Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of chief justice of the supreme court, or whenever the chief justice shall be unable, by reason of illness or absence, to perform the duties of his or her office, the associate justice of the supreme court having precedence who is present and qualified to act shall perform the duties of the office until the vacancy shall be filled or the inability removed.
History of Section.
C.P.A. 1905, § 32; G.L. 1909, ch. 274, § 5; G.L. 1923, ch. 324, § 5; P.L. 1932, ch. 1878, § 1; G.L. 1938, ch. 497, § 5; G.L. 1956, § 8-3-3.