Judge Melissa DuBose makes history in Rhode Island

Melissa DuBose has made history as the first Black and out LGBTQ+ judge to serve on the US District Court in Rhode Island.

On Friday (3 January), DuBose took an oath during a private ceremony, which her family and staff at the federal courthouse attended in Providence in the state, as per a press release.

Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr. said, “It is my great honour to welcome Judge DuBose to the federal bench.

“Her extensive experience, dedication to justice, and commitment to fairness will be invaluable to our court and the legal community. I look forward to working alongside her as she brings her thoughtful perspective and unwavering integrity to this new role.”

President Joe Biden nominated Judge DuBose in January 2023 to take over the seat vacated by Judge William E. Smith, who took senior status at the start of this year. DuBose’s nomination was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in March 2024, and she received her commission to perform judicial duties on Thursday (2 January).

Hailing from the city’s Mount Hope area, DuBose graduated from Providence College and 1990 and taught in Providence public schools for over a decade. However, the former teacher decided to pursue a legal career after one of her students was charged with the murder of another teenager. 

Her pupils began to ask questions about the criminal justice system, which she was unable to answer at the time, she previously explained to The Boston Globe’s Rhode Island Report podcast.

“I felt really kind of helpless at that point,” she told the outlet. “And that was the moment where for me, it was, ‘I need to do something else to be able to be an advocate for my students in a way where they getting good information.’ That really was the motivator.”