Rhode Island General Laws
Chapter 10-13 - Relief of Poor Debtors
Section 10-13-1. - Application to take poor debtor’s oath.

§ 10-13-1. Application to take poor debtor’s oath.
Except as is otherwise provided by § 10-13-2, any person who shall be imprisoned for debt whether on a writ of arrest issued at the commencement of an action, mesne process, or execution, or on execution awarded against him or her as defendant in any action to recover the possession of land or trespass to land, in which title to the land was in dispute between the parties, may complain to the justice of any district court in the county where the person shall be committed that he or she has no estate, real or personal, wherewith to support himself or herself in a correctional institution or to pay institution charges and may request to be admitted to take the poor debtor’s oath.
History of Section.G.L. 1896, ch. 260, § 1; C.P.A. 1905, § 1153; G.L. 1909, ch. 326, § 1; G.L. 1923, ch. 377, § 1; G.L. 1938, ch. 563, § 1; impl. am. P.L. 1956, ch. 3721, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 10-13-1; P.L. 1965, ch. 55, § 56.

Structure Rhode Island General Laws

Rhode Island General Laws

Title 10 - Courts and Civil Procedure – Procedure in Particular Actions

Chapter 10-13 - Relief of Poor Debtors

Section 10-13-1. - Application to take poor debtor’s oath.

Section 10-13-2. - Persons not entitled to take oath.

Section 10-13-3. - Citation to creditor to show cause against debtor’s oath.

Section 10-13-4. - Service of citation on creditor.

Section 10-13-5. - Citations to state as creditor.

Section 10-13-6. - Service of citation on attorney general.

Section 10-13-7. - Administration of oath — Assignment of estate.

Section 10-13-8. - Form of debtor’s oath.

Section 10-13-9. - Certificate of justice as to oath.

Section 10-13-10. - Discharge of prisoner.

Section 10-13-11. - Detainment for fees prohibited.

Section 10-13-12. - Responsibility of warden for property — Assignment to or on direction of creditor.

Section 10-13-13. - Second citation to creditor by debtor not admitted to oath.

Section 10-13-14. - Administration of debtor’s oath pending original action.

Section 10-13-15. - Citation to show cause against oath by defendant.

Section 10-13-16. - Service of citation.

Section 10-13-17. - Examination of defendant and administration of oath.

Section 10-13-18. - Effect of execution after debtor’s oath.

Section 10-13-19. - Application for oath after judgment and before commitment.

Section 10-13-20. - Service of citation.

Section 10-13-21. - Administration of oath.

Section 10-13-22. - Effect of execution after oath.

Section 10-13-23. - Certificate as to oath — Certificate of discharge.

Section 10-13-24. - Assignment for benefit of creditors upon administration of oath.

Section 10-13-25. - Party deemed creditor — Effect of executions subsequent to oath.

Section 10-13-26. - Adjournment of hearings.

Section 10-13-27. - Petition for discharge by prisoner unable to pay tort judgment.

Section 10-13-28. - Examination of tort debtor — Assignment of property — Administration of oath.

Section 10-13-29. - Costs paid by debtor.