WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Senate today unanimously confirmed Rhode Island Superior Court Justice O. Rogeriee Thompson to be a Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Justice Thompson becomes the first African-American Judge and the second woman to serve on the Boston-based appeals court.
United States Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, who recommended Justice Thompson to President Obama for nomination, hailed her bipartisan confirmation.
“Justice Thompson exemplifies the best of Rhode Island and is an inspiration for many Americans. She is hardworking, civic minded, and has earned the respect of her peers in the legal community. Justice Thompson has served on the Rhode Island Superior Court with honor and distinction and will make an outstanding addition to the federal bench,” said Reed and Whitehouse.
O. Rogeriee Thompson received her undergraduate degree from Brown University and her Juris Doctorate from the Boston University School of Law. She also holds honorary degrees from the University of Rhode Island and Bryant College. Justice Thompson has served on the Rhode Island District Court from 1988 to 1997 and the Superior Court since 1997, when she became the first African American woman to serve as an Associate Justice.
To date, President Obama has nominated 17 circuit court judges and 7 have been confirmed.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit is based in Boston and hears appeals from Rhode Island, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Puerto Rico.
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