List of attorneys general of Rhode Island

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

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

Attorney General under the Patent of 1643

Solicitor under the Patent of 1643
  • Hugh Built: May 1650 – 1651

Attorney General after the 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 under the Patent of 1643

Attorneys general under the Royal Charter of 1663
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
Samuel P. Colt, 1882–1886
  • 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

Attorneys general under the Constitution of Rhode Island (1843–present)
NamePartyTerm of officeResidence
Joseph M. BlakeLaw and Order1843–1850Bristol
Walter S. BurgesDemocrat1851–1853Cranston
Christopher Robinson Whig1854Cumberland
Charles HartRepublican1855–1857Providence
Jerome KimballRepublican1858–1859Providence
Walter S. BurgesDemocrat1860–1862Cranston
Abraham PayneRepublican1863–1863Providence
Horatio RogersRepublican1864–1866Providence
Willard SaylesRepublican1866–1881Providence
Samuel P. ColtRepublican1882–1885Bristol
Edwin MetcalfProhibition1886Providence
Ziba O. SlocumDemocrat1887Providence
Horatio RogersRepublican1888Providence
Ziba O. SlocumDemocrat1889–1890Providence
Robert W. BurbankRepublican1891–1893Providence
Edward C. DuboisRepublican1894–1896East Providence
Willard B. TannerRepublican1897–1900Providence
Charles F. StearnsDemocrat1901–1904Providence
William B. GreenoughRepublican1905–1911Providence
Herbert A. RiceRepublican1912–1922Pawtucket
Herbert L. CarpenterDemocrat1923–1924North Smithfield
Charles P. SissonRepublican1925–1928Providence
Oscar L. HeltzenRepublican1929–1930Providence
Benjamin M. McLymanRepublican1931–1933Providence
John P. HartiganDemocrat1933–1938Cranston
Louis V. JackvonyRepublican1939–1940Providence
John H. NolanDemocrat1941–1949Newport
William E. PowersDemocrat1949–1957Cumberland
J. Joseph NugentDemocrat1958–1967Providence
Herbert F. DeSimoneRepublican1967–1971Providence
Richard J. IsraelRepublican1971–1975Providence
Julius C. MichaelsonDemocrat1975–1979Providence
Dennis J. Roberts IIDemocrat1979–1985Providence
Arlene VioletRepublican1985–1987Providence
James E. O'NeilDemocrat1987–1993Narragansett
Jeffrey B. PineRepublican1993–1999Providence
Sheldon WhitehouseDemocrat1999–2003Providence
Patrick C. LynchDemocrat2003–2011East Providence
Peter KilmartinDemocrat2011–2019Pawtucket
Peter F. NeronhaDemocrat2019–presentJamestown

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