United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island

The United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island (in case citations, D.R.I.) is the federal district court whose jurisdiction is the state of Rhode Island. The District Court was created in 1790 when Rhode Island ratified the Constitution. The Federal Courthouse was built in 1908.

Appeals from the District of Rhode Island are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit).

The United States attorney for the District of Rhode Island represents the United States in civil and criminal litigation in the court. the United States attorney is Zachary A. Cunha.

Legislative history
The United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island was established on June 23, 1790, by. Congress authorized one judgeship for the Court, and assigned the district to the Eastern Circuit. On February 13, 1801, the outgoing lame duck Federalist-controlled Congress passed the controversial Judiciary Act of 1801 which reassigned the District of Rhode Island to the First Circuit.

The incoming Congress repealed the Judiciary Act of 1801, but in the Judiciary Act of 1802, Congress again assigned the District of Rhode Island to the First Circuit.

A second seat on the Court was created on March 18, 1966, by. A third seat was added on July 10, 1984, by.

Notable cases

 * West v. Barnes (1791), the first case appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court
 * Fricke v. Lynch (1980), case involving government gender limits on prom dates
 * Lee v. Weisman (1992), case involving clergy-led prayer at public school graduation ceremonies

United States attorneys for the District of Rhode Island
Some of the U.S. attorneys for Rhode Island
 * David Leonard Barnes (1797–1801)
 * Asher Robbins (1812–1820)
 * Dutee Jerauld Pearce (1824–1825)
 * George H. Browne (1852–1861)
 * Wingate Hayes (1861–1871)
 * Nathan F. Dixon III (1877–1885)
 * Walter Russell Stiness (1911–1914)
 * Norman S. Case (1921–1926)
 * John S. Murdock (1926–1929)
 * Henry Boss (1929–1934)
 * J. Howard McGrath (1934–1940)
 * George Troy (1940–1952)
 * Edward McEntee (1952–1953)
 * Raymond James Pettine (1961–1966)
 * Edward P. Gallogly (1967–1969)
 * Lincoln Almond (1969–1978)
 * Paul F. Murray (1978–1981)
 * Lincoln Almond (1981–1993)
 * Sheldon Whitehouse (1993–1998)
 * Margaret E. Curran (1998–2003)
 * Robert Clark Corrente (2004–2009)
 * Peter Neronha (2009–2017)
 * Aaron L. Weisman (2019–2021)
 * Richard B. Myrus (acting) (2021–present)