Rep. Williams Urges Raimondo to Reopen Judicial Vacancy Application Process Due to COVID-19 Pandemic

Rep. Williams Urges Raimondo to Reopen Judicial Vacancy Application Process Due to COVID-19 Pandemic

State Representative Anastasia P. Williams (D-Dist. 9, Providence) is urging Governor Raimondo and the Rhode Island Judicial Nominating Commission to reopen the application process for three judicial vacancies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected Rhode Island’s minority communities particularly harder than most.  The application period ended on April 30.

The three open judicial seats are for Associate Justice positions on the Supreme Court, the Superior Court, and the Family Court.

Williams is the latest Rhode Island leader to call for a fair process and the need for Rhode Island to add its first minority to the high court.

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“The COVID-19 pandemic has upended our way of life in too many ways to count.  Included in this upheaval was the judicial nominating process due to the deadline for applications to open judicial seats landed right in the middle of the COVID-19 lockdown.  This deadline on April 30, in the midst of a state-wide quarantine, has shut out numerous highly qualified applicants, especially in regard to judicial applicants of color who were occupied with the COVID-19 pandemic that hit our state’s minority communities the hardest,” said Williams.

“The lack of a diverse judicial system that accurately reflects the multicultural demographics of our state has been a long-standing problem that needs to be rectified. This problem has only been exacerbated with this arbitrary deadline that affects our jurists of color the most.  If we truly wish to have a fair and diverse judiciary, the application process must be reopened so that qualified applicants who were predominantly occupied with caring for and supporting their families during the pandemic may have the opportunity to apply for these judicial positions.  Now is the time to fight back against the systematic injustices that have plagued our state for centuries and one aspect of this fight for justice is finally creating a diverse judiciary system.  This will only be possible if the application and the nominating process is reopened,” said Williams.

Previously, State Senators Harold Metts and James Sheehan have questioned the process.

Metts, State Representative Joe Almeida, and former State Representative Ray Rickman have called for the appointment of a minority, or specifically a Black to the Supreme Court.