--- title: "Maureen McKenna Goldberg | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/maureen-mckenna-goldberg-5601" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-07" --- # Maureen McKenna Goldberg Supreme Court of Rhode Island · Judge ## Profile - Court: Supreme Court of Rhode Island - State: Rhode Island - Role: Judge - Service status: former - Last verified: 2026-08-22 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Judge, Supreme Court of Rhode Island, 1997-present - American jurist who held the role of a justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1997 until her retirement on March 27, 2026, after more than 35 years in the judiciary - She also held the role of acting chief justice in 2008–2009 - associate justice of the Rhode Island Superior Court (1990–1997) - Began her legal career in 1978 as an Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Division of the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office, serving until 1984 - An honors graduate of Providence College in 1973 and Suffolk University Law School in 1978, she previously prosecuted cases in the Attorney General’s Office, led its Criminal Division, and served as town solicitor for South Kingstown and Westerly - Former prosecutor and administrator of the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Criminal Division - The second-longest serving justice on the Rhode Island Supreme Court and only the third woman to serve ### Education - Suffolk University Law School — 1978 — bio-41ec22c5b744; user_supplied_research - Suffolk University School of Law in — J.D. (1978) - Providence College — bio-41ec22c5b744; user_supplied_research — B.A. (1973) ### Additional information - Retired in 2026. - In April 1997, Governor Lincoln Almond appointed her to the Rhode Island Supreme Court for a lifetime term. - Maureen McKenna Goldberg served on Rhode Island Superior Court from July 9, 1990, and joined the Supreme Court on May 30, 1997. - legis, 1996-1996 - She then worked in private practice while holding public service roles as town solicitor in South Kingstown (1985–1987) and Westerly (1987–1990), and as acting town manager of Westerly - Born February 11, 1951. - Date of birth: 1951-02-11 - Former town solicitor for South Kingstown and Westerly. - Known for her tough questioning style and presided over high-profile cases, including the prosecution of Vincent “Buddy” Cianci Jr. and the Jennifer Rivera murder case. ## Before you appear - Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed. - Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance. - Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding. ## Courtroom Rules ### cell phone use Scope: courtwide Rhode Island Supreme Court courthouse rules prohibit cellular telephone use in courtrooms and prohibit cell-phone camera and video use in the courthouse. Evidence excerpt: Cellular telephone use is strictly prohibited in the courtrooms. Cellular telephone camera and video is strictly prohibited in the courthouse. [Supreme Court Courthouse Rules](https://www.courts.ri.gov/Public-Resources/Documents/Your%20Day%20In%20Court/Courthouse%20Rules%20February%205,%202024.pdf) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### recording equipment Scope: courtwide Rhode Island courthouse rules list photographic and audio-visual equipment, including cameras and audio or video recorders, as prohibited items. Evidence excerpt: No photographic or audio-visual equipment of any type, including cameras, video, or audio recorders or players. [Supreme Court Courthouse Rules](https://www.courts.ri.gov/Public-Resources/Documents/Your%20Day%20In%20Court/Courthouse%20Rules%20February%205,%202024.pdf) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/5601/maureen-mckenna-goldberg/) - [Official roster](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/5601/maureen-mckenna-goldberg/) - [Supreme Court of Rhode Island current judicial profile](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/5601/maureen-mckenna-goldberg/) - [Calendars and Public Access to Court Hearings](https://www.courts.ri.gov/Pages/PublicAccessCourtHearings.aspx) - [Supreme Court Courthouse Rules](https://www.courts.ri.gov/Public-Resources/Documents/Your%20Day%20In%20Court/Courthouse%20Rules%20February%205,%202024.pdf) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/5601/maureen-mckenna-goldberg/) - [Maureen McKenna Goldberg - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maureen_McKenna_Goldberg) - [Supreme Court Courthouse Rules, revised February 2024](https://www.courts.ri.gov/Public-Resources/Documents/Your%20Day%20In%20Court/Courthouse%20Rules%20February%205,%202024.pdf) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/5601/maureen-mckenna-goldberg/) - [Maureen McKenna Goldberg - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maureen_McKenna_Goldberg) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/maureen-mckenna-goldberg-5601", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/maureen-mckenna-goldberg-5601", "name": "Maureen McKenna Goldberg | KnowJudges", "description": "Maureen McKenna Goldberg, Supreme Court of Rhode Island. 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