2026 -- H 7748

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LC005104

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE--COURTS -- DISTRICT COURT

     Introduced By: Representatives Craven, McEntee, and Shanley

     Date Introduced: February 12, 2026

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     (Judiciary)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 8-8-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 8-8 entitled "District Court" is

hereby amended to read as follows:

     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, North Kingstown, 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.”

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect two (2) months after passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE--COURTS -- DISTRICT COURT

***

     This act would move North Kingstown from the third division of the district court to the

fourth division to better balance case workloads among the divisions.

     This act would take effect two (2) months after passage.

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