Ronald Lagueux

Nomination Tracker
Nominee Information
	Name: Ronald R. Lagueux
	Court: United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island
Progress
	Confirmed 41 days after nomination.
	Nominated: January 21, 1986
	ABA Rating:
	Questionnaire:
	Hearing: February 19, 1986
	QFRs: (Hover over QFRs to read more)
	Reported: February 27, 1986
	Confirmed: March 3, 1986
	Vote: Voice vote

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Ronald Rene Lagueux is a federal judge on senior status with the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island. He joined the court in 1986 after being nominated by President Ronald Reagan. From 1992 to 1999, Lagueux served as the chief judge of the district court.

Early life and education

A native of Lewiston, Maine, Lagueux graduated from Bowdoin College with his bachelor's degree in 1953 and from Harvard Law School with his LL.B. in 1956.^[1]

Professional career

1986 - Present: United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island

2001 - Present: Senior judge

1992-1999: Chief judge

1986-2001: Judge

1968-1986: Associate justice, Rhode Island Supreme Court
1956-1968: Private practice, Providence, R.I.^[1]

Judicial career

District of Rhode Island

Lagueux was nominated by President Ronald Reagan on January 21, 1986, to a new seat on the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island created by 98 Stat. 333. Hearings on Lagueux's nomination were held before the Senate Judiciary Committee on February 19, 1986, and his nomination was reported by U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond (R-S.C.) on February 27, 1986. Lagueux was confirmed on a voice vote of the U.S. Senate on March 3, 1986, and he received his commission the next day. From 1992 to 1999, Lagueux served as the chief judge of the district court. He elected to take senior status beginning on November 30, 2001. He was succeeded in this position by Judge William E. Smith.^[1]^[2]

Noteworthy cases

High School prayer banner (2012)

See also: United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island (Mark Ahlquist, as next friend, parent and guardian, of Jessica Ahlquist, a minor, v. City of Cranstron, et al., 1-11cv0138L)

On January 11, 2012, Judge Lagueux issued his ruling in Ahlquist v. City of Cranston, deciding that a prayer banner that hung on the gym wall of a public high school violated the First Amendment. Lagueux ordered that the banner be removed within 10 days, barring an appeal from the school district.^[3]

In his opinion, he wrote,

“

The prayer concludes with the indisputably religious closing: 'Amen;' a Hebrew word used by Jews, Christians and Muslims to conclude prayers. In between, the Prayer espouses values of honesty, kindness, friendship and sportsmanship. While these goals are commendable, the reliance on God’s intervention as the way to achieve those goals is not consistent with a secular purpose.^[4]

”

^[3]

On February 16, 2012, the Cranston School Committee, on a 5-2 vote, decided not to appeal Judge Lagueux's ruling. The banner was removed in March 2012 and the school and city agreed to pay the Rhode Island ACLU $150,000 in legal fees.^[5]^[6]

The banner read as follows:

"Our Heavenly Father,

Grant us each day the desire to do our best,
To grow mentally and morally as well as physically,
To be kind and helpful to our classmates and teachers,
To be honest with ourselves as well as with others,
Help us to be good sports and smile when we lose as well as when we win,
Teach us the value of true friendship,
Help us always to conduct ourselves so as to bring credit to Cranston High School West.

Amen."^[7]

The Station nightclub fire case (2010)

See also: United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island (Albert L. Gray, Administrator, et al., v. Jeffrey Derderian, et al., e 1:04-cv-00312-L-DLM)

Judge Lagueux presided over a case for damages resulting from a fire. On Thursday, February 20, 2003, at The Station, a rock and roll themed nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island, a fire was ignited by a rock band's pyrotechnic display. The pyrotechnics hit soundproof foam on the ceiling, which was flammable. 100 people died and over 200 were injured.^[8]^[9]

Families of victims and other parties filed criminal and civil suits against the nightclub owners and the tour manager of the band who set off the pyrotechnics. In addition, numerous companies with products bearing some relation to the incident were sued, including the company that made the soundproofing foam.^[10]

On February 6, 2007, Judge Lagueux denied motions to dismiss filed by Polar Industries, Inc., who manufactured the soundproofing foam, and Home Depot U.S.A., Inc.^[10]

On January 7, 2010, Judge Lagueux approved a settlement of $176 million to the plaintiff family members of the victims. All defendants participated in the settlement.^[11]

Judge Lagueux's order approving the settlement is available here.