Become part of the movement for unbiased, accessible election information. Donate today.
Melissa Long
Melissa Long is a judge of the Rhode Island Supreme Court. She assumed office on January 11, 2021.
Gov. Gina Raimondo (D) nominated Long on December 8, 2020, to replace Justice Francis X. Flaherty.[1] The Rhode Island Senate confirmed Long on December 18, 2020.[2] The justices on the Rhode Island Supreme Court hold office for life. To learn more about this appointment, click here.
Before her appointment to the state supreme court, Long was a judge on the Rhode Island Superior Court from 2017 to 2021. She previously worked as deputy secretary of state in the Rhode 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 the Rhode 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 the Rhode 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 the Rhode Island Superior Court to replace Patricia A. Hurst. She was confirmed by the Rhode Island State Senate and held the position until 2021. Raimondo nominated Long to the Rhode 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 the Rhode Island Supreme Court.[1]
Appointments
The section below details Long's judicial appointments throughout her career.
2020
Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo (D) nominated Melissa Long to the Rhode Island Supreme Court on December 8, 2020. Long succeeded Justice Francis Flaherty, who retired on December 31, 2020.[5][6][7] She was Gov. Raimondo's second nominee to the five-member supreme court.
At the time of the appointment, supreme court justices were selected by the governor with help from a nominating commission and approval from the legislature.[8]
2017
On June 27, 2017, Gov. Gina Raimondo (D) nominated Long to the Rhode Island Superior Court to replace Patricia A. Hurst.[3] She was confirmed on September 19, 2017.[9]
State supreme court judicial selection in Rhode Island
- See also: Judicial selection in Rhode Island
The five justices of the Rhode Island Supreme Court are appointed by the governor with help from a nominating commission made up of nine members. Supreme court nominees must then be approved by a majority vote of both the state House and the state Senate.[10] 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.[10]
Chief justice
The chief 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.[10]
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.[10]
The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 SFGATE, "Raimondo makes historic nomination to state Supreme Court," December 8, 2020
- ↑ The Providence Journal, "General Assembly passes $12.7 billion budget, confirms judges," December 18, 2020
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Providence 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
- ↑ Cranston Herald, "Judge Flaherty rules it's time for him to 'pursue other things'," October 7, 2020
- ↑ SFGate, "Raimondo makes historic nomination to state Supreme Court," December 8, 2020
- ↑ Rhode Island Judiciary, "News AdvisoryFrom the Rhode Island Judiciary," December 18, 2020
- ↑ American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Rhode Island," archived October 3, 2014
- ↑ Providence Journal, "Judicial appointees approved by RI Senate," September 19, 2017
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 American 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
