Sarah Taft-Carter at a glance
- Current role
- Associate Justice
- Jurisdiction
- Rhode Island · State
- Judicial service
- Active
Sarah Taft-Carter
Associate Justice · Rhode Island Superior Court
Biography
Professional career
- Appointed in October 2010 to fill the vacancy created by Alice Bridget Gibney’s promotion to Presiding Justice
- Sarah Taft‐Carter is an Associate Justice of the Rhode Island Superior Court, appointed in 2010 by former Governor Donald L. Carcieri, with a background in law practice and public service
- Described as a Rhode Island Superior Court associate justice appointed October 22, 2010 by Governor Donald Carcieri, succeeding Alice Bridget Gibney after her elevation to presiding justice.
- Before joining the bench, she was a partner at Taft & McSally, LLP in Cranston, RI
Education
- University of Rhode Island B.A. (1978), Suffolk University J.D. (1981), Rhode Island bar admission (1982), federal District of Rhode Island and U.S. Supreme Court admissions.
- Suffolk University — bio-5ac5976195d4; user_supplied_research — J.D. (1981)
- Educational background includes University of Rhode Island (B.A.), 1978
- University of Rhode Island — bio-5ac5976195d4; user_supplied_research — B.A. (1978)
Additional information
- Before the bench she was a Taft & McSally partner in Cranston, practicing family, bankruptcy, corporate, real-estate, municipal, estate-planning and probate law.
- Her late father, James L. Taft Jr., was former mayor of Cranston.
- She has been recognized in local media as one of Rhode Island’s influential judges
- Reported judicial assignments include Washington County civil calendar.
- Listed affiliations: Rhode Island, American and Rhode Island Women’s bar associations.
Applicable Court Rules & Procedures
Cell Phone Use
Courtwide
Rhode Island Supreme Court courthouse rules prohibit cellular telephone use in courtrooms and prohibit cell-phone camera and video use in the courthouse.
Cellular telephone use is strictly prohibited in the courtrooms. Cellular telephone camera and video is strictly prohibited in the courthouse.Supreme Court Courthouse Rules ↗
Recording and broadcasting
Courtwide
Rhode Island courthouse rules list photographic and audio-visual equipment, including cameras and audio or video recorders, as prohibited items.
No photographic or audio-visual equipment of any type, including cameras, video, or audio recorders or players.Supreme Court Courthouse Rules ↗
Sources
Identity source checked July 26, 2026.
Biography sources checked July 26, 2026.
Rhode Island Judiciary official judicial roster
Identity source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Rhode Island Judiciary official judicial roster ↗Calendars and Public Access to Court Hearings
Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Calendars and Public Access to Court Hearings ↗Supreme Court Courthouse Rules
Statewide source · PDF · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Supreme Court Courthouse Rules ↗Supreme Court Courthouse Rules, revised February 2024
Identity source · PDF · Source checked October 3, 2026
View Supreme Court Courthouse Rules, revised February 2024 ↗