Rhode Island Superior Court Judge

Ojetta Rogeriee Thompson was in the second group of STEP students to arrive at Scarsdale High School in the late 1960's. She was a strong student, and was admitted to Brown University in 1969. Again she succeeded academically, and in 1973 graduated from Brown with a B.A.  Boston University School of Law and a J.D. followed, and then employment with Thompson and Thompson where she rose to senior partner, specializing in Native American law, civil rights, personal injury, family and real estate law.

She continued working at Thompson and Thompson until she began a career in the court system of Rhode Island. She was assistant city solicitor for the city of Providence and a senior staff attorney for Rhode Island Legal Services.  Later she became an associate judge with the Rhode Island District Court, a position she held for ten years.   

In 1997, Thompson was appointed Associate Justice for the Rhode Island Superior Court, where she presides over felony jury trials and civil trials in excess of $10,000.

Thompson is the first female African-American judge in the history of Rhode Island. 

     She has been honored repeatedly for her contributions to both Rhode Island and the wider world.  Recently she was elected a trustee of Brown University.  In addition she serves as chair of the Board of Directors for the Rhode Island Children's Crusade for Higher Education and the Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Women and Minorities.  

     In 2003 she was presented with the Thurgood Marshall Award from the Providence branch of the NAACP.