Providence Journal: House passes bill to let magistrates oversee contested divorces. Why it matters.  

This article originally appeared in the Providence Journal on May 1, 2024 and was written by Katherine Gregg.  

Below is Common Cause staff’s quote included in the article about magistrates and their new ability to oversee contested divorce cases in Rhode Island, a controversial move that many disagree with.  

“Common Cause of Rhode Island registered its objections earlier. “If Family Court magistrates are allowed to conduct trials, they should be chosen in the same manner that Family Court judges are selected – through the Merit Selection process. The court cannot have it both ways – arguing that magistrates should be selected in a different manner from judges but granting those magistrates the same powers as judges,” John Marion, executive director of the good-government group, wrote the House Judiciary Committee.”

To read the full article, click here.