Rhode Island Superior Court Rules of Civil Procedure
Cited as R.I. Super. Ct. R. Civ. P. · 85 active rules
Rhode Island's Superior Court follows these rules for every civil action and proceeding, from filing a complaint through final judgment and appeal. Summaries, FAQs and full rule text are being added rule by rule.
Plain-English guides Browse Rhode Island guides →Part I. Scope of Rules and Mandatory Electronic Filing — One Form of Action
Part II. Commencement of Action; Service of Process, Pleading, Motions, and Orders
Part III. Pleadings and Motions
- Rule 7 Pleadings Allowed — Form of Motions.
- Rule 8 General Rules of Pleading.
- Rule 9 Pleading Special Matters.
- Rule 10 Form of Pleadings.
- Rule 11 Signing of Pleadings, Motions, and Other Papers; Sanctions.
- Rule 12 Defenses and Objections — When and How Presented by Pleading or Motion — Motion for Judgment on Pleadings.
- Rule 13 Counterclaim and Cross-claim.
- Rule 14 Third Party Practice.
- Rule 15 Amended and Supplemental Pleadings.
- Rule 16 Pre-Trial Procedure — Formulating Issues.
Part IV. Parties
- Rule 17 Parties Plaintiff and Defendant — Capacity.
- Rule 18 Joinder of Claims and Remedies.
- Rule 19 Joinder of Persons Needed for Just Adjudication.
- Rule 20 Permissive Joinder of Parties.
- Rule 21 Misjoinder and Nonjoinder of Parties.
- Rule 22 Interpleader.
- Rule 23 Class Actions.
- Rule 23.1 Derivative Actions by Shareholders.
- Rule 23.2 Derivative Action-Unincorporated Associations.
- Rule 24 Intervention.
- Rule 25 Substitution of Parties.
Part V. Depositions and Discovery
- Rule 26 General Provisions Governing Discovery; Duty of Disclosure.
- Rule 27 Depositions Before Action or Pending Appeal.
- Rule 28 Persons Before Whom Depositions May Be Taken.
- Rule 29 Stipulations Regarding the Taking of Depositions.
- Rule 30 Depositions Upon Oral Examination.
- Rule 31 Depositions Upon Written Questions.
- Rule 32 Use of Depositions in Court Proceedings.
- Rule 33 Interrogatories to Parties.
- Rule 34 Production of Documents, Electronically Stored Information, and Things; Entry Upon Land for Inspection for Other Purposes.
- Rule 35 Physical and Mental Examination of Persons.
- Rule 36 Requests for Admission.
- Rule 37 Failure to Make or Cooperate in Discovery: Sanctions.
Part VI. Trials
- Rule 38 Jury Trial of Right.
- Rule 39 Trial by Jury or by the Court.
- Rule 40 Assignment of Cases for Trial—Continuances.
- Rule 41 Dismissal of Actions.
- Rule 42 Consolidation — Separate Trials.
- Rule 43 Evidence.
- Rule 44 Proof of Official Record.
- Rule 44.1 Determination of Foreign Law.
- Rule 45 Subpoena.
- Rule 46 Exceptions Unnecessary.
- Rule 47 Jurors.
- Rule 48 Number of Jurors.
- Rule 49 Special Verdicts and Interrogatories.
- Rule 50 Judgment as a Matter of Law in Actions Tried by Jury; Alternative Motion for New Trial; Conditional Rulings.
- Rule 51 Argument of Counsel — Instructions to Jury.
- Rule 52 Findings by the Court; Judgment on Partial Findings.
- Rule 53 Masters.
Part VII. Judgment
- Rule 54 Judgment — Costs.
- Rule 55 Default.
- Rule 56 Summary Judgment.
- Rule 57 Declaratory Judgments.
- Rule 58 Entry of Judgment.
- Rule 59 New Trials — Amendment of Judgments.
- Rule 60 Relief from Judgment or Order.
- Rule 61 Harmless Error.
- Rule 62 Stay of Proceedings to Enforce a Judgment.
- Rule 63 Inability of a Judicial Officer to Proceed.
Part VIII. Provisional and Final Remedies and Special Proceedings
- Rule 64 Replevin.
- Rule 65 Injunctions.
- Rule 66 Receivers.
- Rule 67 Deposit in Court—Registry.
- Rule 68 Offer of Judgment; Payment into Court.
- Rule 69 Execution, Supplementary Proceedings, Attachment and Trustee Process After Judgment.
- Rule 70 Judgment for Specific Acts.
- Rule 71 Process in Behalf of and Against Persons Not Parties.
Part IX. Appeals
- Rule 72 Certification.
- Rule 73 Repealed. Repealed
- Rule 74 Repealed. Repealed
- Rule 75 Repealed. Repealed
- Rule 76 Repealed. Repealed
Part X. Superior Court and Clerks
Part XI. Special Rules for Certain Actions
Part XII. General Provisions
Rhode Island's civil procedure numbering runs 1 through 86, with three decimal rules layered in over time (23.1, 23.2, 44.1). Rules 73 through 76 carry no operative text and are shown below for completeness, labeled Repealed.
Source: Rhode Island Judiciary ·
Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Rhode Island (R.I. Gen. Laws § 8-6-2) ·
Current through February 2024 ·
Official source