Melissa A. Long Explained

Melissa Long
Office:	Associate Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court
Appointer:	Gina Raimondo
Term Start:	January 11, 2021
Predecessor:	Francis Flaherty
Birth Name:	Melissa Austin
Education:	University of Virginia (BA) George Mason University (JD)

Melissa Austin Long^[1] (born 1970 or 1971)^[2] is an American lawyer who has served as an associate justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court since 2021.^[3] She previously served as an associate justice of the Rhode Island Superior Court from 2017 to 2021.

Education and legal career

Long received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Virginia in 1992 and her Juris Doctor from the George Mason University School of Law in 1995.^[4] After law school, she served as contract attorney in the Public Defenders office representing indigent parents in terminations of parental rights cases.^[5] Long also served in a variety of roles at the Rhode Island Department of Transportation, including Senior Legal Counsel and Title VI Coordinator.^[6] Long served as Deputy Secretary of State and Director of Administration within the office of the Secretary of State of Rhode Island.^[7]

State court service

Rhode Island Superior Court

On June 27, 2017, Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo appointed Long to be an associate justice of the Rhode Island Superior Court to fill the vacancy left by the retirement of Judge Patricia A. Hurst.^[8] On September 19, 2017, her nomination was approved in the Rhode Island Senate.^[9] She was sworn in by Governor Raimondo on October 12, 2017.^[10]

Rhode Island Supreme Court

Long was one of six final candidates being considered for a vacancy on the Rhode Island Supreme Court.^[11] On December 8, 2020, Long was nominated by Governor Raimondo to be an associate justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court, replacing Justice Francis Flaherty, who retired on December 31, 2020.^[12] On December 18, 2020, her nomination was confirmed by the Rhode Island Senate.^[13] With her confirmation, Long became the first African American on the court.^[14] Since the confirmation of Long and Erin Lynch Prata, the five-member court has a female majority for the first time in its history. She was sworn into office on January 11, 2021.^[15]

Notes and References

1. Web site: FindLaw's Supreme Court of Rhode Island case and opinions .
2. Web site: September 2020. 28 September 2020 .
3. Web site: Gammans . Bay . Wilber . Logan . January 11, 2021 . Melissa Long sworn in as first Black justice in RI Supreme Court . January 11, 2021 . WPRI.com . en-US.
4. Web site: Rhode Island Superior Court Associate Justice . December 13, 2020 . opengov.sos.ri.gov.
5. Web site: Judicial appointees approved by RI Senate .
6. Web site: First Minority Named to RI Supreme Court: Long and Lynch Prata Tapped to Fill Vacancies.
7. Web site: 2020-12-08 . Raimondo makes historic nomination to state Supreme Court . 2020-12-14 . . en-US.
8. Web site: Borg . Linda . Raimondo appoints deputy secretary of state to fill Superior Court opening . December 13, 2020 . providencejournal.com . en.
9. Web site: Gregg . Katherine . Judicial appointees approved by RI Senate . December 13, 2020 . providencejournal.com . en.
10. Web site: October 12, 2017 . Raimondo swears in Melissa Long as Superior Court judge . December 13, 2020 . providencejournal.com . en.
11. Web site: Gregg . Katherine . November 23, 2020 . Judicial panel selects 6 to interview for RI Supreme Court opening . December 13, 2020 . The Providence Journal . en-US.
12. Web site: Fenton . Josh . December 8, 2020 . First Minority Named to RI Supreme Court: Long and Lynch Prata Tapped to Fill Vacancies . December 13, 2020 . GoLocalProv . en.
13. Web site: Statement from Judge Melissa A. Long. Rhode Island Judiciary. December 18, 2020. December 26, 2020.
14. Web site: Mulvaney . Katie . December 8, 2020 . Raimondo names Melissa Long, Erin Lynch Prata to RI Supreme Court . December 13, 2020 . The Providence Journal . en-US.
15. Web site: Gammans . Bay . Wilber . Logan . January 11, 2021 . Melissa Long sworn in as first Black justice in RI Supreme Court . January 11, 2021 . WPRI.com . en-US.