Providence, Rhode Island – The U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary has given its approval to the nomination of District Court Judge Melissa R. DuBose to the federal bench. With a vote of 12-9, mainly along party lines, DuBose is now one step closer to taking the U.S. District Court seat relinquished by Judge William E. Smith. If the nomination is confirmed by the full Senate, DuBose will make history as Rhode Island’s first person of color and LGBTQ+ judge.
DuBose’s nomination was put forward by President Joe Biden in January, following the recommendation of U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Jack Reed. “Ms. DuBose is a well-respected jurist who will make an exemplary federal judge. She earned bipartisan support from members of the Judiciary Committee today – a testament to her professionalism, intelligence, and integrity. I look forward to a swift confirmation by the full Senate,” stated Whitehouse, a senior member of the Committee.
Proponents of DuBose’s confirmation cite her extensive qualifications and commitment to fairness, integrity, and justice. During her hearing before the Committee, she faced questioning from Republican lawmakers about her political leanings. However, DuBose has widespread support from Rhode Island’s judicial and law enforcement communities, including local police officials, state prosecutors, and both the Rhode Island Supreme Court and the broader Rhode Island judiciary.
A group of judges currently sitting on the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island expressed their “wholehearted” endorsement of DuBose in a letter to the Judiciary Committee. “Melissa’s integrity is beyond reproach; her professional competence is varied and deep; and her judicial temperament is exemplary. Everyone on our Court is pleased at the possibility of welcoming Judge DuBose to the federal court if she is fortunate enough to be confirmed by the Senate,” the judges wrote.
DuBose, a native Rhode Islander, boasts an impressive background. She graduated from Providence College in 1990 with a degree in political science and later obtained a teaching certification from the Providence College School of Continuing Education. DuBose taught history and civics in the Providence Public Schools for ten years while pursuing her law degree at Roger Williams University School of Law through evening classes.
Her legal career includes working as a special assistant attorney general in the criminal division from 2005 to 2008. She later served as senior legal counsel at Schneider Electric in Foxboro, Massachusetts, specializing in federal contracts, corporate compliance, ethics, and fair trade. In December 2018, then-Governor Gina Raimondo appointed DuBose as a state District Court judge.
In June, Judge William E. Smith announced his intention to retire from regular active service and assume senior status on January 1, 2025, creating the vacancy that DuBose may potentially fill. The U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island serves as a federal trial court for civil, criminal, and maritime matters.