page_title: List of Chief Justices of the Rhode Island Supreme Court
section_title: State
hierarchical_section_title: List of Chief Justices of the Rhode Island Supreme Court / State
context_page_description: The Rhode Island Supreme Court was created in 1747 and used the title of Superior Court of Judicature, Court of Assize, and General Gaol Delivery. When established, the court consisted of a Chief Justice and four Associate Justices Following are the Chief Justices from 1747 to the present:
context_section_description: Metcalf Bowler, August 1776 – February 1777
  William Greene, February 1777 – May 1778
  Shearjashub Bourn, May 1778 – May 1781
  Paul Mumford, May 1781 – June 1785
  William Ellery, June 1785 – May 1786, signer of Declaration of Independence
  Paul Mumford, May 1786 – June 1788
  Othniel Gorton, June 1788 – May 1791
  Daniel Owen, May 1791 – June 1795
  In 1799, the name was changed to the Supreme Judicial Court:
  Peleg Arnold, June 1795 – June 1809
  Thomas Arnold, 1809 – 1810
  Peleg Arnold, 1810 – 1812
  Daniel Lyman, 1812 – 1816
  James Burrill, Jr., 1816 – 1817
  Tristam Burges, 1817 – 1818
  James Fenner, 1819 – 1819
  Isaac Wilbour, 1819 – 1827
  Samuel Eddy, 1827 – 1835
  Job Durfee, 1835 – 1843
  In 1843, the name was changed to the Supreme Court:
  Job Durfee, 1843 – 1848
  Richard W. Green, 1848 – 1854
  William R. Staples, 1854 – 1856
  Samuel Ames, 1856 – 1866
  Charles S. Bradley, 1866 – 1868
  George A. Brayton, 1868 – 1875
  Thomas Durfee, 1875 – 1891
  Charles Matteson, 1891 – 1900
  John H. Stiness, 1900 – 1903
  Pardon E. Tillinghast, 1904 – 1905
  William W. Douglas, 1905 – 1908
  Edward C. Dubois, 1909 – 1913
  Clarke H. Johnson, 1913 – 1917
  Clarke F. Parkhurst, 1917 – 1920
  William A. Sweetland, 1920 – 1929
  Charles F. Stearns, 1929 – 1935
  Edmund W. Flynn, 1935 – 1957
  Francis B. Condon, 1958 – 1965
  Thomas H. Roberts, 1966 – 1976
  Joseph A. Bevilacqua, Sr., 1976 – 1986
  Thomas F. Fay, 1986 – 1993
  Joseph R. Weisberger, 1993 – 2001
  Frank J. Williams, 2001 – 2008
  Paul A. Suttell, 2009 – present
caption: Peleg Arnold
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