PROVIDENCE — The state Senate returned to a darkened Assembly chamber yesterday for a one-day session to confirm the appointment of a new District Court judge and two new magistrates, including the Senate president’s chief of staff and the sister of the Judiciary Committee chairman.

In unanimous votes, Senate President Joseph A. Montalbano’s top staffer, R. David Cruise, a former senator himself, was named magistrate of the Traffic Tribunal along with Alan R. Goulart, the chief of the criminal division at the state attorney general’s office.

The pair will replace Marjorie R. Yashar and Aurendina G. Veiga, both of whom left in 2005 amid ethics complaints. The positions carry 10-year terms and annual salaries of $128,650.

The Senate also unanimously confirmed Mary E. McCaffrey to the District Court bench. Currently a Family Court magistrate overseeing truancy cases, McCaffrey is the sister of Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Michael J. McCaffrey, D-Warwick, who abstained from voting yesterday.

Before the final floor approvals, senators offered praise for the three candidates and for two Superior Court magistrates, William J. McAtee and Susan Revens, whom they reappointed to 10-year-terms.

One after another, the lawyers in the Senate spoke of appearing before McAtee in his courtroom and praised his “judicial temperament,” and willingness to accommodate their wishes for continuances on a variety of cases.

But it was the newcomers who received the real attention yesterday, appearing with children and spouses and friends. Chief Justice Frank Williams applauded all three candidates, while testifying on their behalf before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

When it came time for the floor vote, Cruise, 51, of Cumberland, had to step off the rostrum, where he sat with Montalbano, for the discussion and vote on his nomination. Senators spoke at length about their former colleague’s knowledge and experience.

Cruise was a state senator for Cumberland from 1984 to 1991. Before taking the job with Montalbano in 2003, he was legal counsel and director of governmental affairs for the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation from 2000 to 2003. And he was chief of staff to former Gov. Bruce Sundlun from 1991 to 1993.

Goulart, 48, of North Kingstown, the other Traffic Tribunal appointment, has served as the attorney general’s criminal division chief since 2004. He was deputy chief of that division from 1999 to 2004, and he was a Navy judge advocate general from 1987 to 1990.

Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch praised Goulart’s legal knowledge and work ethic.

Judiciary colleagues had similar praise for McCaffrey, 46, who has worked extensively with truant children in this state in her Family Court role.

McCaffrey will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Walter Gorman.

A total of 43 people applied for that judgeship before the Judicial Nominating Commission whittled down the field earlier this month.

cneedham@projo.com