News

In light of the ongoing public health crisis arising from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Rhode Island Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul A. Suttell has signed an executive order closing the McGrath Judicial Complex in South Kingstown (serving Washington County) and the Murray Judicial Complex in Newport (serving Newport County) effective April 1 and until further notice.

The number of hearings being heard within the state’s courts has been significantly reduced, as has the amount of foot traffic to each of the judicial buildings; this is especially true in the Newport and Washington County courthouses. Hence the closures of these two court complexes.

As of April 1, 2020, any emergency or essential matters which would have been heard in either of the judicial buildings in South Kingstown or Newport shall be heard in the Noel Judicial Complex in Warwick (serving Kent County).

Chief Justice Suttell also signed and issued a separate executive order limiting the number of on-site staff and other essential personnel from congregating in groups of more than five people, which is consistent with Governor Gina Raimondo’s directive on social distancing.

To the extent that more than five individuals are required to be present in a courtroom for the adjudication of emergency and essential matters, the Chief Justice has directed that such hearings be conducted in a manner that will ensure appropriate distancing among all necessary participants.

If you have questions about any of these court orders or any pending legal matter, please do not hesitate to contact any of the partners at the firm.

Rhode Island Superior Court Presiding Justice Alice B. Gibney has initiated a business protection program in response to disruptions caused by the coronavirus public health crisis. A copy of that administrative order is available here.

Under the COVID-19 Business Recovery Plan, the court will supervise and provide protections for Rhode Island businesses that are intended to allow businesses to remain operational, access new working capital, and pay debts.

The court will use a non-liquidating receivership model, which will help keep the business and its assets intact. The court will appoint receivers to oversee the preparation of an operating plan for businesses in the program.

Once new working capital, such as disaster relief or small business assistance, is obtained, the business will be able to continue operations, address its debts, and begin to generate revenues again.

The Superior Court has also addressed a series of frequently asked questions that businesses can expect to face in seeking protection under the new COVID-19 Business Recovery Plan. That information is available here.

Businesses filing for relief must be represented by legal counsel. If you have any questions regarding the COVID-19 Business Recovery Plan, please contact Attorney Melissa M. Horne at mhorne@hcc-law.com or 401-490-3941.

One of the newest guidelines in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic issued by R.I. Governor Gina Raimondo is Executive Order 20-09 requiring all business service personnel that can work from home to do so.

This Executive Order applies to accountants, lawyers, human resources, and procurement professionals among others. Higgins, Cavanagh & Cooney has adhered to this directive in advance of its enactment with no interruption of legal services.

At the same time, the state and federal courts in Rhode Island have issued their own scheduling orders in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The R.I. Supreme Court has issued multiple Executive Orders:

For Executive Order 2020-05 related to the specific operations of the Supreme Court, click here.

For Executive Order 2020-04 related to all state court operations, click here.

For Executive Order 2020-03 related to duty magistrates and judges of the Superior Court assigned to emergency/essential matters, click here.

For Executive Order 2020-02 related to Workers’ Compensation Court operations, click here.

For Executive Order 2020-01 related to the suspension of Family Court calendars, click here.

The U.S. District Court has also issued a General Order regarding court operations in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, click here.

In addition, the U.S. District Court has issued a subsequent General Order addressing all criminal matters in that court, click here.

Finally, the U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the District of Rhode Island has issued a General Order related to the Bankruptcy Court operations, click here.

If you have questions about any of these scheduling orders or any pending legal matter, please do not hesitate to contact any of the partners at the firm.

Dear Friends and Clients,

In response to federal and state government guidelines and public concerns over the expansion of the coronavirus (COVID-19), Higgins, Cavanagh & Cooney is implementing a series of preventative measures.

Higgins, Cavanagh & Cooney offices have transferred almost all business operations remotely for the time being. Given the technology in place, there will be no interruption of legal services during this time and all data will be secured.

Our lawyers and staff will work remotely with easy access to emails and voicemails; meetings will take place using Skype, similar online platforms or conference calling, and all work travel has been suspended. We hope these steps will protect our staff, clients and others, and contribute to the well-being of the communities we serve.

As for court emergencies, we are monitoring the directives of court officials and will inform our clients on a case by case basis on how best to proceed with any essential legal matter.

We thank you for your cooperation during this difficult time and hope that you, your colleagues and your families stay safe.

If you have questions about any of these developments or any pending legal matter, please do not hesitate to contact any of the partners at the firm.

Sincerely,

James A. Ruggieri
Managing Partner
Higgins, Cavanagh & Cooney, LLP

Higgins, Cavanagh & Cooney is pleased to announce that James A. Ruggieri was recently recognized by Corporate Counsel and The American Lawyer magazines as a “2020 Top Rated Litigator.” The HCC managing partner maintains an active product liability and employment law practice.

The designation by these publications features lawyers who have achieved an AV-Preeminent Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell©, which is the highest rating obtainable for legal ability and ethical standards.

Corporate Counsel offers news and information for chief legal officers and in-house counsel across the country. The American Lawyer covers the latest developments and other critical issues within the legal profession for attorneys around the globe. The publications have a combined distribution of nearly a quarter of a million readers.