List of Rhode Island attorneys general

The attorney general of Rhode Island is the chief legal advisor of the government of the State of Rhode Island and oversees the State of Rhode Island Department of Law. The attorney general is directly elected every four years. The current attorney general is Peter F. Neronha.

History of the Rhode Island attorneys general

In 1643, Roger Williams obtained a patent (charter) from the English Parliament. The towns of Providence and Warwick elected a Chief Officer under the authority of this Parliamentary Patent of 1643. In 1647, the towns of Newport, Portsmouth, Providence, and Warwick formed a united colony under the Parliamentary Patent. In May 1650, the offices of "Attorney General for the Colonie" and "Solicitor" were created.

List of attorneys general of Rhode Island

Patent of 1643 Attorney general William Dyer: May 1650 – 1651

Solicitor Hugh Built: May 1650 – 1651

Coddington Commission John Easton, of Newport: May 1653 – May 1654 (Attorney General only for Portsmouth and Newport following the repeal of the Coddington Commission, and before the re-unification of the four towns into a single government)

Attorneys general John Cranston, of Newport May 1654 – May 1656 John Easton, of Newport May 1656 – May 1657 John Greene, Jr. of Warwick May 1657 – May 1660 John Easton, of Newport May 1660 – May 1663

Royal Charter of 1663

John Sanford, of Portsmouth May 1663 – November 1664 John Easton, of Newport 1664–1670 John Sanford, of Portsmouth 1670–1671 Joseph Torrey, of Newport 1671–1672 John Easton, of Newport 1672–1674 Peter Easton, of Newport 1674–1676 Weston Clarke, of Newport 1676–1677 Edward Richmond, of Newport 1677–1680 Weston Clarke, of Newport 1680–1681 Edmund Calverly, of Warwick 1681–1682 John Pococke, of Newport 1684–1685 Weston Clarke, of Newport 1685–1686 John Pococke, of Newport 1684–1685 Weston Clarke, of Newport 1685–1686 John Williams, of Newport 1686–1689 John Pococke, of Newport May 1690 – ???? John Smith, of Warwick May 1696 – 1698 John Pococke, of Newport 1698–1700 John Rhodes, of Warwick 1700–1701 John Pococke, of Newport 1701–1702 Nathaniel Dyre, of Newport 1702–1704 Joseph Sheffield, of Newport 1704–1706 Simon Smith, of Warwick 1706–1712 Richard Ward, of Newport 1712–1713 John Hammett, of Newport 1713–1714 Weston Clarke, of Newport 1714–1721 Henry Bull, of Newport 1721–1722 Daniel Updike, of North Kingstown 1722–1732 James Honeyman, Jr., of Newport 1732–1740

King's attorneys James Honeyman, Jr., of Newport 1741–1743 John Wanton, of Providence County 1741–1742 Daniel Updike, of King's County 1741–1743 John Andrew, of Providence County 1742–1743

Attorneys general Daniel Updike, of North Kingstown 1746–1747 Augustus Johnston, of Newport 1758–1766 Oliver Arnold, of Providence 1766–1771 Henry Marchant, of Newport 1772–1776 (Independent) William Channing, of Newport 1777–1786 (Country) Henry Goodwin, of Newport 1787–1788 (Country) David Howell, of Providence 1789 (PA) Daniel Updike, of North Kingstown 1790 William Channing, of Newport 1791–1793 (Country) Ray Greene, of Providence 1794–1796 (Federalist) James Burrill, Jr., of Providence 1797–1813 (Federalist) Samuel W. Bridgham, of Providence 1814–1816 (Federalist) Henry Bowen, of Providence 1817–1818 (Democratic-Republican) Dutee J. Pearce, of Newport 1819–1824 (Democratic-Republican) Albert C. Greene, of East Greenwich 1825–1842 (Whig)

Constitution of Rhode Island (1843–present) Image Name Party Term of office ResidenceJoseph M. Blake Law and Order 1843–1850BristolWalter S. Burges Democratic 1851–1853CranstonChristopher Robinson Whig 1854CumberlandCharles Hart Republican 1855–1857ProvidenceJerome Kimball Republican 1858–1859ProvidenceWalter S. Burges Democratic 1860–1862CranstonAbraham Payne Republican 1863–1863ProvidenceHoratio RogersRepublican1864–1866ProvidenceWillard Sayles Republican1866–1881ProvidenceSamuel P. ColtRepublican1882–1885BristolEdwin MetcalfProhibition 1886ProvidenceZiba O. Slocum Democratic1887ProvidenceHoratio RogersRepublican1888ProvidenceZiba O. SlocumDemocratic 1889–1890ProvidenceRobert W. BurbankRepublican 1891–1893ProvidenceEdward C. Dubois Republican1894–1896East ProvidenceWillard B. TannerRepublican1897–1900ProvidenceCharles F. StearnsDemocratic1901–1904ProvidenceWilliam B. GreenoughRepublican1905–1911ProvidenceHerbert A. RiceRepublican1912–1922Pawtucket Herbert L. CarpenterDemocratic1923–1924North SmithfieldCharles P. SissonRepublican1925–1928ProvidenceOscar L. HeltzenRepublican1929–1930ProvidenceBenjamin M. McLymanRepublican1931–1933ProvidenceJohn P. HartiganDemocratic1933–1938CranstonLouis V. JackvonyRepublican1939–1940ProvidenceJohn H. NolanDemocratic1941–1949NewportWilliam E. PowersDemocratic1949–1957CumberlandJ. Joseph NugentDemocratic1958–1967ProvidenceHerbert F. DeSimoneRepublican1967–1971ProvidenceRichard J. IsraelRepublican1971–1975ProvidenceJulius C. MichaelsonDemocratic1975–1979ProvidenceDennis J. Roberts IIDemocratic1979–1985ProvidenceArlene VioletRepublican1985–1987ProvidenceJames E. O'NeilDemocratic1987–1993NarragansettJeffrey B. PineRepublican1993–1999ProvidenceSheldon WhitehouseDemocratic1999–2003ProvidencePatrick C. LynchDemocratic2003–2011East ProvidencePeter KilmartinDemocratic2011–2019PawtucketPeter NeronhaDemocratic2019–presentJamestown

References

External links Rhode Island Attorney General official website Rhode Island Attorney General articles at ABA Journal News and Commentary at FindLaw Rhode Island General Laws at Law.Justia.com U.S. Supreme Court Opinions - "Cases with title containing: State of Rhode Island" at FindLaw Rhode Island Bar Association Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Kilmartin profile at National Association of Attorneys General Press releases at Rhode Island Attorney General