Vol. CXXXII · No. XCVSUNDAY, MAY 24, 2026Ocean State Edition

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95 articles · page 3 of 8
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Federal Judge Blasts DOJ for Misrepresenting Facts in Trans Youth Medical Records Case

U.S. District Judge Mary S. McElroy accused the Department of Justice of making "false representations" and "dirty pool" after DOJ lawyers "shopped" a case to a Texas judge to enforce a Rhode Island subpoena for transgender youth medical records. McElroy said DOJ falsely claimed Rhode Island Hospital hadn't communicated with them in months, when emails show contact two days before the Texas filing. The case is the latest clash between the District Court of Rhode Island and DOJ over transparency.

bostonglobe.comMAY 13, 2026
JudiciaryGovernancePaywall

R.I. Attorney General Sues Quidnessett Country Club to Remove Unauthorized Seawall

Attorney General Peter Neronha filed a lawsuit in Superior Court seeking removal of a 600-foot unauthorized seawall built by the Quidnessett Country Club in 2023 and restoration of the coastline. Since 2023, the Coastal Resources Management Council has unsuccessfully tried to force the club to remove the wall. The club argues it has been trying for decades to protect its 14th hole from erosion and has challenged the removal order in court. Environmental groups say the slow enforcement sets a bad precedent.

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© 2026 RI Capitol · All rights reserved.Aggregated summaries linking out to original sources. XPoLL.
bostonglobe.comMAY 13, 2026
JudiciaryGovernancePaywall

Rhode Island Only State with Lifetime Supreme Court Tenure, No Mandatory Retirement Age

Rhode Island is the only state with lifetime appointments and no mandatory retirement age for its Supreme Court justices, according to a 2024 Brennan Center analysis. All 47 other states have fixed terms for state supreme court justices. Senator Dawn Euer supports imposing a mandatory retirement age, citing concerns about accountability and the example of federal courts overturning precedents with "zero accountability." The issue has returned to focus with former Speaker Shekarchi's application for a Supreme Court seat.

bostonglobe.comMAY 13, 2026
JudiciaryPaywall

Portsmouth Man Sentenced to Life for 2023 Hatchet Murder of Landlord

Newport County Superior Court Justice William E. Carnes sentenced Jacob Morrill, 27, of Portsmouth, to life in prison for the first-degree murder of his landlord, Xuefeng Wu, 50, whom Morrill killed with a hatchet in May 2023. Morrill was also convicted of fraudulent use of a credit card after using Wu's debit card to pay his utility bill the day of the killing. Morrill intends to appeal his conviction, arguing the court made evidentiary rulings he objected to and that there was insufficient evidence for a first-degree murder finding.

bostonglobe.comMAY 13, 2026
JudiciaryGovernanceFree press

Senate Committee to Consider Asking Supreme Court Opinion on Clergy Abuse Bill Constitutionality

The Rhode Island Senate Judiciary Committee will consider a resolution asking the state Supreme Court whether legislation reviving expired civil sexual abuse claims against institutions like the Diocese of Providence is constitutional. Committee Chairman Matthew LaMountain says this is the quickest way to test constitutionality, but House Judiciary Chairwoman Carol Hagan McEntee calls it an abdication of legislative duty. Similar laws have been upheld in some states but repealed in five others. This would be the first such request in 20 years.

newenglandnewspress.comMAY 13, 2026
CommerceJudiciaryPaywall

Alex and Ani founder sues sister over alleged misuse of Cinerama assets

Carolyn Rafaelian filed a lawsuit in federal court alleging her sister Rebecca Rafaelian Caruolo misused assets of their family's decades-old jewelry business Cinerama to secretly subsidize Air & Anchor, a competing jewelry venture. The complaint claims Air & Anchor is a knock-off of Alex + Ani created through a takeover of Cinerama's factory space, equipment, inventory, and vendor relationships.

bostonglobe.comMAY 13, 2026
GovernanceJudiciaryPrimary

McKee nominates Superior Court judge Joseph A. to Rhode Island Supreme Court

Governor Dan McKee announced the nomination of current Rhode Island Superior Court Associate Justice Joseph A. to fill a vacancy on the state Supreme Court. The nomination comes as House Speaker Joe Shekarchi also applies for the same seat after resigning his leadership position. The governor's office released the announcement but provided limited details on the nominee's full name or background.

governor.ri.govMAY 13, 2026
JudiciaryPaywall

LAMBDA Legal files brief supporting challenge to DOJ subpoena of Rhode Island Hospital gender-care records

The nation's oldest LGBTQ+ legal rights organization filed a friend-of-the-court brief supporting Rhode Island Child Advocate Katelyn Medeiros's effort to quash a Department of Justice subpoena seeking medical records of minors who received gender-affirming care at Rhode Island Hospital. LAMBDA Legal argues the subpoena is a "fishing expedition" to intimidate doctors. Twenty states and DC also submitted arguments backing Medeiros. The DOJ claims the subpoena is part of a nationwide criminal investigation into off-label drug use and false billing. US District Judge Mary S. McElroy denied the DOJ's request to transfer the case to Texas.

providencejournal.comMAY 12, 2026
JudiciaryPaywall

ICE unable to locate immigrant ordered re-detained by Rhode Island federal judge

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has not located Bryan Rafael Gómez more than two days after US District Judge Melissa R. DuBose ordered him re-detained. Gómez, wanted for homicide in the Dominican Republic, was expected to voluntarily report to ICE in Burlington, Mass., by May 6 but failed to appear. His attorney says family members have been unable to reach him. A special counsel has been appointed to investigate why federal prosecutors withheld information about Gómez's warrant from the court.

bostonglobe.comMAY 12, 2026
GovernanceJudiciaryPaywall

McKee nominates 18 judges to Rhode Island courts since taking office in 2021

Governor Dan McKee has nominated 18 people to lifetime judgeships since becoming governor in 2021, with two picks still awaiting Senate review. The article lists all appointees across Superior Court, District Court, Family Court, and Workers' Compensation Court, including the first Indian-Asian American nominated to Family Court. The latest nominations reflect McKee's continued influence on the state judiciary.

providencejournal.comMAY 12, 2026
JudiciaryPaywall

Federal judge orders ICE detainee re-detained after undisclosed murder warrant

U.S. District Judge Melissa DuBose ordered Bryan Rafael Gómez, a 27-year-old undocumented immigrant wanted for homicide in the Dominican Republic, be re-detained by ICE after the U.S. Attorney's Office admitted it withheld the murder warrant at ICE's direction. DuBose said she would have decided differently had she known about the warrant when ordering his conditional release, and initiated a disciplinary review. A special counsel was appointed to investigate the prosecutorial misconduct.

bostonglobe.comMAY 10, 2026
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