§ 8-8-2. Divisions.
(a) For the distribution of court business, the state is divided into four (4) divisions as follows:
(1) Second division. The second division consists of the city of Newport and the towns of Jamestown, Little Compton, Middletown, Portsmouth, and Tiverton. Appeals and transfers in cases arising in the enumerated cities and towns of the second division shall be transmitted by the clerk of the Second Division District Court to the clerk of the Newport County Superior Court.
(2) Third division. The third division consists of the city of Warwick and the city of Cranston and the towns of Coventry, East Greenwich, Foster, Glocester, Johnston, Lincoln, North Kingstown, North Providence, North Smithfield, Scituate, Smithfield, West Greenwich and West Warwick. Appeals and transfers in cases arising in the enumerated cities and towns of the third division shall be transmitted by the clerk of the Third Division District Court to the clerk of the Kent County Superior Court.
(3) Fourth division. The fourth division consists of the towns of Charlestown, Exeter, Hopkinton, Narragansett, New Shoreham, Richmond, South Kingstown, and Westerly. Appeals and transfers in cases arising in the enumerated cities and towns of the fourth division shall be transmitted by the clerk of the Fourth Division District Court to the clerk of the Washington County Superior Court.
(4) Sixth division. The sixth division consists of the cities of Central Falls, East Providence, Providence, Pawtucket, Woonsocket and the towns of Barrington, Bristol, Burrillville, Cumberland and Warren. Appeals and transfers in cases arising in the enumerated cities and towns of the sixth division shall be transmitted by the clerk of the Sixth Division District Court to the clerk of the Providence County Superior Court.
(b) In each division the place or places for holding court shall be designated by the chief judge.
(c) The district court shall have a seal for each of its divisions, which shall contain the words, “District court of the State of Rhode Island, division.”
History of Section.P.L. 1969, ch. 239, § 4; P.L. 1975, ch. 56, § 1; P.L. 1981, ch. 61, § 1; P.L. 1990, ch. 240, § 1; P.L. 2011, ch. 80, § 1; P.L. 2011, ch. 85, § 1; P.L. 2021, ch. 77, § 3, effective June 23, 2021; P.L. 2021, ch. 78, § 3, effective June 23, 2021.
Structure Rhode Island General Laws
Title 8 - Courts and Civil Procedure – Courts
Section 8-8-1. - District Court established — Chief and associate justices.
Section 8-8-1.1. - Veterans’ treatment calendar.
Section 8-8-1.2. - Mental health treatment calendar.
Section 8-8-3. - Jurisdiction.
Section 8-8-3.1. - Equitable powers as to housing matters.
Section 8-8-3.2. - Record and appeal of housing matters.
Section 8-8-3.3. - Equitable powers in residential landlord and tenant matters.
Section 8-8-4. - Habeas corpus.
Section 8-8-5. - Contempt of court.
Section 8-8-6. - Special service of process.
Section 8-8-7. - Judges — Temporary service in other courts.
Section 8-8-8. - Engagement and acceptance of appointment.
Section 8-8-8.1. - Administrator/clerk — Magistrate.
Section 8-8-10.1. - Retirement contribution.
Section 8-8-10.2. - State contributions.
Section 8-8-12. - Duties of chief judge.
Section 8-8-12.1. - Constable regulation program.
Section 8-8-13. - Sessions of the court.
Section 8-8-15. - Chief, deputy, and assistant clerks.
Section 8-8-16. - Duties of district court clerks.
Section 8-8-16.1. - Office of clerk/magistrate — Purpose.
Section 8-8-16.2. - District court clerk/magistrate.
Section 8-8-17. - Duties of division clerks.
Section 8-8-18. - Failure of clerk to account for fines and costs.
Section 8-8-19. - Duties of chief clerk.
Section 8-8-20. - Sale of blank writs prohibited.
Section 8-8-21. - District court conference.
Section 8-8-22. - Statutory references to earlier courts.
Section 8-8-23. - Savings clause.
Section 8-8-24. - Tax proceedings to be without jury and de novo — Precedence on calendar.
Section 8-8-25. - Time for commencement of proceeding against the division of taxation.
Section 8-8-26. - Prepayment as condition precedent to review of tax case.
Section 8-8-27. - Refund suits.
Section 8-8-28. - Burden of proof in tax cases.
Section 8-8-29. - Court stenographer in tax cases.
Section 8-8-30. - Decision of the court — Form and contents.
Section 8-8-31. - Frivolous appeals.