parents in terminations ofparental rights cases.^[5] Long also served in a variety of roles at theRhode Island Department of Transportation, including Senior Legal Counsel and Title VI Coordinator.^[6] Long served as Deputy Secretary of State and Director of Administration within the office of theSecretary of State of Rhode Island.^[7]

On June 27, 2017,Rhode Island GovernorGina Raimondo appointed Long to be an associate justice of theRhode Island Superior Court to fill the vacancy left by the retirement of Judge Patricia A. Hurst.^[8] On September 19, 2017, her nomination was approved in theRhode Island Senate.^[9] She was sworn in by Governor Raimondo on October 12, 2017.^[10]

Long was one of six final candidates being considered for a vacancy on theRhode Island Supreme Court.^[11] On December 8, 2020, Long was nominated by Governor Raimondo to be an associate justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court, replacing JusticeFrancis Flaherty, who retired on December 31, 2020.^[12] On December 18, 2020, her nomination was confirmed by theRhode Island Senate.^[13] With her confirmation, Long became the firstAfrican American on the court.^[14] Since the confirmation of Long andErin Lynch Prata, the five-member court has a female majority for the first time in its history.^[7] She was sworn into office on January 11, 2021.^[15]

• Melissa A. Long atBallotpedia

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