List of attorneys general of Rhode Island facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Attorney General of Rhode Island
Seal of the attorney general of Rhode Island
Incumbent Peter Neronha since January 1, 2019
Department of Law
Style	The Honorable
Term length	Four years Renewal once
Constituting instrument	Constitution of Rhode Island, Executive Law
Formation	1776
First holder	Daniel Updike
Succession	Election by joint session of Rhode Island General Assembly
Salary	130,413 $ (2019)

The attorney general of Rhode Island is the main legal advisor for the government of Rhode Island. This person also leads the State of Rhode Island Department of Law. The attorney general is chosen by voters every four years. The person currently holding this important job is Peter F. Neronha.

What Does the Attorney General Do?

The Attorney General is like the state's top lawyer. They give legal advice to the governor and other state agencies. They also work to protect the rights of people in Rhode Island. This includes fighting crime and making sure laws are followed fairly.

History of Rhode Island's Attorneys General

The role of Attorney General in Rhode Island has a long history. It started way back in 1643 when Roger Williams got a special document (called a patent or charter) from the English Parliament. This document allowed the towns of Providence and Warwick to set up their own government.

In 1647, four towns – Newport, Portsmouth, Providence, and Warwick – joined together to form a single colony. By May 1650, they officially created the jobs of "Attorney General for the Colonie" and "Solicitor." This shows how important legal guidance was even in the early days of Rhode Island.

Early Attorneys General (1650-1843)

The first Attorney General was William Dyer, who served from 1650 to 1651. Over the years, many people held this position under different rules and charters. These included the Patent of 1643 and later the Royal Charter of 1663.

Some notable early attorneys general included Richard Ward and Henry Marchant. These leaders helped shape the legal system of Rhode Island as it grew.

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

Attorneys General Under Rhode Island's Constitution (1843-Present)

In 1843, Rhode Island adopted its own Constitution. This new document changed how the Attorney General was chosen and what their duties were. Since then, many individuals have served in this role, helping to uphold the laws of the state.

Here is a list of the Attorneys General who have served since the Constitution was adopted:

Image	Name	Party	Term of office	Residence
	Joseph M. Blake	Law and Order	1843–1850	Bristol
	Walter S. Burges	Democratic	1851–1853	Cranston
	Christopher Robinson	Whig	1854	Cumberland
	Charles Hart	Republican	1855–1857	Providence
	Jerome Kimball	Republican	1858–1859	Providence
	Walter S. Burges	Democratic	1860–1862	Cranston
	Abraham Payne	Republican	1863–1863	Providence
	Horatio Rogers	Republican	1864–1866	Providence
	Willard Sayles	Republican	1866–1881	Providence
	Samuel P. Colt	Republican	1882–1885	Bristol
	Edwin Metcalf	Prohibition	1886	Providence
	Ziba O. Slocum	Democratic	1887	Providence
	Horatio Rogers	Republican	1888	Providence
	Ziba O. Slocum	Democratic	1889–1890	Providence
	Robert W. Burbank	Republican	1891–1893	Providence
	Edward C. Dubois	Republican	1894–1896	East Providence
	Willard B. Tanner	Republican	1897–1900	Providence
	Charles F. Stearns	Democratic	1901–1904	Providence
	William B. Greenough	Republican	1905–1911	Providence
	Herbert A. Rice	Republican	1912–1922	Pawtucket
	Herbert L. Carpenter	Democratic	1923–1924	North Smithfield
	Charles P. Sisson	Republican	1925–1928	Providence
	Oscar L. Heltzen	Republican	1929–1930	Providence
	Benjamin M. McLyman	Republican	1931–1933	Providence
	John P. Hartigan	Democratic	1933–1938	Cranston
	Louis V. Jackvony	Republican	1939–1940	Providence
	John H. Nolan	Democratic	1941–1949	Newport
	William E. Powers	Democratic	1949–1957	Cumberland
	J. Joseph Nugent	Democratic	1958–1967	Providence
	Herbert F. DeSimone	Republican	1967–1971	Providence
	Richard J. Israel	Republican	1971–1975	Providence
	Julius C. Michaelson	Democratic	1975–1979	Providence
	Dennis J. Roberts II	Democratic	1979–1985	Providence
	Arlene Violet	Republican	1985–1987	Providence
	James E. O'Neil	Democratic	1987–1993	Narragansett
	Jeffrey B. Pine	Republican	1993–1999	Providence
	Sheldon Whitehouse	Democratic	1999–2003	Providence
	Patrick C. Lynch	Democratic	2003–2011	East Providence
	Peter Kilmartin	Democratic	2011–2019	Pawtucket
	Peter F. Neronha	Democratic	2019–present	Jamestown