Joseph A. Montalbano


Joseph A. Montalbano is an Associate Justice on the Rhode Island Superior Court.

Political career

Montalbano served as Democratic member of the Rhode Island Senate, representing the 17th District from 1988 to 2009. He served as the President from 2003 to 2009, and was Majority Leader from 2002 through 2003. He was defeated in 2008 by Independent Edward O'Neill. In 2013, Governor Lincoln Chafee nominated Montalbano to serve as Associate Justice on the Rhode Island Superior Court in the seat vacated by Justice Francis Darigan Jr. Montalbano has served in the position since June 2013. Montalbano is the first former state senator to become a Superior Court judge since 1994.

Controversies

In 2007, Montalbano was fined $12,000 by the Rhode Island Ethics Commission for failing to disclose a potential conflict of interest. While acting as a private attorney for the town of West Warwick, Montalbano, in his role as a state senator, voted on issues pertaining to the development of a Narraganset-owned casino within the town. Montalbano dismissed the wrongdoing as inadvertent.

Personal life

Montalbano attended St. John's University in New York and received his bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He has taught constitutional and criminal law at the Community College of Rhode Island.