Francis Flaherty | |
---|---|
Associate Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court | |
In office May 2003 –December 31, 2020 | |
Appointed by | Donald Carcieri |
Preceded by | John P. Bourcier |
Succeeded by | Melissa A. Long |
Mayor of Warwick | |
In office 1985–1990 | |
Preceded by | Joseph W. Walsh |
Succeeded by | Charles D. Donovan |
Personal details | |
Born | Providence,Rhode Island,U.S. | January 8,1947
Political party | Democratic |
Education | Providence College (BA) Suffolk University (JD) |
Francis Xavier Flaherty [1] (born January 8,1947) is a former Associate Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court. Flaherty was appointed to the Supreme Court by Governor Donald Carcieri in 2003. Prior to his service on the Supreme Court,his career included service as a member of the Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education,the mayor of the city of Warwick,and the private practice of law. [2]
Flaherty is a graduate of Suffolk University Law School and Providence College. Between college and law school,he served in the United States Army from 1968 to 1970. His service included deployment to Vietnam where he earned the Bronze Star for Valor as a platoon leader. [3]
After graduating from law school,Flaherty was an Assistant City Solicitor in Warwick from 1975 until 1978. His political career then began with election to the City Council in 1978 and eventual election to three terms as mayor of Warwick serving from 1985 to 1990. [4] He ran unsuccessfully in the Democratic Party Primary for Governor of Rhode Island in 1990 and 1992,though he came narrowly close to victory over the incumbent,Governor Bruce Sundlun,in 1992. [5] In the years after,Flaherty returned to private law practice,served on the Rhode Island Board of Governors for Higher Education from 1998 to 2003,and was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2003.
In October 2020,Flaherty announced his intention to retire on December 31,2020. [6]
Warwick is a city in Kent County,Rhode Island,United States,and is the third largest city in the state with a population of 82,823 at the 2020 census. Warwick is located approximately 12 miles (19 km) south of downtown Providence,Rhode Island,63 miles (101 km) southwest of Boston,Massachusetts,and 171 miles (275 km) northeast of New York City.
Bruce George Sundlun was an American businessman,politician and member of the Democratic Party who served as 71st governor of Rhode Island between 1991 and 1995.
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The 2018 Rhode Island gubernatorial election was held on November 6,2018,to elect the Governor of Rhode Island,concurrently with the election of Rhode Island's Class I U.S. Senate seat,as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states,elections to the United States House of Representatives,and various state and local elections.
The 1992 Rhode Island gubernatorial election was held on November 3,1992. Incumbent Democrat Bruce Sundlun defeated Republican nominee Elizabeth A. Leonard with 61.55% of the vote.
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Melissa A. Long is an American lawyer who has served as an associate justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court since 2021. She previously served as an associate justice of the Rhode Island Superior Court from 2017 to 2021.