Biden picks first person of color to sit on Rhode Island’s U.S. District Court seat

President Joe Biden on Wednesday announced the nomination of Rhode Island District Court Judge Melissa DuBose to fill an opening on U.S. District Court in Providence.

If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, DuBose will become the first person of color and first openly LGBTQ judge to serve on Rhode Island’s federal bench. Biden’s nomination comes less than 24 hours after Rhode Island senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse recommended DuBose as their choice to fill the vacancy. 

DuBose’s historic nomination was not lost on Black Lives Matter Rhode Island PAC Director Harrison Tuttle.

“This monumental nomination not only marks a significant step towards diversity and inclusion in the federal judiciary, but also underscores the commitment to justice and the rule of law,” he said in a statement.

DuBose could not be reached for comment.

DuBose has served as a district court judge since 2019 after she was appointed by then-Gov. Gina Raimondo. If confirmed, DuBose would fill a vacancy left by Judge William Smith, who announced last summer that he was preparing to become a senior judge in 2025. To become a senior judge, a judge must serve on the bench for a minimum of 15 years and be more than 65 years old, or have obtained any combination of the two equivalent to 80 years. 

The status change will take effect on Jan. 1, 2025, one day after Smith’s 65th birthday. Smith will continue hearing cases, but on a more limited basis. He will also receive his salary as an annuity. 

Prior to her work with the Rhode Island District Court, DuBose was  in-house counsel for Schneider Electric in Foxboro, Massachusetts from 2008 to 2019. From 2005 to 2008, she was a prosecutor for the Rhode Island Attorney General’s office.

Dubose graduated from Providence College in 1990 with an undergraduate degree in political science and went on to receive her teacher certification from the Providence College School of Continuing Education. She taught history and civics in the Providence Public School system and attended Roger Williams University School of Law at the same time. 

DuBose graduated from Roger Williams in 2004.

Reed and Whitehouse said her experience and background will only strengthen the federal bench.

“Judge DuBose has demonstrated the highest levels of integrity, professionalism, and skill,” Reed and Whitehouse said in a joint statement. “We are confident in her ability to serve justice, and her fellow Rhode Islanders.”

The annual salary for a U.S. District Court judge is $232,600.