Christopher S. Gontarz
Criminal Defense AttorneyPartner concentrating in criminal and civil litigation in State District & Superior Courts and Federal Courts. Trial attorney in over one thousand cases in Newport County Superior&District Court; trial and appellate attorney in Ims v. Town of Portsmouth, 32 A.3 914 (2011)(civil conspiracy and whistleblower act); State v. Gordon, 30 A.3 636 (2011) (sexual assault, kidnapping) State v. Schloesser, 940 A.2d 637 (2007) (child molestation); State v. Edwards, 810 A.2d 226 (2002),cert denied 123 S.Ct. 1808 (2003) (first degree murder; life without parole);Backman v. King, (mem) 636 A.2d 729 (1993):Carpenter v. State, 796 A.2d 1071 (2002) (post conviction relief); State v. Silvia, 798 A.2d 419 (2002) (child molestation); In re DiLuglio, 839 A.2d 514 (2004)( attorney misconduct); In re Coaty, 985 A2. 1020 (2010) (attorney misconduct). Appellate attorney in State v. Gomez, 848 A.2d 221 (2004)(first degree murder) State v. Sanchez-Collins, 921 A.2d 96(2007)(first degree murder, life without parole); McVeigh v. State, 937A.2d 1183(2007) (post conviction relief); State v Palmer,962 A.2d 758(2009)(first degree robbery). In re Steven D, et al, 23 A.3 1138 (2011) (overturning order terminating parental rights); State v. Bunnell, 47 A.3d 220 (2012) (second degree murder); State v. Botas, 71 A.3d 430 (2012) (assault by correctional officer). State v Young, 78 A.3d 787 (2013) (first degree murder); Motyka v State, 91 A.3d 351 (2014)(post conviction relief); Davis v State, 124 A.3d 428 (2015)(post conviction relief); In re Jake G, 126 A.3d 450 (2015) (termination of parental rights). In re Fisher, 175 A.3d 490 (2018) (attorney misconduct); In re Casale, 176 A.3d 1112 (2018) (attorney misconduct); In re Kimmel & Silverman, P.C., 2019-444-MP (2019) (unauthorized practice of law); State v Segrain, 253 A.3d 1255 (2021)(probation violation&firearm conviction);Ciniglia v Strom,141 S.Ct. 1596 (2021) Amicus Curiae Brief (4th amendment & community caretaker exception for wellness check by PD).
- Criminal Law
- Criminal Appeals, Drug Crimes, Expungement, Fraud, Gun Crimes, Internet Crimes, Sex Crimes, Theft, Violent Crimes
- Domestic Violence
- Domestic Violence Criminal Defense, Domestic Violence Restraining Orders
- DUI & DWI
- Appeals & Appellate
- Civil Appeals, Federal Appeals
- Attorney Discipline
- Massachusetts
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- Rhode Island
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- 1st Circuit
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- 2nd Circuit
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- Federal Circuit
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- Federal Circuit
- ID Number: United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
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- U.S. Supreme Court
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- United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
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- Member
- Rhode Island Supreme Court Ethics Advisory Panel
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- Appointed by the R.I. Supreme Court to a three year term, and reappointed to another term.Provides Rhode Island Lawyers with confidential advise on profesional behavior based upon the Rules of Professional Conduct.
- Treasurer
- Rhode Island Bar Association
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- Elected Treasurer of the Rhode Island Bar Association at the 2022 Annual meeting.
- Secretary
- Rhode Island Bar Association
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- Elected Secretary of the Rhode Island Bar Association.
- Member
- Rhode Island Senate Criminal Discovery Commission
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- Designee of RI Bar Association to study and make recommendations regarding the Rules of Criminal Criminal Procedure and Discovery in criminal cases in the State of Rhode Island.
- Member
- Task Force to Develop Polices for Electronically Recording Custial Interrogations
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- Appointed as the designee of the R.I. Bar Association pursuant to RIGL 12-7-22(a) to syudy and make recommendations concerning the establishment of a statewide law enforcement practice of electronically recording custodial interrogations in their entirety.
- Commissioner
- Rhode Island Supreme Court Judicial Tenure and Discipline Commision
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- Commission reviews allegations of serious violations of the Code of Judicial Conduct, and following a formal hearing, the Commission determines whether charges have been sustained and reports its finding to the Supreme Court.
- Prosecutor
- Rhode Island Ethics Commission
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- Prosecuted violations of the State Code of Ethics before the Rhode Island Ethics Commission. Argued before the Rhode Island Supreme Court, Davis vs. Mertens, 574 A.2d 1236 (1990); Doe vs. Ethics Commission, 575 A.2d 993 (1990).
- Special Assistant Attorney General
- Rhode Island Department of Attorney General
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- Prosecuted felonies and misdemeanors in the State District and Superior Courts. Tried approximately forty trials in the Superior Court. Appellate Attorney in State vs. Smith, 512 A.2d 828, (1986)burden of proof in insanity defense; and was the prosecuting attorney in the following cases: State vs. LaPointe, 525 A.2d913 (1987); State vs. Carreira, 528 A.2d 311 (1987); State vs. Saback, 524 A.2d 1155 (1988); State vs. Bruskie, 536 A.2d 522 (1988); and State vs. Cohen, 537 A.2d 283, (1988).
- Police Officer
- Portsmouth Police Department
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- Served in the uniform patrol division. Additionally researched and wrote federal highway safety grants (Project-FARE-) specifically designed to reduce the fatal accident rate in the town. The entire project, two years in duration, was published in an international journal.
- New England Law | Boston
- J.D. (1984) | Law
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- American University
- M.S. (1975) | Administration of Justice
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- Salve Regina University
- B.S. (1972) | Administration of Justice
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- Honors: Cum Laude
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- Member
- Lawyers of Distinction
- Recognized as a "Lawyer of Distinction" in the area of Criminal Law.
- Joseph T. Houlihan Lifetime Mentor Award
- Rhode Island Bar Association
- Award recognizes an attorney who serves as a role model to other lawyers in the RI legal community and who has significantly contributed to the profession and community, and who with his excellent counsel, have excelled as mentors and contributed to the ideals of ethics, civility, professionalism and legal skills.
- Super Lawyer
- Rhode Island Monthly
- Lawyer of the Yaer, Criminal Law
- Corporate Live Wire
- Lawyers of the Year
- Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly
- Association of Professional Responsiblity Lawyers
- Member
- - Current
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- The American Law Institute
- Member
- - Current
- Activities: The American Law Institute is the leading independent organization in the United States producing scholarly work.
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- Rhode Island Bar Assocaition
- House of Delegates Executive Committee
- - Current
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- American Bar Foundation
- Life Fellow
- - Current
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- Massachusetts Bar Association
- Member
- - Current
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- New York Athletic Club
- Member
- - Current
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- St. Thomas More Society
- Board of Directors
- - Current
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- The Federalist Society
- Member
- - Current
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- Rhode Island Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys
- Member
- - Current
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- Rhode Island State Bar
- Member
- - Current
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- Rhode Island Bar Association
- House of Delegates
- - Current
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- American Bar Association
- Fellow
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- NewYork City Bar Association
- Member
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- New York City Bar Association
- Member
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- Tides Family Services
- Chairman, Board of Directors
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- Martin de Porres, New York City
- Board of Directors
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- Newport County Bar Association
- Past President
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- Roger Williams University School of Justice Advisory Board
- Board Member
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- Criminal Law Practice in Rhode Island
- Rhode Island Bar Assocaitiom
- A Practicle Guide to Superior Court Practice in Rhode Island
- Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education/ NE
- Website
- Website
