McKee submits names of three more judges to Rhode Island Senate

Gov. Dan McKee delivered three more judicial nominations to Rhode Island Senate leaders Friday afternoon, naming two new Superior Court justices and a chief judge for the District Court.

McKee nominated District Court Associate Judge Debra Saunders to become the court’s chief judge and Family Court Magistrate Denise Cassisi Finkelman and employment attorney Carly B. Iafrate to become associate justices on the Superior Court.

“These three nominees have demonstrated strong character, sound judgment, and the highest integrity. I’m confident they will serve Rhode Islanders well on the bench,” McKee said in a statement.

The three nominations come as the Senate begins reviewing judicial appointments, including eight magistrate nominees and McKee’s selection of Superior Court Judge Luis Matos for the Rhode Island Supreme Court. McKee leaves office in January.

RI Senate begins judicial nominations process. House hearing on McKee’s Supreme Court pick pending

Matos’ nomination requires approval from the House of Representatives in addition to the Senate. No hearings have been scheduled by the House Committee on Judiciary as of Friday.

McKee’s latest nominations were not formally transmitted to the Senate Friday, chamber spokesperson Greg Paré said in an interview.

“We recessed yesterday, so our desk is open,” Paré said. “We can receive the letters and then just refer them to committee.”

The Senate Committee on Judiciary is scheduled to meet Nov. 17 and 18 to consider nominees.   If advanced by the 10-member panel, the nominees will proceed to the floor for full confirmation.

Saunders would fill the District Court chief judge vacancy created by the Oct. 9 retirement of Jeanne E. LaFazia, who stepped down after 16 years on the bench.

A District Court associate judge since 2023, Saunders previously spent 15 years as clerk of the Rhode Island Supreme Court, supervising the Clerk’s Office and its nine-person staff. She oversaw the court’s appellate process and attorney licensing, and directed the transition to the Uniform Bar Examination, according to her resume.

She also served as deputy general counsel for the Supreme Court, advising on legal issues involving court operations, personnel, budgets, security and technology. Earlier in her career, she prosecuted misdemeanor and felony cases as a special assistant attorney general.

“I am deeply honored to be selected for this role, and I’m grateful to Governor McKee for his trust and belief,” Saunders said in a statement. “I look forward to serving the people of Rhode Island with the fairness, integrity, and an unwavering commitment this role demands.”

Finkelman would fill the Superior Court vacancy created by Joseph Montalbano’s ascension to presiding justice of the state’s top trial court in April.

A Family Court magistrate since 2021, Finkelman has presided over cases involving custody, placement, child support and contested divorces. Before joining the Judiciary, she ran her own law practice, representing clients in litigation, mediating Family Court disputes and serving as a guardian ad litem for children involved in domestic cases.

“I’m beyond honored and grateful to be chosen for this extremely important role,” Finkelman said in a statement. 

She is the wife of state Rep. Alex Finkelman, a Jamestown Democrat.

Iafrate would fill the Superior Court seat formerly occupied by Jeffrey Lanphear before his retirement in April.

Among the finalists to fill Montalbano’s vacant spot, Iafrate is a labor and employment lawyer who has operated a private practice since 2003, her resume notes. Iafrate helped negotiate the three-year contract the state reached with multiple public employee unions in 2024. That same year, she represented then-Senate Majority Whip Valarie Lawson before the Ethics Commission over whether her former career as a teacher and her position as president of a state teachers’ union prevented her from voting on pension-related legislation.

Iafrate said in a statement she looks forward to the Senate vetting process.

“I will work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the Superior Court and fairness for all in Rhode Island,” she said.