Judicial panel selects nine to interview for lifetime Superior Court seat

Katie Mulvaney, The Providence Journal
·3 min read
The candidate will replace Superior Court Judge Susan E. McGuirl, who retired in late October.
The candidate will replace Superior Court Judge Susan E. McGuirl, who retired in late October.

PROVIDENCE – The Judicial Nominating Commission on Wednesday picked a slate of nine lawyers of varying backgrounds to interview for the most recent Superior Court vacancy.

Here are the names of those selected at the commission meeting Wednesday night:

Family Court Magistrate Alberto Aponte Cardona

Cardona is a former assistant city solicitor in Central Falls named magistrate in 2019. Cardona is the brother of former Providence Councilman Luis Aponte and the co-founder of the Rhode island Hispanic Bar Association. He graduated from Roger Williams University School of Law and managed his own practice for over 15 years.

Angelyne E. Cooper-Bailey

Cooper-Bailey is legal counsel for the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training and the first lawyer of color nominated and appointed to serve as a judge on the Cranston Municipal Court. She earned a law degree from Roger Williams University School of Law, cum laude, and served as president of the Black Law Students Association.

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Maria F. Deaton

Deaton is a former state prosecutor who now works with Lynch & Pine. Deaton, who is bilingual and was born in Cape Verde, serves as probate judge in East Providence. She holds a law degree from New England School of Law.

Kas R. DeCarvalho

DeCarvalho is a partner with Pannone Lopes Devereaux & O'Gara. He serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the YMCA and was a past chairman of the Rhode Island Thurgood Marshall Law Society, according to his LinkedIn profile. He holds a law degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law.

Sean M. Fontes

Fontes has worked as executive counsel at the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training since 2011. Fontes has taught the law of business organizations and other subject areas at the Roger Williams University School of Law. He earned his law degree from Boston College Law School, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Assistant Attorney General Joseph J. McBurney

McBurney is a longtime prosecutor at the state Attorney General’s office who handles some of the state’s most high-profile gun cases. He earned his law degree from the Connecticut University School of Law.

Warwick Municipal Court Judge Kelly A. McElroy

McElroy is a former prosecutor who served as a lawyer for the state Senate’s Finance Committee. She earned a law degree at Roger Williams University School of Law.

Clerk of Rhode Island Supreme Court Debra A. Saunders

Saunders previously served as deputy general counsel of the court. She is a co-owner of The Daily Scoop ice cream shops with her husband. She holds a law degree from Suffolk University Law School.

District Court Judge Christopher K. Smith

Smith previously represented indigent clients with the Rhode Island Public Defender’s office. He earned a law degree from Roger Williams University School of Law as well as an advanced degree focusing on environmental and natural resources law from the University of Oregon School of Law, according to a 2018 Roger Williams law piece highlighting his nomination by Gov. Gina Raimondo for its diversity.

Interviews and a public hearing before the Judicial Nominating Commission, which helps vet the state’s judges, is set for 4 p.m. June 15.

The commission will then forward a list of names to replace Superior Court Judge Susan E. McGuirl, who retired in late October. The lifetime position earns a base salary of $170,545.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Nine candidates will be interviewed for Superior Court judge