2023 -- H 6379
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LC002984
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S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
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H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N
EXTENDING DEEPEST CONDOLENCES ON THE P ASSING OF THE HONORABLE
RONALD R. LAGUEUX, THE FORMER UNITED STATES SENIOR DISTRICT JUDGE OF
THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF RHODE ISLAND
Introduced By: Representatives Craven, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Chippendale, McEntee,
Newberry, Tanzi, Shallcross Smith, Ajello, and Phillips
Date Introduced: May 09, 2023
Referred To: House read and passed
WHEREAS, It is with sadness that this House has learned of the passing of the 1
Honorable Ronald R. Lagueux, a highly respected former Federal Judge for the District of Rhode 2
Island, and the husband of his beloved wife, Denise for sixty-six years, the father of three 3
children, Michelle Lagueux and her husband, William Burgess, Gregory Lagueux, and Barrett 4
Lagueux Chapin and his wife, Betsy Chapin, the grandfather of Samuel Chapin, Gregory 5
Lagueux, Jr, Curtis Chapin, Jacqueline Lagueux, and James Chapin, and the great-grandfather of 6
Genevieve Chapin; and 7
WHEREAS, Judge Lagueux was born in Lewiston, Maine, the only child of Arthur 8
Lagueux and Lauretta Lagueux. He attended Lewiston High School where he lettered in four 9
sports and received offers from The Cardinals and The Red Sox but chose to pursue academics, 10
earning his Bachelor’s degree cum laude from Bowdoin College. During his undergraduate years, 11
he once again demonstrated his athletic prowess earning several offers to play professional 12
baseball, but again chose to further his education, attaining his Juris Doctor from Harvard in 13
1956; and 14
WHEREAS, Upon passing the Bar, Judge Lagueux was recruited by the law firm 15
Edwards & Angell. He moved to Rhode Island achieving great success as a practicing attorney 16
until 1963, when he took a two-year leave from the law firm to serve as Executive Council to 17
Governor John H. Chaffee; and 18
WHEREAS, In 1964, Judge Lagueux returned to Edwards and Angel, specializing in 19
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civil litigation and attaining the title of full partner. In 1968, he left the firm upon being 1
nominated to the RI Superior Court bench by then Governor Chaffe. In 1985, he was appointed 2
by then President Reagan to be a Federal Judge for the District of RI, where he served as Chief 3
Judge for seven years, and in 2001, became the senior member until his retirement in 2016; and 4
WHEREAS, During his tenure on the U.S. District Court, Judge Lagueux presided with 5
distinction over numerous high-profile cases including the historic Station nightclub fire case and 6
is also credited with oversight of the renovation project aimed at preserving the integrity of the 7
historic courthouse; and 8
WHEREAS, The Honorable Ronald Lagueux was an exceptional jurist who presided 9
with fairness and justice. He was beloved by his family and highly-respected by his peers, and he 10
will be profoundly missed by those who had the good fortune to be a part of his vital and 11
fulfilling life; now, therefore be it. 12
RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby 13
expresses deepest sympathies on the passing of the Honorable Ronald R. Lagueux; and be it 14
further 15
RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to 16
transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Mrs. Denise Lagueux and Family. 17
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