I
was saddened to learn of the passing of retired Supreme Court Chief Justice
Joseph Weisberger, a legendary jurist whose legacy looms large in the judicial
history of our great state.
Justice
Weisberger was so widely admired and respected because he embodied all that the
state’s highest court should be: deliberative, fair, scholarly, and seeking
always and above all else clarity, justice, and truth.
Throughout
his long life, Justice Weisberger demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to
service. He interrupted his studies to serve as a Lieutenant Commander in the
Navy during World War II and served in the Rhode Island Senate before his
appointment to the Rhode Island Superior Court in 1956. In 1978, he rose to the
Rhode Island Supreme Court, serving as Acting Chief Justice from 1993 to 1995,
and finally as Chief Justice from 1995 until his retirement in
2001.
Justice
Weisberger’s accomplished judicial career was marked by an expansive wisdom and
an enduring love for the law. Indeed, even after retiring, he remained active in
assisting the Court on which he served admirably for more than two
decades.
Justice
Weisberger shaped the lives of Rhode Islanders in countless ways. Today is a day
not only to mourn his passing, but to celebrate the remarkable legacy that will
live on long after him.
