Maureen McKenna Goldberg, an associate justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court, appears headed for elevation to the chief justice position that has been vacant since the recent retirement of Chief Justice Frank Williams.

McKenna Goldberg, 58, of South Kingstown, would be Rhode Island's first woman high court chief justice. The position is important not only because it would put McKenna Goldberg atop the state's premier appellate court, but also because in Rhode Island the chief justice is the chief court administrator, in charge of judicial policy and a large network of patronage jobs.

Sources close to both House Speaker William Murphy, D-West Warwick and Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed, D-Newport,  said yesterday that they both favor the elevation of McKenna Goldberg.

Governor Carcieri has control over the appointment, which is subject to ratification by the General Assembly. In return, the General Assembly leadership is poised to approve Carcieri's chief of staff, Brian Stern, to a state superior or district court judgeship.

Stern has applied for both a superior court judgeship and for the district court chief judge position that is vacant due to the death of Judge Albert DeRobbio. Stern has asked the state Ethics Commission for an opinion granting him an exemption from the state's `revolving door' law that bans legislators or top aides to the governor from immediately taking judgeships.

Stern has received an opinion from the Ethics Commission staff clearing him to seek a judgeship because before Stern took over as Carcieri's chief of staff, he was a long time state employee. A decision on Stern's request is scheduled for Tuesday at the commission.

John Marion, executive director of Common Cause of Rhode Island, a government ethics watchdog group, said the group has no plans to oppose Stern because he qualifies for an exemption based on his state work experience.

Carcieri spokeswoman Amy Kempe said the governor has no timetable for making the appointments. Kempe said it is premature to discuss judgeship appointments until the state's Judicial Nominating Commission sends nominations to Carcieri's desk.

McKenna Goldberg is a Pawtucket native who lives in South Kingstown. She is a graduate of St. Mary Academy Bay View, Providence College and the Suffolk University Law School. She is married to Robert Goldberg, a former Republican state senator who is an influential State House lobbyist.

McKenna Goldberg has served as a state prosecutor,  a state Superior Court Judge and as solicitor for the towns of Westerly and South Kingstown. She was appointed to the state Supreme Court by Gov. Lincoln Almond in 1997.