The

attorney general In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general (: attorneys general) or attorney-general (AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have executive responsibility for law enf ...

Rhode Island Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...

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 John Easton (baptized 19 December 1624 – 12 December 1705) was a political leader in the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, devoting decades to public service before eventually becoming governor of the colony. Born in Hampshire ...

, 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 *

, of Newport May 1656 – May 1657 * John Greene, Jr. of Warwick May 1657 – May 1660 *

, of Newport May 1660 – May 1663

Royal Charter of 1663

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*John Sanford, of Portsmouth May 1663 – November 1664 *

, of Newport 1664–1670 *John Sanford, of Portsmouth 1670–1671 *Joseph Torrey, of Newport 1671–1672 *

, 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 Henry Marchant (April 9, 1741 – August 30, 1796) was a Founding Father of the United States, an attorney general of Rhode Island, a delegate to the Second Continental Congress from Rhode Island, a signer of the Articles of Confederation, and th ...

, of Newport 1772–1776 (Independent) *William Channing, of Newport 1777–1786 (

Country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...

) *Henry Goodwin, of Newport 1787–1788 (

) * David Howell, of Providence 1789 (PA) *Daniel Updike, of North Kingstown 1790 *William Channing, of Newport 1791–1793 (

) * Ray Greene, of Providence 1794–1796 (

Federalist The term ''federalist'' describes several political beliefs around the world. It may also refer to the concept of parties, whose members or supporters call themselves ''Federalists''. History Europe federation In Europe, proponents of deep ...

) * James Burrill, Jr., of Providence 1797–1813 (

) *

Samuel W. Bridgham Samuel Willard Bridgham (May 4, 1774 – December 28, 1840) was the first mayor of Providence, Rhode Island. Early life Bridgham was born on May 4, 1774, in Seekonk, Massachusetts. He graduated from Brown University with the class of 1794, a ...

, of Providence 1814–1816 (

) *Henry Bowen, of Providence 1817–1818 (

Democratic-Republican The Democratic-Republican Party (also referred to by historians as the Republican Party or the Jeffersonian Republican Party), was an American political party founded by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison in the early 1790s. It championed l ...

) * Dutee J. Pearce, of Newport 1819–1824 (

) * Albert C. Greene, of East Greenwich 1825–1842 ( Whig)

Constitution of Rhode Island (1843–present)

References

External links

Rhode Island Attorney General
official website
Rhode Island Attorney General
articles at ''ABA Journal''

at

FindLaw FindLaw is a business of Internet Brands that provides online legal information in the form of state laws, case law and codes, legal blogs and articles, a lawyer directory, DIY legal services and products, and other legal resources. The compa ...

* ttp://law.justia.com/codes/rhode-island/ Rhode Island General Lawsat Law.Justia.com
U.S. Supreme Court Opinions - "Cases with title containing: State of Rhode Island"
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Rhode Island Bar Association

Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Kilmartin profile
at

National Association of Attorneys General The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization of state and territory attorneys general in the United States which therefore means that the United States Attorney General in the federal government is n ...

Press releases
at Rhode Island Attorney General {{Rhode Island statewide elected officials Rhode Island attorneys general

Attorneys General In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general (: attorneys general) or attorney-general (AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have executive responsibility for law enf ...

Attorney General In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general (: attorneys general) or attorney-general (AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have executive responsibility for law enf ...

1650 establishments in Rhode Island

Attorneys general In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general (: attorneys general) or attorney-general (AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have executive responsibility for law enf ...