| Chapter 305 |
| 2026 -- H 8547 SUBSTITUTE A Enacted 06/23/2026 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE--COURTS -- SUPERIOR COURT |
Introduced By: Representatives McEntee, Caldwell, and Craven |
| Date Introduced: May 13, 2026 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Chapter 8-2 of the General Laws entitled "Superior Court" is hereby amended |
| by adding thereto the following section: |
| 8-2-15.2. Domestic violence calendar. |
| (a) Establishment. There is hereby established within the Rhode Island superior court a |
| separate calendar to be known as the "domestic violence calendar" for the hearing and disposition |
| of domestic violence cases within the jurisdiction of the superior court. |
| (b) Eligible cases. The domestic violence calendar shall include the following actions |
| within the jurisdiction of the superior court: |
| (1) All criminal proceedings alleging the commission of a felony offense constituting |
| domestic violence, as defined in § 12-29-2; |
| (2) All felony offenses involving violations of no-contact orders or protective orders arising |
| from domestic violence matters; |
| (3) All felony offenses involving the use, possession, or discharge of a weapon in |
| connection with a domestic violence offense; and |
| (4) Any other criminal proceedings arising from the same act or transaction or otherwise |
| related to a domestic violence matter, as the presiding justice or the court deems appropriate for |
| inclusion on the domestic violence calendar. |
| (c) Assignment of personnel. The presiding justice of the superior court shall assign |
| personnel to the extent warranted to hear cases on the domestic violence calendar and may provide |
| for the consistent assignment of such cases in order to promote continuity of judicial oversight. |
| where practicable. |
| (d) Magistrate. There is hereby created within the superior court the position magistrate, |
| who shall be appointed by the presiding justice of the superior court, with advice and consent of |
| the senate, for a period of ten (10) years, and until a successor is appointed and qualified. Nothing |
| contained herein shall be construed to prohibit the reappointment of a magistrate for one or more |
| additional ten (10) year terms, subject to the advice and consent of the senate. The person appointed |
| to serve as magistrate shall be a member of the bar of the Statestate of Rhode Island. The magistrate |
| shall have the duties, responsibilities, powers and benefits as authorized in § 8-2-11.1. |
| (e) Priority of proceedings. Cases assigned to the domestic violence calendar shall be given |
| priority in scheduling and disposition, consistent with the rights of the parties. |
| (f) Concurrent jurisdiction. The "domestic violence calendar" shall have concurrent |
| jurisdiction with any other calendar of the superior court to hear and decide all criminal actions |
| brought pursuant to the violations of the chapters 5, 9, 29, 37, 47 and 68 of title 11 and any offense |
| constituting domestic violence as provided pursuant to § 12-29-2, as long as the criminal action |
| involves domestic violence as defined in § 15-15-1. |
| (g) Administration. The presiding justice may adopt administrative orders, rules, and |
| protocols as are necessary to implement the provisions of this section, including coordination, |
| where appropriate, with the Rhode Island district court and the Rhode Island family court. |
| (h) Construction. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the authority of the |
| superior court to control its calendar, assign cases, or otherwise manage its docket as provided by |
| law. |
| SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC006413/SUB A |
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