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List of attorneys general of Rhode Island

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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 elected every four years. The current attorney general is Peter F. Neronha.[1]

Attorney General of Rhode Island
Seal of the attorney general of Rhode Island
Incumbent
Peter Neronha
since January 1, 2019
Department of Law
StyleThe Honorable
Term lengthFour years
Renewal once
Constituting instrumentConstitution of Rhode Island, Executive Law
Formation1776
First holderDaniel Updike
SuccessionElection by joint session of Rhode Island General Assembly
Salary130,413 $ (2019)
Websitewww.riag.ri.gov

History of the Rhode Island attorneys general

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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

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Patent of 1643

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Attorney general

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Solicitor

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  • Hugh Built: May 1650 – 1651

Coddington Commission

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  • 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

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Royal Charter of 1663

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Richard Ward, 1712–1713
 
Henry Marchant, 1771–1777
 
David Howell, 1789–1790
 
Ray Greene, 1794–1797
 
James Burrill, Jr., 1797–1814
 
Albert C. Greene, 1825–1843
  • 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

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  • 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

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Constitution of Rhode Island (1843–present)

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Image Name Party Term of office Residence
Joseph M. Blake Law and Order 1843–1850 Bristol
Walter S. Burges Democratic 1851–1853 Cranston
Christopher Robinson Whig 1854 Cumberland
Charles Hart Republican 1855–1857 Providence
Jerome Kimball Republican 1858–1859 Providence
Walter S. Burges Democratic 1860–1862 Cranston
Abraham Payne Republican 1863–1863 Providence
  Horatio Rogers Republican 1864–1866 Providence
Willard Sayles Republican 1866–1881 Providence
  Samuel P. Colt Republican 1882–1885 Bristol
Edwin Metcalf Prohibition 1886 Providence
Ziba O. Slocum Democratic 1887 Providence
  Horatio Rogers Republican 1888 Providence
Ziba O. Slocum Democratic 1889–1890 Providence
Robert W. Burbank Republican 1891–1893 Providence
Edward C. Dubois Republican 1894–1896 East Providence
Willard B. Tanner Republican 1897–1900 Providence
Charles F. Stearns Democratic 1901–1904 Providence
William B. Greenough Republican 1905–1911 Providence
Herbert A. Rice Republican 1912–1922 Pawtucket
Herbert L. Carpenter Democratic 1923–1924 North Smithfield
Charles P. Sisson Republican 1925–1928 Providence
Oscar L. Heltzen Republican 1929–1930 Providence
  Benjamin M. McLyman Republican 1931–1933 Providence
  John P. Hartigan Democratic 1933–1938 Cranston
Louis V. Jackvony Republican 1939–1940 Providence
John H. Nolan Democratic 1941–1949 Newport
William E. Powers Democratic 1949–1957 Cumberland
J. Joseph Nugent Democratic 1958–1967 Providence
Herbert F. DeSimone Republican 1967–1971 Providence
Richard J. Israel Republican 1971–1975 Providence
Julius C. Michaelson Democratic 1975–1979 Providence
Dennis J. Roberts II Democratic 1979–1985 Providence
Arlene Violet Republican 1985–1987 Providence
James E. O'Neil Democratic 1987–1993 Narragansett
Jeffrey B. Pine Republican 1993–1999 Providence
  Sheldon Whitehouse Democratic 1999–2003 Providence
Patrick C. Lynch Democratic 2003–2011 East Providence
Peter Kilmartin Democratic 2011–2019 Pawtucket
  Peter F. Neronha Democratic 2019–present Jamestown

References

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  1. ^ "State list of Attorneys General". Retrieved 2012-05-25.
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