United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island

The United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island 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

The United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island represents the United States in civil and criminal litigation in the court. The current United States Attorney is Robert Clark Corrente.

Legislative History

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The incoming Congress repealed the Judiciary Act of 1801, but in the Judiciary Act of 1802, Congress again assigned the District of Rhode Island to the First Circuit.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

As of 2006, the judges on the court are:U.S. judgeship row Current
index=21
title=Chief Judge
name=Mary M. Lisi
duty station=Providence, RI
born=1950
term=1994–present
chief term=2006-
senior term=—
appointer=Clinton
seat=1
termination=—
U.S. judgeship row Current
index=22
title=District Judge
name=William E. Smith
duty station=Providence, RI
born=1959
term=2002–present
chief term=—
senior term=—
appointer=G.W. Bush
seat=3
termination=—
U.S. judgeship row Current
index=20
title=Senior District Judge
name=Ernest C. Torres
duty station=Providence, RI
born=1941
term=1987–2006
chief term=1999–2006
senior term=2006—
appointer=Reagan
seat=2
U.S. judgeship row Current
index=19
title=Senior District Judge
name=Ronald Rene Lagueux
duty station=Providence, RI
born=1931
term=1986-2001
chief term=1992-1999
senior term=2001-present
appointer=Reagan
seat=3
termination=—
U.S. judgeship row Current
index=17
title=Senior District Judge (inactive)
name=Francis Joseph Boyle
state=RI| duty station=Providence, RI
born=1927| term=1977-1992
chief term=1982-1992
senior term=1992-present
appointer=Carter
termination=—

The current Magistrate Judges for the District of Rhode Island are David L. Martin, Lincoln D. Almond, and senior magistrate judges Jacob Hagopian and Robert W. Lovegreen.

Pending nominations

There is currently one vacancy on the court.

List of former judges

U.S. judgeship row Former
index=1
name=Henry Marchant
state=RI| borndied=1741–1796
term=1790-1796
chief term="(none)"
senior term="(none)"
appointer=Washington
termination=death
U.S. judgeship row Former
index=2
name=Benjamin Bourne
state=RI| borndied=1755–1808
term=1796-1801
chief term="(none)"
senior term="(none)"
appointer=Washington
termination=elevation to Circuit Court
U.S. judgeship row Former
index=3
name=David Leonard Barnes
state=RI| borndied=1760–1812
term=1801-1812
chief term="(none)"
senior term="(none)"
appointer=Jefferson
termination=death
U.S. judgeship row Former
index=4
name=David Howell
state=RI| borndied=1747–1824
term=1812-1824
chief term="(none)"
senior term="(none)"
appointer=Madison
termination=death
U.S. judgeship row Former
index=5
name=John Pitman
state=RI| borndied=1785–1864
term=1824-1864
chief term="(none)"
senior term="(none)"
appointer=Monroe
termination=death
U.S. judgeship row Former
index=6
name=Jonathan Russell Bullock
state=RI| borndied=1815-1899
term=1865-1869
chief term="(none)"
senior term="(none)"
appointer=Lincoln
termination=resignation
U.S. judgeship row Former
index=7
name=John Power Knowles
state=RI| borndied=1808-1887
term=1869-1881
chief term="(none)"
senior term="(none)"
appointer=Grant
termination=resignation
U.S. judgeship row Former
index=8
name=LeBaron Bradford Colt
state=RI| borndied=1846-1924
term=1881-1884
chief term="(none)"
senior term="(none)"
appointer=Garfield
termination=elevation to Circuit Court
U.S. judgeship row Former
index=9
name=George Moulton Carpenter
state=RI| borndied=1844-1896
term=1884-1896
chief term="(none)"
senior term="(none)"
appointer=Arthur
termination=death
U.S. judgeship row Former
index=10
name=Arthur Lewis Brown
state=RI| borndied=1854-1928
term=1896-1927
chief term="(none)"
senior term="(none)"
appointer=Cleveland
termination=retirement
U.S. judgeship row Former
index=11
name=Ira Lloyd Letts
state=RI| borndied=1889-1947
term=11928-1935
chief term="(none)"
senior term="(none)"
appointer=Coolidge
termination=resignation
U.S. judgeship row Former
index=12
name=John Christopher Mahoney
state=RI| borndied=1882-1952
term=1935-1940
chief term="(none)"
senior term="(none)"
appointer=F. Roosevelt
termination=elevation to Circuit Court
U.S. judgeship row Former
index=13
name=John Patrick Hartigan
state=RI| borndied=1887-1968
term=1940-1951
chief term="(none)"
senior term="(none)"
appointer=F. Roosevelt
termination=elevation to Circuit Court
U.S. judgeship row Former
index=14
name=Edward Lawrence Leahy
state=RI| borndied=1886-1953
term=1950-1953
chief term="(none)"
senior term="(none)"
appointer=Truman
termination=death
U.S. judgeship row Former
index=15
name=Edward William Day
state=RI| borndied=1901-1985
term=1953-1976
chief term=1966-1971
senior term=1976-1985
appointer=Eisenhower
termination=death
U.S. judgeship row Former
index=16
name=Raymond James Pettine
state=RI| borndied=1912-2003
term=1966-1982
chief term=1971-1982
senior term=1982-2003
appointer=Johnson
termination=death
U.S. judgeship row Former
index=18
name=Bruce Marshall Selya
state=RI| borndied=1934-present
term=1982-1986
chief term="(none)"
senior term="(none)"
appointer=Reagan
termination=elevation to Circuit Court

External links

* [http://www.rid.uscourts.gov/ United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island Official Website]
* [http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/ri/ United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island Official Website]