Melissa Long
2021 - Present
4
Compensation
$230,343
December 8, 2020
Education
University of Virginia, 1992
George Mason University, 1995
Melissa Long is a judge of theRhode Island Supreme Court. She assumed office on January 11, 2021.
Gov.Gina Raimondo (D) nominated Long on December 8, 2020, to replace JusticeFrancis X. Flaherty.[1] TheRhode Island Senate confirmed Long on December 18, 2020.[2] The justices on the Rhode Island Supreme Court hold office for life. To read more about judicial selection in Rhode Island,click here.
Before her appointment to the state supreme court, Long was a judge on theRhode Island Superior Court from 2017 to 2021. She previously worked as deputy secretary of state in theRhode Island Department of State and as senior legal counsel with the Rhode Island Department of Transportation.[3][1]
Long is the first Black justice and the first person of color to serve on theRhode Island Supreme Court.[1]
Biography
Long received a bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia in 1992 and a law degree from George Mason University in 1995.[4] Long held several positions in the Rhode Island Department of Transportation, including Title VI Coordinator and senior legal counsel.[3] In 2015, she joined theRhode Island Department of State as the deputy secretary of state and director of administration.Cite error: Invalid<ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many
In 2017, Gov.Gina Raimondo (D) nominated Long to theRhode Island Superior Court to replacePatricia A. Hurst. She was confirmed by theRhode Island State Senate and held the position until 2021. Raimondo nominated Long to theRhode Island Supreme Court in 2020 and she assumed office in 2021, becoming the first Black justice and the first person of color to serve on theRhode Island Supreme Court.[1]
Appointments
The section below details Long's judicial appointments throughout her career.
Rhode Island Supreme Court (2021-present)
On December 8, 2020, Gov.Gina Raimondo (D) nominated Long to theRhode Island Supreme Court to replace JusticeFrancis X. Flaherty.[1] TheRhode Island Senate confirmed Long on December 18, 2020.[2] She was sworn into office on January 11, 2021, becoming the first Black justice and the first person of color to serve on the court.[5][1]
Rhode Island Superior Court (2017-2020)
On June 27, 2017, Gov.Gina Raimondo (D) nominated Long to theRhode Island Superior Court to replacePatricia A. Hurst.[3] She was confirmed on September 19, 2017.[6]
State supreme court judicial selection in Rhode Island
- See also:Judicial selection in Rhode Island
Thefive justices of theRhode Island Supreme Court are appointed by the governor with help from anominating commission made up of nine members. Supreme court nominees must then be approved by a majority vote of both thestate House and thestate Senate.[7] Justices serve for life or until they retire.
Qualifications
To serve on the Rhode Island Supreme Court, a judge must be:
- an attorney;
- licensed to practice law in the state; and
- a member of the state bar in good standing.[7]
Chief justice
Thechief justice is chosen the same way as other justices are when appointed to the court. Like other judges, the chief justice serves in that capacity for life.[7]
Vacancies
Because Rhode Island judges serve for life or until they retire, the concept of a midterm vacancy has little relevance to the state's selection process. When a judge retires or passes away in office, the governor picks a nominee from a list from the judicial nominating commission. The nominee must be confirmed by a majority vote in both chambers of the state legislature.[7]
The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑1.01.11.21.31.41.5SFGATE, "Raimondo makes historic nomination to state Supreme Court," December 8, 2020
- ↑2.02.1The Providence Journal, "General Assembly passes $12.7 billion budget, confirms judges," December 18, 2020
- ↑3.03.13.2Providence Journal, "Raimondo appoints deputy secretary of state to fill Superior Court opening," June 27, 2017
- ↑Martindale.com, "Hon. Melissa Austin Long, Esq," accessed July 27, 2021
- ↑Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedsworn - ↑Providence Journal, "Judicial appointees approved by RI Senate," September 19, 2017
- ↑7.07.17.27.3American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Rhode Island," archived October 3, 2014
Federal courts:
First Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court:District of Rhode Island • U.S. Bankruptcy Court:District of Rhode Island
State courts:
Rhode Island Supreme Court•Rhode Island Superior Court•Rhode Island District Court•Rhode Island Family Court•Rhode Island Workers' Compensation Court•Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal
State resources:
Courts in Rhode Island •Rhode Island judicial elections •Judicial selection in Rhode Island
- Appointed judges, December 2020
- Appointed judges, June 2017
- Current state court of last resort judge
- Former Rhode Island local judge
- Former local court judge
- Gina Raimondo, Local Court
- Gina Raimondo, Supreme Court
- Nonpartisan
- Rhode Island
- Rhode Island supreme court judges
- Gina Raimondo, Superior Court
- Former Rhode Island superior court judges
