Guide
Rhode Island Expungement Research Resources
Rhode Island expungement is under R.I. Gen. Laws chapter 12-1.3, which lets a first offender move the court to expunge a felony or misdemeanor conviction. The official Rhode Island sources are listed below.
- Rhode Island Judiciary, Expungement InformationCourt summary of expungement motions
- Rhode Island Attorney General, Expunge My Criminal RecordAttorney General help to check eligibility
- R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 12-1.3Expungement of criminal records
This directory is for informational and research use only. Expungement eligibility, waiting periods, filing fees, notice rules, and the effect on background checks can differ significantly depending on the state, offense level, case outcome, and later law changes.
Guide
Sealing a divorce or civil file in Rhode Island
Rhode Island has no statute that closes divorce files as a whole, and the Family Court's own rule keeps them open, but the Judiciary's public access rules make the financial statement, tax returns and pay stubs in them non-public. Rule 3.3 of the Family Court Rules of Practice provides that matters of record involving scandal or immoral practices shall not be furnished by the court for publication or given out for inspection to anyone except the parties in interest or their representatives, and that matters of record which are sealed by the court pursuant to statute or court order shall not be furnished or given out for inspection except as provided by statute, by the rules or by order of the court. Every other matter of record is open, except the filings that Rule 4 of the Rhode Island Judiciary Rules of Practice Governing Public Access to Electronic Case Information lists as non-public, which include the Statement of Assets, Liabilities, Income and Expenses that Rule 1.7(a) requires with each complaint, tax returns and pay stubs.
A party who wants a document or the file withheld moves the Family Court for an order sealing it. The rule states no standard for the judge to apply, so the motion rests on the showing made, and a sealed matter stays closed until the court orders otherwise. The rules are at courts.ri.gov.
Guide
Research Notes
- Start with the court and the originating agency. Expungement or sealing requests are often handled through the court that heard the case, sometimes with supporting records from police, prosecutors, or corrections agencies.
- Terminology differs by state. Some jurisdictions use terms such as sealing, set-aside, vacatur, dismissal relief, or nondisclosure instead of expungement.
- Verify current law. Eligibility rules can change through legislation or court decisions, so always confirm the current process before relying on older instructions or third-party summaries.
- Understand downstream effects. Even after record relief, treatment of court, police, private-background check, and federal records may differ depending on the system involved.
By state