Rhode Island Court Records

The Rhode Island Judiciary Public Portal shows the register of actions, or docket sheet, for cases in the Supreme, Superior, Family, District and Workers' Compensation Courts and the Traffic Tribunal; what each user sees depends on access rights.

Every courthouse clerk's office has public terminals to read public electronic case documents during business hours.

Rhode Island divorces are heard by the statewide Family Court under R.I. Gen. Laws 8-10-3 and kept by the Family Court clerk's office in the county where the case was filed. Rule 3.3 of the Family Court Rules of Practice withholds only matters involving scandal or immoral practices and matters sealed by statute or court order. The decision pending entry of final judgment, the final judgment with its property assignment, incorporated settlement agreements and qualified domestic relations orders are matters of record open unless sealed, while the Statement of Assets, Liabilities, Income and Expenses that Rule 1.7(a) requires with every divorce complaint is a non-public filing under Rule 4(b) of the Judiciary's Rules of Practice Governing Public Access to Electronic Case Information.

The Judiciary Public Portal gives the public the docket and hearing dates but no documents; the file is read at the clerk's office, and no public records act request is needed. The Rhode Island asset search page explains what the statement and the judgment show.