Richard A. Licht

Richard A. Licht
Associate Justice of the Rhode Island Superior Court
Incumbent
Assumed office
August 27, 2014
Appointed byLincoln Chafee
63rd Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island
In office
January 1985 – January 1989
GovernorEdward D. DiPrete
Preceded byThomas R. DiLuglio
Succeeded byRoger N. Begin
Member of the Rhode Island Senate
In office
1973–1984
Personal details
Born (1948-03-25) March 25, 1948 (age 76)
Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseRoanne Sragow Licht
Alma materHarvard University (A.B.) Harvard Law School (J.D.)
OccupationJudge

Richard A. Licht (born March 25, 1948) is an American judge and lawyer who served as the Lieutenant Governor of the U.S. state of Rhode Island from 1985 to 1989. A Democrat, he previously served in the Rhode Island State Senate from 1973 to 1984. He is an alumnus of Harvard Law School.[1][2] His uncle, Frank Licht, served as Governor of Rhode Island from 1969 to 1973.

In 2011, Licht was appointed by Gov. Lincoln Chaffee as the Director of Administration of Rhode Island.

In 2014, he was appointed as a Rhode Island Superior Court judge.[1] In 2017, he was assigned to the Business Calendar, a specialized business court track within the Superior Court.[3]

In 2023, Licht was struck by a car as a pedestrian near the Rhode Island State House.[4] He sustained serious injuries but made a successful recovery and returned to the bench after six months.[5]

Early life

Richard Licht was born to Julius Licht and Irene Lash Licht in Providence, Rhode Island. He is of Ukrainian Jewish descent. His paternal grandparents were Rochel "Rose" Kassed from Klevan and Jacob Licht from Rivne,[6] and his mother's grandparents emigrated from Kyiv; the family name had originally been Lishinksy.[7] His uncle Frank Licht was the first Jewish governor of Rhode Island.[8]

Political career

Licht made his foray into politics contributing to the gubernatorial campaign of his uncle, Frank Licht.

He was elected to the Rhode Island Senate in 1972, representing the East Side of Providence.

He was elected Lieutenant Governor in 1984, serving under Gov. Edward D. DiPrete.

Licht ran unsuccessful campaigns for United States Senate in the 1988 United States Senate election in Rhode Island, in which he won the Democratic primary, and in the 2000 United States Senate election in Rhode Island.

Licht was a champion of Progressive causes such as reproductive access, paid parental leave, and domestic violence prevention.

Personal life

Richard Licht is a devoted husband and father of four. He is an avid golfer and four-time club champion of Ledgemont Country Club.

References

  1. ^ a b Mulvaney, Katie (August 27, 2014). "Richard Licht, man of many roles, sworn in as R.I. Superior Court judge". The Providence Journal.
  2. ^ Maisel, L. Sandy; Forman, Ira N., eds. (2001). Jews in American Politics. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9780742501812.
  3. ^ Bodurtha, Harmony Conti; Shaghalian, Catherine A. (2018). "The Business Calendar: A Deeper Bench" (PDF). Rhode Island Bar Journal. 66 (5): 13.
  4. ^ "RI Judge Licht remains in serious condition after being struck by car near State House".
  5. ^ "Only on 10: Superior Court Judge Richard Licht, struck by car, shares story of recovery".
  6. ^ Rhode Island, U.S., State and Federal Naturalization Records, 1802–1945
  7. ^ Massachusetts, U.S., State and Federal Naturalization Records, 1798–1950
  8. ^ "Gov. Licht's Mother Dies in Providence". The Boston Globe. May 18, 1971. p. 40. Retrieved August 10, 2024.
Party political offices
Preceded by Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from Rhode Island
(Class 1)
1988 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island
1985–1989 		Succeeded by