Raimondo Appoints Melissa A. Long to Superior Court

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Governor Gina M. Raimondo today announced her appointment of Melissa A. Long to the Rhode Island Superior Court. Her name will be submitted to the state senate this week for confirmation.

«Melissa brings decades of experience in public service and public interest law to the bench,» Raimondo said. «As a court of record, the Superior Court must protect the public interest by making decisions on a wide variety of legal topics. I am confident that Melissa’s varied background will serve her well in this new role.»

Melissa A. Long, Esq. has been the Deputy Secretary of State and Director of Administration in the Rhode Island Office of the Secretary of State since 2015. Prior to that, she served in a variety of roles at the state Department of Transportation, including Senior Legal Counsel and Title VI Coordinator. She is a graduate of the University of Virginia and the George Mason University School of Law. She lives in Providence.

«I have dedicated my career to public service, and am thrilled to take this next step in joining the Superior Court,» Long said. «Thank you to Governor Raimondo and the Judicial Nominating Commission for your consideration.»

Long will fill the vacancy left on the Court from Associate Justice Patricia A. Hurst’s retirement last year.

«On behalf of all Rhode Islanders, I would like to thank Associate Justice Hurst for her years of service to our state and her dedication to the bench,» Raimondo said. «I wish her nothing but the best in retirement.»

Superior Court has jurisdiction over civil proceedings where the amount in controversy is more than $10,000. Additionally, the Court has specialty business, gun, drug, sexual predator, and domestic violence calendars.