Rhode Island Supreme Court Decisions
Founded in 1747, the Rhode Island Supreme Court holds jurisdiction over appeals that involve any legal or constitutional questions. It also oversees the practice of law in Rhode Island, including admission to the state bar and discipline for attorneys and judges who engage in misconduct. Five justices serve on the Rhode Island Supreme Court, and their tenure lasts for life. This is similar to federal judges but different from most justices on state supreme courts. Rhode Island does not impose a mandatory retirement age on its judges. In 2012, a Stanford University study found that the Rhode Island Supreme Court was the eighth-most liberal state supreme court in the U.S.
When a vacancy arises on the Court, the Judicial Nominating Commission must develop a list of three to five candidates. It will present that list to the Governor of Rhode Island, who will appoint one of the candidates. Any appointments are subject to the approval of the Rhode Island House of Representatives and the Rhode Island Senate. A justice may face removal only if they are impeached by the House of Representatives and convicted in a trial in the Senate.
The Rhode Island Supreme Court has decided several cases that have influenced the evolution of key legal principles. For example, a 1786 decision on the validity of paper currency found that the actions of the legislature were unconstitutional. This helped lay the foundation for the U.S. Supreme Court to rule that courts have the authority to strike down legislative actions on constitutional grounds. For another example, a 1974 decision shaped the development of contract law by ruling that a service contract does not require additional consideration to be modified. In 1995, the Rhode Island Supreme Court issued a decision in a tort case that set out an influential definition of battery.
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Recent Decisions From the Rhode Island Supreme Court
Date: July 12, 2024
Docket Number: 22-333
Justia Opinion Summary: The case involves a landlord-tenant eviction action where the defendant, Jo-Ann Albanese, was ordered to vacate her apartment by August 1, 2021, by the plaintiff, Red Gate Motel, Inc. Ms. Albanese did not vacate the…
Date: July 12, 2024
Docket Number: 23-49
Justia Opinion Summary: The defendant was convicted by a jury in the Superior Court on one count of first-degree child molestation, three counts of second-degree child molestation, and one count of simple assault and battery. The charges…
Date: July 9, 2024
Docket Number: 22-15
Justia Opinion Summary: The defendant, Jason Ortiz, was charged with several criminal counts, including carrying a pistol without a license, domestic assault, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct. The charges stemmed from an incident in…
Date: July 3, 2024
Docket Number: 23-148
Justia Opinion Summary: This case involves a dispute between the University of Rhode Island Board of Trustees and the University of Rhode Island (plaintiffs) and the Hellenic Society Paideia – Rhode Island Chapter (defendant). The dispute arose…
Date: July 3, 2024
Docket Number: 23-47
Justia Opinion Summary: The case involves a dispute between a husband and wife, Norman and Shelley Carpenter, who are in the process of divorce. The primary issue revolves around the sale of marital property, specifically five jointly owned…
Date: July 2, 2024
Docket Number: 19-205
Justia Opinion Summary: The defendant, Dari Garcia, was charged with fifteen counts related to a series of events that occurred on August 17, 2014, at a home in North Providence, Rhode Island. These events resulted in the death of Richard…
Date: July 2, 2024
Docket Number: 21-109
Justia Opinion Summary: Edward Mather, the defendant, was charged with multiple counts of domestic assault, vandalism, and violation of a no-contact order. Following his arraignment, he was ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation to…
Date: July 2, 2024
Docket Number: 22-92
Justia Opinion Summary: This case involves four individuals, Joao Neves, Keith Nunes, Pablo Ortega, and Mario Monteiro, who were convicted of various crimes in Rhode Island and were serving multiple sentences, including life sentences. The…
Date: July 1, 2024
Docket Number: 22-136
Justia Opinion Summary: The case involves Nicholas Finnigan, who was convicted of one count of second-degree child molestation following a jury-waived trial in the Superior Court. The incident allegedly occurred in February 2012, when the…
Date: July 1, 2024
Docket Number: 23-43
Justia Opinion Summary: The defendant, Lydia Alicea, was charged with violating a law between February 18, 2017, and August 1, 2017. On June 19, 2020, she pleaded nolo contendere and was given a two-year deferred sentence and ordered to pay…
Date: June 28, 2024
Docket Number: 21-37
Justia Opinion Summary: The case involves the Newport School Committee and the Cumberland School Committee (collectively, plaintiffs) and the Rhode Island Department of Education and the Rhode Island Council on Elementary and Secondary…
Date: June 28, 2024
Docket Number: 23-5
Justia Opinion Summary: This case involves a medical negligence claim brought by John Armour, individually and as personal representative of the Estate of Judith Armour, against David Bader, M.D., Neil Brandon, M.D., and South County Hospital…
Date: June 27, 2024
Docket Number: 22-317
Justia Opinion Summary: This case involves a dispute over the Estate of Donelson C. Glassie. The plaintiff, Marcia Sallum Glassie, was married to Donelson C. Glassie, and they divorced in 1993. According to their property-settlement agreement,…
Date: June 27, 2024
Docket Number: 23-113
Justia Opinion Summary: This case revolves around the denial of a disability pension application by a former state trooper, James Donnelly-Taylor. The defendants are the State of Rhode Island, Division of the State Police, and the Colonel of…
Date: June 27, 2024
Docket Number: 23-163
Justia Opinion Summary: This case involves a dispute over the will of the late Donelson C. Glassie. The plaintiff, Marcia Sallum Glassie, is the testator’s former wife. She appealed from a Superior Court judgment in favor of the defendant, Paul…
Some case metadata and case summaries were written with the help of AI, which can produce inaccuracies. You should read the full case before relying on it for legal research purposes.
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