Chief Justice Williams' Accomplishments

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - Some of the highlights of Chief Justice Williams’ stewardship include:

The passage of Separation of Powers legislation resulting in judicial independence which recognized the Judiciary as a separate, co-equal branch of government.

Seven consecutive years of operating within the budget as appropriated by the General Assembly, never requesting a supplemental budget appropriation.

Significant technology infrastructure changes, including converting the antiquated WANG computer system to the ACS system currently in use.

Major facilities improvements to the various courthouse facilities, including the construction of the new Kent County Courthouse and the Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal.

Numerous health and safety improvements to court facilities, including enhanced security in all courthouses and increasing the health and safety of those who work in and visit the state’s courthouses.

The creation of the Office of Alternative Dispute Resolution in the Supreme Court which has achieved a disposition rate through mediation exceeding 60 percent.

The creation of the Office of Community Outreach and Public Relations, designed to educate the media and the public about the courts and to deliver services in a more user-friendly environment. The creation of the “Justice Rules” program, aimed at educating the state’s schoolchildren and teachers about the judicial and democratic processes while promoting positive attitudes and career opportunities within the judiciary is but one result of the work of this office.

Instituting the traveling court, referred to as “Riding the Circuit,” in which the Supreme Court hears oral arguments at different venues throughout the state, with the public invited, twice a year.

The creation of the Rhode Island Judiciary’s Office of Court Interpreters, which currently staffs six full-time interpreters for non-English speaking litigants appearing in Rhode Island’s courts.

The jurisprudential challenges of Chief Justice Williams and his court were often compounded during his tenure as Chief Justice due to the untimely deaths and resignation of colleagues on the court. As a result, Chief Justice Williams presided over seven different courts in his first four and a half years in office. Under his leadership, the court heard numerous high-profile cases, including:

The lead-paint case (2008); casino advisory opinion to the Governor (2004); casino advisory opinion to the House of Representatives (2005); State v. Matthew Thomas et al (2007), in which the Court refused to compel the Governor to testify in the criminal case; Chambers v. Ormiston (2007), the same-sex marriage case.

On average, the Chief Justice authored 41 decisions per term, and almost all Supreme Court decisions were published by the Fourth of July each year, staying current with the caseloads filed.