Castelli v. Carcieri

DECISION

This dispute arises out of action by Governor Donald L. Carcieri and his former Director of the Department of Administration, Beverly E. Najarian, to lay off for an indefinite time period the Sheriff of Newport County and three Chief Deputy Sheriffs and possibly to lay off and eliminate the position of the Sheriff of Kent County (the "Sheriffs") as a result of the State's severe budget crisis. The Sheriffs seek declaratory, equitable and injunctive relief to prevent such action, arguing that only the General Assembly may strip them of their statutory positions in the unclassified…